Game Music Festival

Game Music Festival
GenreVideo game music
LocationsNarodowe Forum Muzyki in Wrocław,

Royal Festival Hall in London,

Fairfield Halls in London
Years activeSince 2018
Next eventFebruary 15, 2026, The Symphony of the Sword
Organised byGame Music Foundation
Websitehttps://gmfest.com/

Game Music Festival is an international music festival[1] dedicated to the popularization of video game soundtracks and promoting them as a form of art.[1] The event was held at the National Forum of Music in Wrocław, Poland, from 2018. In 2022 and 2024, the fourth and fifth edition of the Festival took place in London's[2] Royal Festival Hall.[1][3]

Third edition of Game Music Festival was streamed on Twitch platform.

The sixth edition is planned for February and June 2026, featuring The Symphony of the Sword concert on February 15th in Wrocław, Poland[4], followed by five other concerts throughout June in London.[5]

Format of the Festival

Each iteration of the Game Music Festival is focused on a series of live concerts based on newly created arrangements of the soundtracks from a particular game franchise. These concerts are often monographic in character, aiming to present the music attributed to a selected game or composer in a coherent manner. The performance itself can assume various musical forms, such as a symphonic suite, a concerto grosso, or a jazz big-band[2] piece.

Concerts of each Game Music Festival are not accompanied by any visualizations. Sound is not amplified electronically[1] unless this is required by a particular instrument. Game Music Festival also includes multiple auxiliary events such as masterclass workshops, panel discussions, case studies, meet-and-greet sessions.[1] For each edition, organizers are inviting composers and special guests connected to presented games and soundtracks, who then join aforementioned panels and workshops.[6]

Concerts of Game Music Festival
Year Concert title Soundtracks Performers
2018 The Symphony of Heroes Heroes of Might and Magic series (including parts II III, IV) NFM Wrocław Philharmonic
The Jazz of Grim Fandango Grim Fandango Bartosz Pernal Orchestra
The Symphony of the Forest Ori and the Blind Forest Sound Factory Orchestra
The Symphony of the Storm Diablo, Diablo 2, World of Warcraft, StarCraft, StarCraft II NFM Wrocław Philharmonic, NFM Choir
2019 The Symphony of the Desert Journey, Abzû, The Banner Saga Sound Factory Orchestra
The Symphony of the Colossus ICO, Shadow of the Colossus, The Last Guardian Sound Factory Orchestra
The Symphony of the Shadows Assassin's Creed II, Hitman series (including Codename 47, Silent Assassin, Contracts, Blood Money) NFM Wrocław Philharmonic, NFM Choir
2020 The Symphony of Four Worlds Bastion, Transistor, Pyre, Hades Sound Factory Orchestra
The Symphony of Sin Divinity: Original Sin II, Baldur's Gate III Opole Philharmonic Orchestra, Medici Cantantes Choir
2022 The Jazz of Cuphead Cuphead[2] Bartosz Pernal Orchestra
The Symphony of the Spirits Ori and the Blind Forest[2] Philharmonia Orchestra, Hertfordshire Chorus
2024 The Symphony of the Realms[7][8] Baldur's Gate 3 Philharmonia Orchestra, Hertfordshire Chorus
The Sounds of the Fireflies[7] The Last of Us, The Last of Us Part II Philharmonia Orchestra, Gustavo Santaolalla[9]
The Sounds of the Fireflies - Wrocław[10] The Last of Us, The Last of Us Part II NFM Wrocław Philharmonic, Gustavo Santaolalla[10]
2026 The Symphony of the Sword[11] Kingdom Come: Deliverance, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II NFM Wrocław Philharmonic, Medici Cantantes Choir, Veratus, Jan Valta[11]
The Infernal Symphony[12][13][14] Diablo franchise (including Lord of Hatred) London Mozart Players, Hertfordshire Chorus[12]
The Colors of Harmony: Hitoshi Sakimoto 40th Anniversary Celebration[15][13] 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, Odin Sphere Leifthrasir, Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy XII London Mozart Players, Hitoshi Sakimoto
The Art of Game Music with Troy Baker and Austin Wintory[16][13] Journey, Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate, ABZÛ, The Pathless, Sword of the Sea London Mozart Players, Troy Baker, Austin Wintory[16]
Ballads of the Underworld[17][13][14] Hades, Hades II London Mozart Players, Darren Korb, Ashley Barret, Austin Wintory[17]
Persona Grooves[18][13][14] Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona 5 Bartosz Pernal Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Shoji Meguro[18]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Unfinished symphony". Edge. No. 371. Bath: Future Publishing. November 2014. pp. 14–15.
  2. ^ a b c d Haider, Arwa. "The music most embedded in our psyches?". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2022-11-23.
  3. ^ Talik, Magdalena. "Game Music Festival w NFM w październiku". wroclaw.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2021-09-29.
  4. ^ "The Symphony of the Sword - music from Kingdom Come: Deliverance I & II". Game Music Festival. 2025-09-18. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  5. ^ "Game Music Festival 2026 schedule". Game Music Festival. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  6. ^ "ARCHIVE". Game Music Festival. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  7. ^ a b "Game Music Festival: Exquisite video game music concerts and more". Game Music Festival. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  8. ^ Dave Jones (2023-10-31). "The Baldur's Gate 3 soundtrack is hitting the concert hall". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  9. ^ Bolt, Neil (2023-11-16). "The Last of Us Composer Gustavo Santaolalla Performing Soundtracks in the UK in 2024". PlayStation LifeStyle. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  10. ^ a b "DLH Enterprises". DLH net. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  11. ^ a b "The Symphony of the Sword - music from Kingdom Come: Deliverance". 2025-09-18. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  12. ^ a b "The Infernal Symphony – music from the Diablo franchise - Game Music Festival 2026". 2025-10-28. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  13. ^ a b c d e Purchese, Robert (2025-10-28). "Individual Diablo, Hades and Persona orchestral musical concerts are coming to London". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved 2026-01-11.
  14. ^ a b c Shutler, Ali (2025-10-29). "Game Music Festival confirms 2026 London concerts". NME. Retrieved 2026-01-11.
  15. ^ "The Colors of Harmony: Hitoshi Sakimoto 40th Anniversary Celebration - Game Music Festival". 2025-10-28. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  16. ^ a b "The Art of Game Music with Troy Baker and Austin Wintory - Game Music Festival". 2025-10-28. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  17. ^ a b "Ballads of the Underworld - music from Hades & Hades 2 live". 2025-10-28. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  18. ^ a b "Persona Grooves – Featuring music from Persona 3, 4, 5". 2025-10-28. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
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