Causing Fear, Suspense, and Anxiety Using Sound Design in Computer Games

Computer games are audio-visual entertainment media that provide an escapist experience (Grimshaw, 2007). That is, computer games utilize both audio and visual media to capture players’ attention and engage players’ motor and mental skills; thus immersing the players in the gameworld. This immersion provides an escape for players from everyday life. Immersion occurs when the game: (1) “monopolizes the senses” (Carr, 2006, p. 68), (2) engages the player psychologically, and (3) requires physical action (see Nacke & Grimshaw, 2011 for more on immersion). The authors of this chapter believe that all three components of immersion are highly linked and can be (and are) used to evoke emotions from players. Visuals and sound are often used to elicit specific emotions among the consumers of computer games. Currently, however, the computer game AbstrAct