The Opportunity for Duran Duran in Video Games

by Kirk Harrington, ddworldwide

I am an avid gamer. I have been since the Magnavox Odyssey (yes I'm old). I am also an avid Duran Duran fan and started my journey of Duran Duran since the album 7 and the Ragged Tiger. As I think about Duran Duran's journey through music and how video games have exploded in popularity since the early 80s, I have appreciated when music artists take advantage of the medium to reach this particular entertainment market.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Duran Duran's entry into games when they created a world in Second Life (the DDU in 2011). I wish I had gone into it when it was more popular...I was fairly late to joining it. I did play with some people on it, and did actually meet Warren Cucurrullo on it once (in his pirate gear with a parrot on his shoulder). I did dance on the virtual dance floor while DD music was playing also. It was around that time that DDTTRH was at its height and several of the band's friend (including Warren) had expressed their gratitude to me on Second Life for raising awareness to them.

It is unfortunate that the DDU died on the vine. My experience by the time I got to it was not unlike Ganker's in his article "The Story of Second Life's Long Abandoned Duran Duran Universe":

"I lingered in the Duran Duran Universe for hours and still nobody else showed up, nobody came to dance or mud wrestle. It dawned on me that Second Life must be filled with worlds like this: virtual spaces that users spent years labouring over, that allowed a genuine sense of community to be formed, but which mostly now lay barren and forgotten, with histories that will never be archived. These worlds will remain untouched long after their users cease to visit - like virtual museums - until someone at Linden Lab decides Second Life has run its course."

Second Life, in my honest opinion, suffered from several things...and as a lifelong gamer it is something that I can talk about with some confidence. First, the developers didn't seem to keep up with the ever expanding technologies that still push the game market forward today. Faster chips, higher ram requirements, delving into new and different game tech (like VR and AR), and intense competition from other massive multiplayer games on PC and various consoles keep pushing the envelope on the fascinating experiences you can have in a video game. Beyond that, video games have gone beyond a basic virtual world where you buy things and explore to actually putting you within a storyline with voice actors and choreographed action that makes you feel like you are playing in a movie...except you are the main character!

Further, many of these more modern games have developed innovative ways to feature music. One of my absolute favorite music/video game moments is in the game Borderlands, with the song "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" by Cage the Elephant. Here is a video link to it (with the Borderlands intro if you haven't seen it... Borderlands Intro (youtube.com)

The song goes perfectly with the game's post apocalyptic and gritty graphics and images...and sets the mood well as the players start out. Every time I hear that song, I think of the game and all the cool weapons and missions you can do in the game.

Another band I enjoy that has taken advantage of the video game genre is Gorillaz. Gorillaz is a fabulous band that has done well at creating an image with fun and super cool animated characters that have stories and background that people can get into.

Some examples of games created for album releases are:

Noodle Fight, with the album Clint Eastwood: https://youtu.be/pPqi19X9G2w

Final Drive (Geep Simulator), for the album 19-2000: https://youtu.be/G-w25GVXJhE

Plastic Beach (Web Game), for the album of same title: https://youtu.be/jUnvkZFPu1Q

Another way games have used music is to create radios inside the games...whether they be in spaceships or cars that you drive or fly and you can switch channels to listen to different music.

I just love driving around Night City in Cyberpunk 2077 (CD Projekt Red) and listening to music...here's a fun video you can watch of this...

Driving at Night City - Cyberpunk 2077 Radio Soundtrack - I REALLY WANT TO STAY AT YOUR HOUSE (youtube.com)

Other games with in-game radios are Guardians of the Galaxy (many already know of the nostalgic mixes they made for the movies...they exist in the game also!), Grand Theft Auto, and recently with the game Once Human (there is a radio you can play with licensed songs while you drive your motorcycle (press X) and there is a radio you can build in your house!).

Here are some fun links you can look at for these games and their music lists:

All Radio Stations and Songs - Cyberpunk 2077 Guide - IGN

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy complete soundtrack | Windows Central

GTA 5: Full list of songs in the game (sportskeeda.com)

Once Human: All Radio Station Songs List | The Nerd Stash

As far as the creative use of music with a more immersive physical experience, Rock Band and Guitar Hero come to mind. And Duran Duran does have music on some of these games.

Even more immersive than playing your own instruments is where you are transported inside of a virtual world and your body becomes the controller. Beat Saber for VR is an excellent example of this. You basically are placed in a virtual world and use light sabers to hit blocks to keep beat to music as it plays. The last time I played Beat Saber, which was maybe a year ago (my son always beats me), I was happy that they'd added Lady Gaga and Imagine Dragons to their list. There was also music by artists I hadn't heard of...and I enjoyed sampling different things and being introduced to new music this way.

And I think that is where I think Duran Duran has an opportunity. Its really fun to be introduced to music in a video game...it basically adds to the thrill that you already experience through sight, sound, and the action you are a part of. It's no doubt that Duran Duran's music is excellent. And based on the wide range of ages of attendees at their concerts currently, I am positive that there are many avid gamers in that audience. Plus, because video games are so popular and compete with each other to give their consumers improved visual and auditory experiences, there is a real demand for good music there.

I sometimes muse that Duran Duran music will still be popular after after humans make it to space and travel to distant planets (A la Star Trek or Star Wars). If you think about it, a video game which allows you to do things one can only dream of (including travel to space) could be seen as a precursor to future human activities. What better way to keep the best music in people's minds as they live out their dreams in the electronic world that could be easily transferred to a future one that we may actually live one day?

The streaming of video games is immensely popular today, particularly on platforms like Youtube and Twitch. Streaming is also just another part of the video game culture that has skyrocketed some people to fame...like PewdiePie, Ninja, and Shroud.

Some examples of modern musical artists that are gamers and have taken advantage of the streaming medium are...

Montaigne (Jess Cerro) uses twitch to play video games as well as introduce fans to her artistic process
Elle Graham (artist name Woodes) release her album Crytal Ball (2020) entirely within Minecraft...a very popular multiplayer game which boasts a following of over 126 million users
Roy Molloy, saxophonist, who plays with Alex Cameron streams regularly on Twitch
Keith Buckley, who is in the band Every Time I Die also plays on Twitch
The artist Diplo streams Fortnight on Twitch
Michael Clifford, Five Steps of Summers streams Modern Warfare on Twitch
Guitarist Geoff Wigginton of the band Waterparks likes to stream party games like Mario Party on Twitch
Special mention, less video game related but taking advantage of the video game and streaming audiences on Twitch, is Guitarist Andrew Kyne (Grayscale) who uses the platform to teach guitar chords to its fans.

Kubi Vasak, in the article Why Musicians Have Begun Streaming Video Games writes about Roy Molloy...

"Molloy assured us that he’s “always doing awesome shit” when he games, which is exactly why people tune into streams. The idea of watching somebody play games may sound profoundly uninteresting to anyone outside that world, but think of it like watching an athlete dominating the field, or a comedian stealing a talk show.

Some viewers turn to Twitch to see games played at the highest level by professional esports athletes or speedrunners – a community who compete to finish certain games in world record times. It’s similar to why you’d watch Montaigne, Woodes, or Molloy stream their process. Whenever you watch a professional in their stride, you learn something, and it doesn’t hurt if you think they’re entertaining on a personal level."

I personally think its for this very reason...reaching fans on a personal level...that makes streaming such a useful medium for artists and content creators. If fans think you are one of them and see that you are willing to share your world with them, the natural reaction is to warm up to you and buy into your content.

In conclusion, I'd like to suggest several ways that Duran Duran can tap into the video game consumer market that for them could be low hanging fruit to increase record sales and engage more with new and interesting audiences...

Have a Discord channel (a popular medium where gamers and content creators like to congregate) and regularly engage with fans there and provide news about upcoming album releases and concerts
Do a Twitch streaming channel where a band member (or someone affiliated with the band) does either game streaming or teaches about Duran Duran's music methods. Further, John Taylor's Youtube lessons could also be shown on Twitch as an additional place to experience them.
Reach out to gaming companies where Duran Duran's music could easily fit in...like Beat Games for Beat Saber, Rock Star Games - maker of the Grand Theft Auto series, and even Gearbox Software (who makes Borderlands).
Do special events where gamers are invited...where they can play games and listen to Duran Duran music
Another potential opportunity is for Duran Duran to weave into their songs the video game culture and audience. Some artists have successfully done this. Ones that come to mind are Falling in Reverse, with the song "Game Over" or Lana Del Rey's "Video Game", Frogger by Bad Religion, and one of my favorites...Pac Man by Gorillaz.

Sources & Extra reads:

Noodle Fight | Gorillaz Wiki | Fandom

Final Drive (Geep Simulator) | Gorillaz Wiki | Fandom

Category:Video Games | Duran Duran Wiki | Fandom

The story of Second Life's long-abandoned Duran Duran universe - Ganker

Music in Video Games: How the Industry Can Capitalize on the Boom (billboard.com)

Why musicians have begun streaming video games (happymag.tv)

9 musicians streaming games and rocking out on Twitch (altpress.com)

They Seem Cool: Musicians Alex Cameron and Roy Molloy (thecut.com)

Top 17 Twitch Streamers Every Gamer Should Follow (Updated 2024) (influencermarketinghub.com)

john taylor bass lesson - YouTube

A Moment To Remember The Song That Sold Borderlands (kotaku.com)