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Arc Raiders devs have used a music sample ‘from a piano in Chernobyl’ that someone had discovered in the Forbidden Zone
The developers of Arc Raiders have used a sample library recorded from an old piano found in Chernobyl’s Forbidden Zone, giving the game’s music and soundscape an unusual real-world source. The detail reflects the composers’ efforts to build a distinctive atmosphere for the game.
Instruments in the game also have social and tactical uses: players can play them to signal they are friendly or draw mechanical enemies towards a particular spot. An early playable trumpet was eventually turned into the lure grenade. Composers Patrik Andrén and Johan Söderqvist also create sounds using synthesised and everyday materials, with only a small portion of some recording sessions making it into the game.
In short
- Arc Raiders uses samples from a piano found in Chernobyl.
- Instruments can help players signal or lure enemies.
- Its composers build sounds from unusual sources.
Explained simply
Chernobyl is a site in northern Ukraine where a nuclear reactor accident in 1986 led to the evacuation of nearby towns. The surrounding restricted area is often called the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, and its abandoned buildings and objects have since been explored by visitors and documented by researchers.
Arc Raiders is a video game in which players face mechanical enemies and can use sound for practical purposes. Its composers, Patrik Andrén and Johan Söderqvist, combine recordings and synthesised sounds to shape the game’s atmosphere; some instruments can signal to other players or attract enemies.