UK-based independent music company Ninja Tune has teamed up with music technology startup Reactional Music in its push into the lucrative gaming market as music companies seek new revenue streams beyond traditional platforms.
The London-based label, home to artists like BICEP, Bonobo and Little Dragon, will license tracks from its catalog to Reactional Music’s interactive music personalization platform, which enables real-time integration of music in gaming, automotive and digital environments.
Ninja Tune said the move will allow it to capture a share of the expanding in-game purchase economy, valued at $125.7 billion globally.
Reactional’s technology allows developers to integrate music experiences in games, syncing user soundtracks with gameplay. It also allows gamers to personalize their gameplay soundtrack with their preferred music while keeping it in sync with in-game actions.
“In partnering with Ninja Tune we are bringing together some of the world’s leading innovators and creators in music with leading games developers, creators and technologists,” said David Knox, President, Reactional Music.
“The music fan wants new ways to experience their favorite music and to enjoy discovering new music. Bringing artists, creators and developers closer together is at the centre of our strategy to enable a new generation of music delivery and music consumption and a new way of bringing entertainment together with consumers on any device, anywhere.”
The partnership comes as more music companies venture into the gaming market. With 3.5 billion gamers worldwide, in-game content purchases are projected to reach $100 billion by 2029. However, music currently only accounts for less than 0.01% of in-game spending.
As noted by MBW in a February article, this year’s most-anticipated entertainment release is Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto VI. DFC Intelligence expects the game to generate $1 billion in preorders ahead of its Fall release and over $3 billion in its first year.
“Ninja Tune has always been at the forefront of exploring new ways to connect artists with audiences, and the gaming space presents an incredible opportunity to do just that,” said Marie Clausen, Managing Director, North America, Ninja Tune.
“Reactional Music’s approach aligns with our commitment to innovation, extending the reach of our catalog to game developers and billions of gamers worldwide. With gaming playing a major role in music discovery, we’re excited to see how this partnership unlocks new creative and commercial possibilities.”
“With gaming playing a major role in music discovery, we’re excited to see how this partnership unlocks new creative and commercial possibilities.”
Marie Clausen, Ninja Tune
To showcase the partnership, the two parties have released a demo featuring music from Coldcut, the electronic duo who founded Ninja Tune in 1990, alongside tracks from The Death Set and The Qemists, showing how music can adapt to player actions.
Ninja Tune joins Reactional’s expanding network of over 50 rightsholder partners, including Beggars Group, Defected Records, Cherry Red Records, Hopeless Records, Hipgnosis Song Management, APM and Naxos. The technology is currently available on major game development platforms Unity and Unreal Engine, with adoption across Europe, North America, and Asia.
Founded by Matt Black and Jonathan More of Coldcut, Ninja Tune’s label group includes Brainfeeder, Counter Records, Technicolour, Big Dada, and Foreign Family Collective, representing a range of artists from newcomers to Grammy winners.
Music Business Worldwide