Blizzard Sound Designers discuss making games come to life

One of my favorite parts of hearing Blizzard speak at BlizzCon and various conventions is seeing just how passionate they are about the games they make and the jobs they have. And while it perhaps goes under the radar at times, sound design in their games is an equally emphatic case of falling in love with what they do. For proof of that, one need look no further than a recent interview between Polygon and Blizzard Senior Sound Designers Chris Kowalski and Pedro Seminario.

What struck me most as I was reading the interview was how passionate Kowalski and Seminario are about creating the right sounds to evoke specific feelings. As a writer — and likely, as any kind of artist — much of what they said rang true to me. The pair repeatedly discuss that failure is just a part of the job and perseverance is key. Similarly, the duo emphasize that if sound design is your passion, specifically studying sound may not always be necessary — more advice also true of writing.

The other aspect that I found fascinating about the interview was just how varied the sources of in-game sounds can be. From balloons to Styrofoam to someone tripping over something, the sound design team will mine anything if it gets them the sound they’re looking for. For anyone who appreciates behind-the-scenes looks at what brings your favorite games to life, or even anyone interested in the arts in general, the interview is an intriguing, must-read piece.

Be sure to check it out in full over at Polygon!