Gamification: Skrillex Edition
12, Mar, 2014
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After a relatively quiet year in 2013 superstar brostep DJ Skrillex is looking to take over 2014 with the release of his first full length LP titled Recess. Fans are not only able to preview his songs from his new album on iTunes, but are able to unlock and stream them in their entirety by downloading a gaming app created for the album.
The game which is called Alien Ride, is basically an Asteroids/Galaga type of game where the user controls a spaceship and shoots at asteroids and spacecrafts on the screen to earn points and unlock the songs. Although it isn’t the most mind-blowing use of promoting a music service/product through an app like Bjork did for her album Biophilia, it is non-the-less a fun and entertaining way to promote the album and for fans who get to unlock new music before the official release date.
Additionally, the whole alien/space theme of the game is complementary to Skrillex’s image, as the stage he takes with him on tour looks like a giant space ship and the cover of his new album has an alien face on it. This creates for a unified feel throughout, rather than a hastily thrown together disjointed one that could have easily been spawned.
On a final note, I’ve listened to all the tracks and am really looking forward to this album. Two of my personal favorites are Raga Bomb and Dirty Vibe.