Game sound effects make a video game come to life through sound. Hitting an enemy with a sword without hearing the enemy grunting in pain or weapon clanging against armor makes the interaction feel boring and unsatisfying. Making game sound effects, or finding them, begins by using a sound effect library.
Sound effect libraries, such as Soundly, offer thousands of sound effects for free. Designers use sound effects libraries to source existing SFX or create new sound effects out of them. Many SFX platforms are free to use, and even open-source, but others require users to pay a subscription or license fee to access all of their features. Sound assets are then able to be used in a game engine to create custom audio tracks, as seen in the example below.
Before making a game sound effect, it’s essential to know the costs and requirements. Besides access to a sound effect platform such as Soundly, a mid-tier computer is recommended. The mid-tier computer must have at least 100GB free of space or an external SSD for audio file storage. Finally, you must have access to a digital audio workstation (DAW) to edit the audio files, although some game engines allow you to edit audio directly in the engine itself. Read on to learn how to make and find game sound effects, including SFX for retro games.
Where can I download free sound effects for a video game?
Download free sound effects for a video game at Soundly, GDC Sound Effects Archive, 99sounds.org, Adobe Audition SFX Library, and SoundBible. The creators on the platforms listed above allow users to download and use their sound effects for free, but some creators restrict their use. You must check the policies for each platform to ensure you’re able to use the sound effect commercially.
Soundly is a sound effects platform and downloadable program that contains a cloud library that is updated daily with new sound effects. Soundly’s cloud library has sound effects ranging from natural ambiences to quiet footsteps, with sounds used in its Soundly Pro and Soundly Free libraries cleared for commercial use. Designers are able to select their SFX and use Soundly’s drag-and-drop editor to create or edit them, or even export them to other integrations, such as Pro Tools, Wwise, and After Effects. Soundly has three different pricing options that designers are able to use to access the sound effects, as seen in the table below.
| Feature | Free Tier | Pro Tier | 24-Hour Pro Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Soundly features | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Access to Soundly free library | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Number of local files | 10,000 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Unlimited downloads | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Voice design renders | 25 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Access to Soundly Pro library (250,000 sounds) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Free shop add-ons | No | Yes | Yes |
| 10 GB cloud storage | No | Yes | Yes |
| Price | Free | $14.99 / month | $9.99 / 24 hours |
The GDC Sound Effects Archive is a repository of sound effects provided by Sonniss. The Archive is a celebration of the Game Developers Conference, where game developers and designers come together to collaborate and workshop and talk about the video game industry. Each year, Sonniss uploads thousands of dollars worth of SFX for free. Sonniss doesn’t require any attribution for use of the sound effects, and they’re royalty-free. You’re even able to use them in commercial projects.
99Sounds.org is an independent sound design label with a free sound effects library. 99Sounds offers commercial-quality sound effects for free, and it provides royalty-free SFX that span everything from spooky sound effects to urban sound effects. Although all of the sound effects on 99Sounds are royalty-free, there are a few prohibitions on how users are able to use them. Sound effects are not able to be used to create white noise or noise apps, for example.
The Adobe Audition SFX Library is a collection of thousands of sound effects from the Adobe Creative Cloud. The Adobe Audition SFX Library assets are royalty-free, meaning that users have access to them without having to pay any fees to Adobe. The SFX include ambiences, animal sounds, impact sounds, water sounds, and many more. Using Adobe’s sound effects requires the user to obey Adobe’s EULA, which allows designers to to use, modify, display, distribute, and reproduce them freely as long as it falls within the EULA’s policies.
SoundBible is a sound effect repository that aims to give users access to free and royalty-free sound effects. Not every sound effect is royalty-free, however, so users must check the usage rights before downloading and using the sound effect in their commercial project. Designers are able to choose between downloading sounds in uncompressed and high-quality audio (WAV) or smaller file types to preserve storage (MP3). The SFX on SoundBible range from car noises to sports sounds to retro sound effects.
Retro sound effects, such as the sounds in Pong, are also available on platforms such as The Sounds Resource, Uppbeat, and Mixkit. The Sounds Resource rips actual SFX from games, so they’re usable for research but not commercial purposes. Uppbeat is a sound effect archive with hundreds of high-quality retro sounds, but most require access to paid premium features. The Mixkit License allows users to freely download its retro sound effects for commercial and non-commercial projects. Leave a comment below with your own preferred platforms for free and high-quality sound effects.
How to make sound effects for a game?
Make sound effects for a game by downloading sound assets or recording/generating original sounds, editing and making new SFX through a digital audio workstation, processing sound effects, categorizing all the game sounds, storing the SFX in middleware, exporting sounds, and assigning sounds to mechanics. Begin adding sound effects to a game by either downloading an effect from a sound effect library such as Soundly, or by using personal gear to record original sounds. With the raw sound downloaded, upload it into the digital audio workstation you’re most comfortable using.
Choose a digital audio workstation such as Bfxr, Reaper, or Audacity to make sound effects for a game. Digital audio workstations allow users to create, edit, and process new sounds, including sound effects for games. Not every digital audio workstation is free to use, and they each have different features for specific needs.
Bfxr is a simplistic digital audio workstation that suits making sound effects for retro and pixel-based games the most. Bfxr provides a basic and straightforward audio workstation interface, making it approachable for new sound designers or those looking to make a simple sound effect for their game. The digital audio workstation is open-source, meaning that it’s free to use and any SFX created in the workstation is royalty-free and able to be used in commercial projects.
Reaper is a digital audio workstation that aims at making sound effects for video games and other projects as accessible as possible. Reaper offers several features such as synthesizing, sampling, arranging, composing, editing, and mixing audio. Designers that intend to synthesize, sample, and compose music must integrate MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) first to create music notes, which Reaper supports. Despite the packed number of features that Reaper offers, it’s built in such a way that even low-end platforms are able to run and use it. Reaper is usable on PC, Mac, and Linux, opening up availability to more users without restricting who is able to use the workstation due to their preferred platform. Designers must pay a license to use Reaper, but with the company’s focus on accessibility, designers only pay $60 for a discounted license, which restricts certain features, or $225 for a full commercial license.
Audacity is a free and open-source digital audio workstation that allows both beginner and experienced sound designers to make sound effects for a video game. Audacity is beginner-friendly and available on Windows, GNU/Linux, and Mac, making it easier than ever to create sound effects for a video game. Beginners who are struggling with learning how to use Audacity benefit from Audacity’s Forum and documentation pages, which educate new users on how to get the most out of the workstation. Designers are able to edit audio as well as record audio directly into Audacity, then take advantage of the platform’s third-party plug-ins to easily transfer their work to other programs and platforms. Unlike Reaper, Audacity does not support MIDI integration, so designers that want to synthesize, sample, or compose music must use a different DAW.
1. Categorize all game sounds
Categorize all game sounds into groups such as Character SFX, Environmental SFX, and UI/UX SFX to make it easier to find specific game sounds later. Game sounds quickly grow in number, and by the time the project is over, there are thousands of sound files scattered about a hard drive. Categorizing the game sounds from the start ensures that the project remains organized, and that the sound effects are easy to scan and locate.
Character SFX consist of all the sound effects related to a character in the game. The character sound effects relate to how a character moves, such as when they’re walking on grass or cobblestone, or the grunts they make when performing actions. Categorizing the character sound effects into smaller sub-categories is helpful for quick access. Some examples of character sound effects are as follows.
- Vocal Expressions: The noise a character makes when they’re scared, bored, or surprised.
- Combat Expressions: The grunts and groans a character makes when they attack or get hit by a target.
- Armor or Clothing Sounds: The clink or rustle of metal or fabric clothing when a character moves.
- Special Ability or Skill Sounds: A unique cry, shout, or mantra the character makes when performing an ability or skill that is specific to them.
Environmental SFX relate to all the sound effects used in the environment. Environmental sound effects help players feel immersed in the world around them. A world absent of environmental sound effects feels dead and boring, not to mention unnatural. Some examples of environmental sound effects that designers must categorize include the following.
- Natural Ambient Sounds: Bird calls, the rustling of leaves, and the rush of water are all natural ambient sounds designed to make the world feel alive.
- Weather Sounds: Aside from wind, weather sound effects such as thunder, rain, heavy wind, and blizzards make weather VFX far more impactful.
- Urban Sounds: Cities are noisy, so they must include a rich cityscape ambience such as distant car horns, the rumble of traffic, or marketplace crowd murmurs, depending on the world’s setting.
- Interaction Sounds: Characters interact with the environment, and sounds for opening doors, walking through an echoey hall, or tinkering with mechanical parts make those interactions feel more real and satisfying.
- Looping Atmosphere Sounds: Atmospheric sounds are repeating tracks such as an eerie dripping cave or a bustling market that fill a specific space in the level, including urban and natural ambient sounds.
UI/UX SFX refers to all the sound effects used when a player interacts with the user interface. UI/UX sound effects help the player feel an impact when interacting with menus, improving the game feel. Merely clicking a button to open up an inventory without any sound is a lackluster experience. The user experience is improved when the UI has sound effects. Some examples of sound effects used in the UI are as follows.
- Menu Interaction: Button clicks, swooshing sounds, and other sound effects related to interacting with the menu makes menu and interface navigation more satisfying.
- Confirmation Sounds: When a player clicks on a button that completes a quest or trade or some other element with a positive reward, a chime or reward sound occurs to make receiving that reward feel even better.
- Error or Rejection Sounds: Error sound effects occur when a player attempts to do something in a game, such as build in a non-buildable area, and is unable to do so, giving them an audible signal along with the UI that what they’re trying to do is impossible.
- Notification Sounds: Notification sound effects occur when the player receives a notification, such as when they complete a quest, to help them realize they made progress and to make that sense of accomplishment even more satisfying.
- Loading/Progression Sounds: During a load screen, a type of hum or some other sound effect occurs to let the player know that the game is loading and hasn’t frozen or bugged out.
2. Store SFX for later use
Store SFX for later use by saving them to a middleware program such as FMOD Studio or Wwise, a dedicated computer space, or an external SSD drive, while only relying on HDD when the project is finished. FMOD Studio and Wwise are middleware programs that host sound effects made through a DAW and integrate easily with game engines such as Unity and Unreal Engine.
FMOD Studio is a middleware program that specifically targets the video game industry, although composers and other industries use it, too. FMOD Studio allows designers to edit and listen in real-time, so they’re able to make changes on the fly. Designers are able to integrate FMOD with Unity and Unreal Engine, among other third-party engines, to make adding sound effects to a game even more seamless. FMOD Studio has three payment tiers, with each tier offering more features. The table below covers what each payment tier gives sound designers access to.
| Feature | Indie | Basic | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free or $2,000 | $6,000 | $18,000 |
| Distribution rights | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime |
| FMOD features | All | All | All |
| Platforms | All | All | All |
| FMOD logo | Required | Required | Required |
| Forum support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Email support | No | 1 Year | 2 Years |
| Logo waiver (optional) | No | $6,000 | $12,000 |
| Source code (optional) | Must contact Sales | Must contact Sales | Must contact Sales |
| Email support per additional year (optional) | $6,000 | $6,000 | $6,000 |
| Premium support per year (optional) | $18,000 | $18,000 | $18,000 |
Wwise by Audiokinetic is a middleware program that specializes in spatial audio, which refers to sounds that create a 3D soundscape. 3D soundscapes are essential for immersion in video games, so Wwise is an industry standard when creating sound effects for video games. Wwise has several features outside of spatial audio, such as dynamic mixing, runtime processing and synthesis, and integration into Unity and Unreal Engine projects. The more features a sound designer needs, however, the more expensive the package becomes. Wwise has four payment tiers, with a free version providing samples for experimentation. Wwise’s other three payment tiers, and what they include, are in the table below.
| Feature | Indie | Pro | Premium | Platinum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Starting at $8,000 | Starting at $25,000 | Starting at $45,000 |
| Sound files / media assets | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| All engine features | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Continuous updates | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Community Q&A | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Royalty-free (0%) | Yes | Yes (Optional) | Yes | Yes |
| Support for Pay2Go | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Support for standard plan | No | Yes (Optional) | N/A | N/A |
| Support for unlimited plan | No | Yes (Optional) | Yes (1 Year) | Yes (Duration of development + 6 months post-launch) |
| Creative services | No | Yes (Custom) | Yes (Custom) | Yes (Custom) |
| Premium plug-Ins | Yes (Optional) | Yes (Optional) | Yes (Optional) | Yes (Included with Audiokinetic-developed plug-ins only) |
| Wwise DLC license | No | Yes (Optional) | Yes (Optional) | Yes (1 Year) |
| Source code access | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
A dedicated computer space or external SSD drive are viable options for sound effect storage because all those audio files take up a lot of memory, especially on large projects with thousands of files. Keeping the files on hand is important, however, because it allows the designer to quickly upload the file into the digital audio workstation of choice and start editing or mixing it immediately.
Archiving SFX files for later use requires the designer to weigh the unique benefits of SSDs and HDDs. External SDDs offer much faster read/write speeds, improving loading times and real-time playback. SDDs’ speed allows designers to quickly upload and start mixing their files, making SDDs more effective for current projects that are frequently accessed.
Using a HDD for SFX file storage emphasizes cost-efficiency for long-term storage. Comparing HDD to SDD, the cost to store per gigabyte is cheaper with HDDs than SDDs. Since HDDs are cheaper, they’re a viable solution for long-term storage, such as when the project is finished, rather than for current projects that need to be accessed frequently.
3. Design custom sound effects
Design custom sound effects by researching other sound effects for inspiration, importing sound assets into a digital audio workstation (DAW) or middleware program that supports DAW functionality, and cutting and combining sound assets in a creative way. Designers create custom sound effects by remixing existing sound effects in a digital audio workstation or middleware program that has DAW features. Designers are able to record original audio to begin making custom sound effects, or find existing sound effects from a sound effect library.
Research sound effects from SFX libraries such as Soundly and the GDC Sound Effects Archive to inspire a custom sound effect. Both libraries allow users to download and use their sound effects for free. Free sound assets from Soundly and the GDC Sound Effects Archive, among others, help guide new designers to creating their own unique and custom sound effects for the project.
Import the sound assets into a digital audio workstation or a middleware program with DAW-like functionality to start making a custom sound effect. A digital audio workstation is audio editing software that lets designers create, edit, and mix new sound effects, music, and other sound assets, while middleware programs such as FMOD, have some DAW-like functions such as audio mixing. Not every digital audio workstation or middleware program supports every audio format, especially when it comes to exporting audio files, so double-check that the workstation or program either integrates with the engine you need or has the correct file format required for exporting.
Cut and combine the imported sound assets in the digital audio workstation or middleware program with DAW-like functionality to make a custom sound effect. Once the imported sound assets are in the digital audio workstation or program, designers are able to start getting creative with cutting and combining different parts of the audio to create something new. Try cutting the audio in half, adding in a new imported sound asset, and then combining the two to see what type of new sound effects you’re able to create.
4. Process sound effects
Process sound effects through an equalizer, compressor, and limiter, as well as in some cases, adding reverb or delay/echo to polish the sound effect. A raw sound effect still requires processing to make it sound high-quality and ready for use in a video game. While using the digital audio workstation or middleware program with DAW-like functionality, begin processing the sound effect by running it through with an equalizer.
Use an equalizer to process sound effects by making the audio balanced. An equalizer, or EQ, is similar to volume control, except it works on a frequency-basis. The equalizer allows designers to boost or cut specific audio frequency ranges to make the sound effect clearer and more balanced. The benefit of using an equalizer is that it makes certain aspects of the sound effect stand out more, such as rain drops landing in a body of water.
Control the dynamic range of a sound effect by processing it with a compressor in a DAW or a middleware program with DAW-like functionality. A compressor ensures that the sound effect isn’t too loud or quiet, allowing designers to establish a satisfying dynamic range. The compressor uses a specific threshold which tells it when the audio is becoming too loud or too quiet, and then reduces or boosts the audio as a result. A compressor keeps the sound effect from becoming distorted or experiencing audio clipping, too. When a car zips by the player, a compressor ensures that the player’s ears aren’t blasted by the loud, blaring horn and they’re still able to hear the quieter humming of the engine, for example.
Use a limiter in a DAW or a middleware program with DAW-like functionality to process sound effects by ensuring no major audio blasts harm players. A limiter is similar to a compressor in that it uses a threshold to prevent audio from going over a set parameter. The main difference between a limiter and a compressor is that a limiter has a much higher ratio, which means that when the audio reaches the threshold, the limiter immediately clamps down on the audio instead of gradually decreasing or increasing it as a compressor does.
Determine whether the sound effect needs processing by adding reverb or delay/echo to enhance it through a DAW or a middleware program with DAW-like functionality. Adding reverb or a delay/echo effect to a sound enhances the player’s experience by making the atmosphere or situation they’re in feel grand. A reverb makes the sound effect appear as though it’s occurring in an acoustic place, such as a large concert hall or cavern. Reverb provides depth to the situation through the SFX. A delay/echo repeats the sound at timed intervals, which makes the sound appear as though it’s echoing. Reverb and delay/echo aren’t necessary steps for every sound effect, but they’re able to transform flat sounds into three-dimensional sounds.
5. Export sounds
Export sounds in either mono or stereo format based on the sound effect’s purpose to make a sound effect for a video game. A mono format has only one audio channel. Audio through a mono format is sent equally to the left and right output, such as a player’s headphones. A stereo format has two audio channels, left and right, with the audio able to stream into one channel more than the others or equally. A player is able to put all the audio streaming through their right headphone instead of their left, for example.
Export sound effects in mono format when the sound source is a single, centered sound that doesn’t have any spatial characteristics to it. A spatial characteristic is when the sound needs to play in an environment that reflects the environment’s size, such as in a large hallway. In other words, the right or left audio channel doesn’t matter because the sound comes through both at the same level. Footsteps, individual dialogue lines, gunshots, and UI clicks all benefit from the mono format.
Choose to export sound effects in stereo format when the sound effect includes spatial or directional information. Since stereo formats support spatial information, players are able to listen in via either their left or right headphone or speaker. Stereo formats provide richer and more sensory sound effects, which simulates the real-world since audio enters a human’s left and right ear differently, too. Ambient environments, reverb tails, room recordings and sounds in large rooms all benefit from the stereo format.
6. Assign sounds to mechanics
Assign sounds to mechanics by importing the audio assets into the game engine, creating audio components or actors, triggering the sound via events or using scripting, and setting the spatialization parameters to make a sound effect in a video game. Mechanics have a greater impact on a player’s experience when a sound effect is assigned to them. The process of assigning sound effects to mechanics starts with importing audio assets into a game engine.
Import the sound effects into the game engine through a middleware program such as FMOD Studio or WWise. The imported files must be in a format that the game engine recognizes, so use a converter or export the file in a different format if the engine doesn’t recognize the audio file. It’s worth creating folders within the engine to keep the different sound effect files organized into specific categories.
Create audio components or actors with the sound effects to assign sounds to mechanics. Audio components or actors allow the sound effects to be played in the game. In Unreal Engine, sound effects are able to be played in the game by adding an AudioComponent and using it as a sub-Actor to a primary Actor. Adding the sound of a crackling fire as a sub-Actor to the primary actor of a fire VFX attaches the SFX to the actor and generates the sound when placed in a level, for example.
Trigger sound effects through events or scripts for whenever the mechanic is used to assign sounds to mechanics. Several events are able to cause a sound effect to occur. Player actions, collisions, or even animations all present opportunities for designers to trigger sound effects. When a player fires a weapon, the game’s logic triggers the sound effect to occur, for example. Outside of events, writing a script in the game’s code to trigger a sound effect is possible, too. Writing functions to kick off when specific parameters occur, such as when the player collides with a collision box, triggers the sound effect to play.
Set spatialization parameters for sound effects when dealing with 3D sounds for a mechanic to assign sounds to mechanics. 3D SFX must have spatial positioning and attenuation parameters. Attenuation refers to how the sound effect’s noise fades with distance. Unreal Engine lets designers edit attenuation and spatial positioning for sound effects in real-time. Because designers are able to edit on the fly, adding spatialization and attenuation to 3D sound effects for mechanics is quick and efficient.
How to make retro game sound effects?
Make retro game sound effects by using a specific retro sound asset as a base, cutting and combining the sound in a digital audio workstation to create a new sound asset, and ensuring the retro sound effects are either 8-bit or 16-bit. Retro game sound effects have a specific chime, mono sound to them that is easily recognizable. To create a recognizable retro sound effect, start by researching retro sound effects and using an asset as a base.
Find a retro sound effect asset through a sound effect repository such as Soundly, Uppbeat, and Freesound to make retro game sound effects. Each SFX repository has a library of retro sound effects that designers are able to use, edit, and mix to suit their needs. It’s worth listening to the raw file to research how the designer first created their retro sound effect for inspiration, too.
Use a digital audio workstation to cut and combine the retro sound effect asset into different segments to make retro game sound effects. Creativity is key when cutting and combining different retro sound effect assets together to make something new. Keep combining different segments together to see what you end up with, but remember the key elements that make a retro sound effect sound retro. You don’t want to lose what makes it retro while getting creative.
Ensure the retro sound effect is either 8-bit or 16-bit to make retro game sound effects. 8-bit sound effects originate from older systems such as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) days, so choose 8-bit to make the SFX similar to NES’s sound effects. 8-bit sound effects use simple waveforms, such as square, triangle, and noise, which is what gives the SFX their characteristic sound. 16-bit sound effects were used in the 1990s and use more complex waveforms, have greater dynamic range, and use sampled audio.
