If you needed any more evidence that games have become entrenched as a part of mainstream popular culture, look no further than this news item: Sony Music Entertainment today announced the launch of Rockin’ Goat, which is, as the company styles it, “a raucous new mobile adventure game set against the backdrop of Rock and Roll that sends players on an off-the-wall quest blending elements of fantasy, explosive action and music.” Yes, that’s correct – this game is coming from Sony Music Entertainment, not Sony Computer Entertainment or Sony Online Entertainment.
What’s the game all about It’s essentially a 2D platformer, and Sony’s press release provides the details: “Gamers ram and jam through nine levels and three different environments of vast landscapes and raging concert venues, and recruit other band members in challenging mini-games. Full of fun, unpredictable challenges and exciting mini-games, Rockin’ Goat follows the wild exploits of Elwood the goat, a barnyard bandleader who has just escaped the family farm in order to pursue his music dreams. But making it big as a rock star is anything but easy. Players must collect gold records and tear up the stage all the while watching out for dangerous enemies and obstacles, including flocks of seagulls, angry cacti, toxic boxes, and earth-shattering meteors.”
You didn’t think that was all there was to it, did you Not hardly. The game’s marketing mission becomes clear when you find out what else it includes: “The game also features tracks from artists distributed through RED, a division of Sony Music, including Sister Sin (Victory Records), New Device (Four Worlds), Hark, Menace, Wildlights (Season Of Mist), and Adrenaline Mob (Century Media Records).” The Rockin’ Goat is available for free from iTunes and Google Play.
The [a]listdaily spoke exclusively with Brad Spahr, Vice President, Product Development, Global Digital Business at Sony Music Entertainment, about the game.
Why did Sony Music choose to get into the mobile game business?
We view games as a platform to promote artists – that’s core to the strategy. We like the idea of games that are fun that can also be used to find out about new artists.
Using some of Sony Music’s artists to provide the music is a great promotional opportunity. Will there be direct ways for players of the game to acquire the music tracks they play with, and other music from those artists?
Users have the ability to buy the tracks featured in the game through iTunes on iOS or Google Play for Android.
Do you plan to add more music to the game in the future, from the same or different artists?
We’ll expand the soundtrack as we move further out from launch. We want to keep the songs fresh in the game to allow for continued music discovery. We’ve used a similar approach with our Pinball Rocks game, where we rotate featured music in the app to keep it fresh and engaging.
Do you see other opportunities in the future for games based on or in collaboration with Sony Music artists?
We anticipate putting out additional titles over time. We’ll look to do a mix of artist-focused apps and original IP apps that feature music from our artists like Pinball Rocks and Rockin’ Goat.
Can we ever expect to see this game on a PS Vita, PS4 or a PS TV Are there opportunities to work with Sony Computer Entertainment for cross-promotion?
Our focus with Rockin’ Goat is on the mobile platform.
