Video games and music have a strong relationship.(Viewpoint)

Music video first appeared in 1981 and, since then, a generation has been raised with an expectation of visuals attached to audio. They are a generation being raised on video games as a major entertainment source, discovering new music through these games. For this generation, a song becomes more real to them when they "play it".

Today, video games are one of the most important breakthroughs in the history of the music industry. Video games are now about lifestyle. They are what MTV used to be: ushering in trends and creating the new "cool".

People are now spending more time playing video games than listening to the radio or watching TV. And, in less than two years, the recording industry has come to understand that influential new music can be delivered through video games. A recent study of consumers aged 13 to 32 revealed that 49% learned about--and bought--a CD by a new artist after hearing a song in a game. Now consider that any given song in our snowboarding game SSX 3 will be heard--and promoted--more than 500m times. Has any ...