Dolby Atmos provides an unrivalled immersive experience. Previously reserved for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S owners, Dolby Laboratories’ technology is now available on PlayStation 5 thanks to a recent update. These next-gen consoles can deliver exceptional 3D sound, enhancing immersion in video games. An audio solution that appeals to many development studios.
Dolby Atmos mixing studios dedicated to video games
Professional cinema and music studios, such as the Guillaume Tell studio, have already been won over by this sound spatialization. The arrival of Dolby Atmos on next-gen consoles has paved the way for more widespread adoption of this technology in video games. For example, Asobo Studio, creator of the sublime Microsoft Flight Simulator, has its own Dolby Atmos mixing studio. As realism is a priority for flight simulation, the audio must be as accurate as possible, and having its own installation makes sense.
At Quantic Dream, audio immersion plays an important part in their highly cinematographic games. For this reason, the editor decided to acquire its own mixing studio to facilitate working in parallel with developers and 3D artists. This equipment also enables partners published under the Spotlight label to benefit from the company’s infrastructure and Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 studio.
At Ubisoft, Dolby Atmos sound is already available in Assassin’s Creed: Origins, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla and Watch Dogs: Legion. The publisher has already experimented with immersive sound production, and is set to go even further with future releases, since a new room dedicated to Dolby Atmos mixing has just been opened at its Paris premises. The idea is to master the entire game production chain and work hand-in-hand with developers.
Just like 3D, Dolby Atmos technology uses objects that can be moved through a space. This is relevant for audio design in video games. The adoption of the standard by development studios is understandable, given that the implementation of Dolby Atmos sound is so consistent with dynamic, three-dimensional worlds. Since the arrival of new-generation consoles, this technology has begun to work its way into the gaming world. Since immersion is central to this form of entertainment, sound spatialization is a pertinent factor.
To find out more, Le Bureau d’Hugo visited Ubisoft to discover their studio and new Dolby Atmos space. In particular, the video shows us Audiokinetic’s Wwise software, which enables all audio objects to be controlled in real time. The video features several interviews explaining the entire soundtrack creation process, from sampling to integration and mixing.
What does Dolby Atmos bring to video games?
Immersion in video games is made possible by the realism of the graphics, the storytelling, the gameplay, the quality of the sound mix and the use of Philips Hue lighting. The widespread use of spatial (or “3D”) sound, and more specifically Dolby Atmos in video games, is excellent news. In addition to providing a new layer of immersion, the mix can also offer gamers more information in competitive titles. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, for example, features Dolby Atmos sound that allows players to hear the direction of gunshots and footsteps, giving very precise clues as to the position of other players.
In this case, sound is an integral part of the game and players can use it as an extra tool to locate enemies. Dolby Atmos becomes an advantage, inciting gamers to equip themselves with compatible soundbars or amplifiers. Previously exclusive to Xbox Series S|X consoles, Dolby Atmos is now available on the PlayStation 5 via an update. Both companies seem to want to support this format, which has already convinced numerous development studios such as Activision.
How to enjoy Dolby Atmos with the PS5 and Xbox Series S|X
To benefit from Dolby Atmos, it is possible to select a compatible television equipped with the necessary number of speakers. The Samsung TQ75QN95C and Panasonic TX-77MZ2000E, for example, give the sound a vertical dimension. All you have to do is connect the games console via HDMI and set the main audio output to “Dolby Atmos”.
For a more immersive Dolby Atmos experience, you can opt for a soundbar placed under the television or gaming monitor. The bar will provide more power, as well as extra drivers, to create a more immersive Dolby Atmos experience for the player. Moreover, the sound spatialization will be considerably better than that offered by the TV’s speakers.
The Sony HT-A7000 soundbar, for example, can be accompanied by the Sony SA-SW3 subwoofer and Sony SA-RS3S surround speakers. There’s also a complete package including soundbar, subwoofer and surround speakers. A very good choice, as 4K at 120 fps, VRR and ALLM are supported by the system, making it perfectly compatible with new-generation consoles.
Naturally, a comprehensive solution with a Dolby Atmos compatible AV receiver accompanied by home theater, surround and Atmos speakers will provide the best experience. For gaming, the Denon AVC-X8500HA and Marantz SR-8015 receivers will be perfect due to their 120f fps 4K, VRR and ALLM compatibility, which provide a smooth, latency-free image. They also feature a Dolby Atmos decoder that can process the audio signal received from the games console. These receivers can be accompanied by the Tangent X6 HC speaker pack, which includes a pair of Tangent Spectrum X6 floorstanding speakers, the Tangent Spectrum XC center speaker, a pair of Tangent Spectrum X4 speakers, a pair of Tangent Spectrum XATM Dolby Atmos speakers and the Tangent Spectrum XSW-8 subwoofer.
Which games are compatible with Dolby Atmos?
For a few years now, game developers have placed a real emphasis on Dolby Atmos. There are now many titles providing a spatialized sound. It’s a list that’s already quite extensive, and one that’s set to grow with time. Especially as the end of Xbox exclusivity for Dolby Atmos and its arrival on PlayStation 5 should encourage studios to mix their games with this standard. To experience gaming in Dolby Atmos, you can try these video games:
| A Plague Tale: Requiem Aragami 2 Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla Assassin’s Creed: Origins Astro’s Playroom Back 4 Blood Battlefield 1 Battlefield 2042 Borderlands 3 Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Call of Duty: Vanguard Call of Duty: Warzone Call of Duty: Warzone II Call of Duty: Warzone III Crackdown 3 Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time Cyberpunk 2077 Days Gone Death Stranding Director’s Cut Demon’s Souls Destruction: AllStars Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition Diablo II: Resurrected Dirt 5 F1 2020 F1 2021 Far Cry 6 Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Final Fantasy XIV Final Fantasy XV For Honor Forza Horizon 4 Forza Horizon 5 Fury of Dracula: Digital Edition Gears 5 Gears Of War 4 Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut Ghostwire: Tokyo God of War Ragnarök Grand Theft Auto V Gran Turismo 7 GRID GRID Legends Grounded GTA Online Halo Infinite Hell Let Loose Hogwarts Legacy Horizon: Forbidden West Hunter’s Arena: Legends Immortals Fenyx Rising Inertial Drift Jade Dynasty: New Fantasy | Marvel’s Avengers Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Metro Exodus Microsoft Flight Simulator MLB: The Show 21 MLB: The Show 22 MLB: The Show 23 Naraka: Bladepoint Need for Speed: Heat Need for Speed: Unboun Nioh 2 Remastered Nioh Remastered No Man’s Sky Oddworld: Soulstorm Ori And The Will Of The Wisps Overwatch Psychonauts 2 Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart Resident Evil: Village Resident Evil 2: Remake Resident Evil 3: Remake Resident Evil 4: Remake Resident Evil 7 Returnal RiMS Racing Rise Of The Tomb Raider Rocket League Sackboy: A Big Adventure Sea of Thieves Season: A letter to the future Shadow Of The Tomb Raider Spider-Man: Miles Morales Spider-Man: Remastered Spider-Man 2 Star Wars Battlefront (PC) Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Super Lucky’s Tale The Dark World: Karma The Elder Scrolls Online theHunter: Call of the Wild The Last of Us: Part I The Pathless The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 Tower of Fantasy Train Station Simulator Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt Watch Dogs: Legion Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood Wild Hearts WRC 10 |
Dolby Atmos has already conquered the movie industry, and may well succeed in establishing itself in the video game industry too. If reduced loading times, image smoothness and ray tracing were among the promises of this generation of consoles, it’s clear that spatialized sound will become an integral part of future games. An initiative spearheaded by Dolby Laboratories, which recently offered its plug-ins for the Unreal Engine, which should further encourage developers to use these standards.
