So it’s day three, and I’m running on fumes. All I can say is, y’all might think NAMM’s wild, but there’s truly nothing like partying with these gamer guys…but back to work…

Just came out of another panel: “The Importance of Audio in Gaming: Investing in Next-Generation Sound”-the running theme for sure this week. One by one, Scott Gershin and the gang tackled the “obstacles” hindering quality game audio: Consumer acceptance, support from decision makers and technology. Well, we know the technology (for the most part) has arrived. As for consumers, it’s clear that they are ready: 83 percent of adult gamers listed sound as one of the most important game console elements. And what’s more, 31 percent of American households are rigged for surround. More and more, they’re expecting film quality in their game experience. So how to garner support from the decision makers? They’re challenged to create a more cinematic sound experience, but they need to understand what that means, productionwise. The best way to convert them (and we’re hearing this over and over again) is to learn how to be a salesperson: Treat your work as a product, and the producer as your customer. And as Scott says, “Bring them in, turn the mix up to 11-and the subs to 12.” In other words, hustle, baby…