From console to concert with Playstation
- Live team
- Jul 2
- 8 min read
With music from the likes of God of War and The Last of Us, Playstation: The Concert delivers a multisensory journey through gaming’s most powerful stories and unforgettable soundscapes
Words Verity Butler | Pictures Zdenko Hanout
If you’re reading this and you happen to be anything like me, you probably only know the basics when it comes to gaming. A loose awareness of the wildly popular universes of Roblox, Minecraft, Mario and Fortnite is pretty much as far as it goes.
Despite my limited knowledge, there’s an aspect of gaming I am acutely aware of thanks to its overlap into mainstream media. This being that there’s a selection of legendary games that work to push the boundaries of storytelling altogether. They feature rich storylines that often allow the player to have full control of the narrative, meaning that decisions made during gameplay can lead to a variety of outcomes – giving the game both a cinematic and immersive feel.
Naughty Dog and Sony’s The Last of Us is a perfect example. Released back in 2013 to critical acclaim for its narrative, gameplay, visuals, sound design and score, it’s an action-adventure game played from a third-person perspective. Many reviewers found the game to have a refreshing take on combat, while the relationship between the two central characters captivated players due to its moving nature. A relationship so poignant, in fact, that HBO recently adapted the game into a multi Emmy award-winning television series starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, with the second season currently releasing at the time of writing.
This isn’t a new phenomenon; gaming franchises have often reached such heights of fandom that demand surfaces for cross-entertainment adaptation. Take Angelina Jolie’s portrayal of braided protagonist Lara Croft in the early 2000s, from the popular Tomb Raider games. In more recent years, Super Mario Bros, Sonic the Hedgehog and even Minecraft have become box office hits, similarly featuring some of Hollywood’s most recognisable faces and voices.
But now it’s started to go beyond film and television. Not only are these games visually stunning, they also usually come with ethereal soundtracks to further heighten the player experience.
It therefore comes with little surprise that, after its successful world premiere on 19 April in Dublin, Playstation: The Concert is now touring 200 cities all around the world throughout 2025, taking fans on a journey into the epic worlds of God of War, The Last of Us, Horizon, Ghost of Tsushima and more.
Live entertainment company GEA Live designed and produced the tour – with AV supplied by Clair Global. “GEA Live specialises in designing and producing live experiences that bring beloved stories and worlds to the stage in fresh and exciting ways,” introduces Floris Douwes, co-founder and managing director of GEA Live. “Our work centres on taking a piece of intellectual property – whether from film, TV, video games or anime – and transforming it into a live stage event that feels both fresh and meaningful to audiences.”
The collaboration has led to a show that offers fans a revolutionary live experience, combining performance with cutting-edge visuals and immersive production that redefines what it means to experience video game music.
“Every project is different, but the goal is to respect the original work while offering audiences a new experience they can connect with in real time.”
The show’s production manager Pinkel Hogenkamp says that Playstation: The Concert “was born out of a shared vision to elevate video game music to the same stage as film and classical scores, while offering fans an emotionally resonant, cinematic concert experience.”
Instrumentally immersive
“We work closely with licensors, creative teams and production partners to ensure every detail is just right, from the earliest stages of creative development through to the final performance,” Douwes continues.
“Over the years, we’ve had the opportunity to work on projects based on iconic titles like Avatar: The Last Airbender, Twilight, Dirty Dancing, The Witcher and now, Playstation: The Concert. We always strive to create live experiences that honour the spirit of these incredible stories.”
With music reimagined for the live stage in collaboration with the games’ original composers – such as Gustavo Santaolalla (The Last of Us), Bear McCreary (God of War), Ilan Eshkeri (Ghost of Tsushima) and Joris de Man (Horizon) – the tour delivers beloved soundtracks with emotional depth and power.
“The music is at the heart of it,” emphasises Douwes. “It’s powerful, emotional and sometimes unexpected. One moment, you’re in the middle of an epic battle theme; the next, you’re pulled into an intimate, emotional piece.”
If you are a fan of any of the featured games, then you can picture the soaring melodies of God of War filling the venue, the haunting notes of The Last of Us pulling at your heartstrings and the sweeping score of Ghost of Tsushima immersing you in feudal Japan – all brought to life by an electrical ensemble.
The concert travels with a full surround sound system by D&B Audiotechnik, in addition to the regular PA system. The RF and in-ear monitors are provided by Shure, while Riedel’s intercom offerings keep the crew connected throughout the show’s duration.
“The sound design is meticulously constructed for full immersion,” states Hogenkamp. “The core of the system includes 32 main speakers, eight surround speakers, 12 subwoofers and 16 outfills. These are strategically placed to distribute sound evenly across the venue and ensure a powerful yet detailed sonic experience – whether you’re in the front row or the back of the hall.”
At the core of the concert is a troupe of 15 world-class virtuoso soloists, each delivering show-stopping performances that combine classical mastery with contemporary flair.
“The orchestral performance is captured using a blend of spot mics and ambient arrays to preserve both clarity and warmth. On top of that, we incorporate subtle in-game effects – like rustling leaves, distant thunder or footsteps – to enhance realism without distracting from the live music.”
The musical set-up includes a wide array of instruments – including a few that you might not typically encounter in a conventional orchestra.
“We sourced a custom-made ronroco from Argentina – which is the original instrument Santaolalla used for The Last of Us theme – and one of our musicians is a professional hurdy-gurdy player, an ancient instrument featured in God of War: Ragnarok,” Douwes describes. “Seeing and hearing these authentic sounds live adds an unforgettable layer to the performance.”
Pixel-powered spectacles
The soundtracks featured in the concert come from games renowned for their magnificent scenery and characters. This made the visuals equally critical to get right as the show’s sound.
“Visually, the show is on another level,” Douwes adds. “From the icy landscapes of God of War to the apocalyptic cities of The Last of Us, there was plenty to draw inspiration from.”
Advanced LED projection, surround sound and multi-layered visuals immerse audiences, and a seamless integration of technology and artistry ensures every note and moment resonates deeply with the fans. It wasn’t just a simple cut-and-paste job, however.
“To create the visuals, we didn’t simply use existing gameplay footage. A team of visual designers and video technicians worked hand-in-hand with the game studios to deliver a visual universe for the stage and to offer fans a deeply emotional experience.”
The team at GEA Live collaborated with UK-based visual studio North House, which was responsible for the show’s visual design – while lighting design studio The Art of Light delivered the glittering lighting effects woven into the visual narrative. The lighting set-up features solutions from Robe, Cameo, MA Lighting and Martin Lighting.
“Lighting design plays a crucial narrative role,” explains Hogenkamp. “With 168 lighting fixtures and 4079 programmed cues, every musical moment is matched by a visual counterpart. These aren’t merely lighting effects – they’re emotional cues, worldbuilding tools as well as transitions that guide the audience through each game’s mood and tone.
“From the haunting shadows of The Last of Us to the fiery, mythological glow of God of War, each lighting sequence has been programmed to reflect the essence of the world on stage.”
All of this has been tied together by the show’s director Gary Lloyd, who worked tirelessly to blend the musical, visual and technical elements into one seamless and powerful live event.
“We collaborated closely with the game studios to create custom content for each specific IP, using an incredible technical set-up to enhance the live experience,” continues Douwes.
The staging features a 17.5x10m Roe LED back screen, paired with five custom-made roll drops constructed with a special type of projection gauze. Five Panasonic 4K projectors are then used to cast content onto the gauzes.
“The roll drops are positioned in front of the stage, allowing visuals to be layered across two surfaces while still keeping the musicians clearly visible at the centre,” describes Douwes. “This set-up creates depth in the visual content, as well as a unique, 3D stage design, with over 1000 movements of the roll drops at varying heights throughout the show.”
“Everyone who worked on the show knew how deeply people love these games and stories, and we wanted to build something that honours that – something that feels true to the Playstation legacy while delivering a fresh, unforgettable experience,” Douwes emphasises.
It starts with a controller
“Immersion is at the heart of this production,” Hogenkamp says. “Every element – visual, sonic and spatial – was designed to bring the audience deeper into the world of each game.”
Although the term ‘immersive’ finds itself thrown about profusely within the world of live events, Douwes explains why Playstation: The Concert doesn’t use the label without reason.
“We wanted to push the idea of immersion beyond just visuals and sound. It’s about creating a space where the audience feels like they’re stepping directly into the games they love,” she says. “The way the show is designed, you’re not just hearing the music – you’re inside it.”
The concert’s musicians are placed in a specific way at each venue, so they feel part of the environment rather than separate from it. The lights, sound and projections then work together to blur and ultimately remove the boundaries between the stage and audience.
“We also made sure the pacing of the concert mirrors how a player experiences a game,” elaborates Douwes. “It’s not just one song after another; it flows like a journey – emotional highs, moments of quiet reflection and sudden bursts of energy – just like when you’re playing and get caught up in the story. It’s a fully sensory experience. Not just a concert, but almost like a playable memory of these incredible worlds.”
Hogenkamp adds that “through surround sound, panoramic visuals, dynamic lighting and real-time cue synchronisation, we ensure that every audience member feels like they are stepping inside the games they know and love.”
Overall, there has been an upward trend when it comes to the performance of soundtracks. From Hans Zimmer to Bridgerton, global audiences have been coming out in droves to listen to some of Hollywood and television’s best scores.
“Whether it’s the music of major film composers like Ennio Morricone or TV shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender, audiences are drawn to the idea of experiencing the music they love in a completely new, immersive setting,” Douwes agrees.
“Playstation: The Concert fits perfectly into that trend, but the show also brings something a little different. Video games have some of the most emotional and powerful storytelling happening today, and their soundtracks are every bit as complex and moving as film or TV scores – sometimes even more so because of the time players spend in these truly stunning worlds.”
It’s evident that, by bringing the music of the games featured in Playstation: The Concert to a live stage, fans are given the same type of connection as film or TV-themed concerts, but in a way that’s rooted in their own personal adventures and memories of these iconic games.
“It’s part of a bigger shift,” concludes Douwes, “where audiences are no longer passive; they want to be immersed, to feel and celebrate the music that has shaped their experiences – whether on the screen or behind a controller.”
This feature was first published in the May/Jun 2025 issue of LIVE.
