It is true that Hollywood has been attempting to endear itself to the gaming industry, whether through adaptations, overt appearances at gaming award shows, or otherwise. But a recent comment from an Oscar winner has rubbed some gamers the wrong way—and their reactions may have gone too far.
Swedish composer Ludwig Göransson recently found himself the recipient of an Academy Award for the Oppenheimer original soundtrack. During the usual acceptance speech where recipients thank those who supported them, the musician specifically thanked his parents for giving him instruments and not video games during childhood. Naturally, this led to a good chunk of gamers reacting negatively and defending the industry which has featured so many iconic soundtracks and other pieces of art at the same level of quality, if not higher, than those found in Hollywood flicks.
Reactions flowed in on all platforms. One Reddit thread gathered hundreds of replies criticizing the composer for the comments made during the Award Ceremony, with the original poster calling him out as “pretentious.”
“I thought we were already past this way of thinking. Why do you have to belittle other media to make yours and yourself feel better?” the thread’s creator asks. The replies were no different, with Reddit users pointing out instances where Hollywood shut down those working in the video game industry, directly or indirectly.
Over on X (formerly Twitter), the composer was also the target of criticism due to his apparently overlooking the quality of video game art. “It’s kind of sad this is still the normie viewpoint on video games,” Twitter user GmanLives wrote, citing several video game composers who have made a lasting legacy.
And while all these criticisms are more or less justified (Yuka Kitamura has certainly made video game music better than that in most modern movies), I don’t think it’s all that bad. Göransson, to me, sounds like he picked the first recreational activity that came to his mind to point out how it’s better to do something useful than waste your time. Video games aren’t inherently a time waster, as so many self-made gaming millionaires and professionals can attest to, but they certainly can be one. Just like anything else out there recreational in nature, one could find themselves wasting time and not performing actual useful work.
Hollywood’s invasion of video games still stands and I won’t be the one to defend them, and there are actual places where frustration with the world’s biggest movie industry can be spent. However, it’s certainly not on a composer trying to say something meaningful and advise people to make the most out of their time on Earth.
