EA Trax
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EA Trax is the title of the in-game soundtracks on some of EA Games' video games featuring up and coming artists, as well as mainstream artists. Music genres featured range from hip hop to rock, depending on the game's genre (FIFA games, for example, feature foremostly indie rock, electronic music and world music, while Madden soundtracks are more geared towards alternative rock and heavy metal). It is usually attached to EA Games' sports and racing titles. Players can customize the playlist by selecting/deselecting songs to play by simply going to the EA Trax menu usually located at the options menu, and change the song through the same menu or by a button (varies between each game).
A PlayStation Portable version of some video game titles from EA Games also feature EA Pocket Trax, which takes advantage of the PSP's music and video playing capabilities by giving users the freedom to upload their own music to the soundtrack, as well as watch music videos from songs on the original soundtrack.
Partnership[edit]
EA Trax began in 2001 when EA Games partnered with some major music labels to allow licensed music to play on EA's video games. The first video games to receive the feature were NBA Live 2003, Madden NFL 2003, NHL 2003, FIFA Football 2003, NASCAR Thunder 2003, and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2. The partnership is intended for co-promotional opportunities on game launches, record releases, cooperation on advertising, events and at retail.
Music labels in participation include Elektra Records, Capitol, Atlantic, Interscope, DreamWorks, MCA, Lava, Island/Def Jam.
Today[edit]
The EA Trax program has proven to be a success as it continues today. It has expanded from simply being a feature on EA Sports titles to features on some of EA Games' best known titles, such as the Burnout, The Sims and the Need for Speed series. It has also expanded to some of EA Games' PlayStation Portable titles, enabling players to customize playlists and watch music videos. In recent years, players have been given the option of creating their own soundtracks for select EA Sports titles. In Madden NFL 13, EA Trax was replaced by an orchestrated soundtrack.[1] It returned in Madden NFL 16, but an option to use orchestral themes remain. The NHL series uses an orchestrated soundtrack on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of NHL 15 and NHL 16, however, last gen systems' NHL games continues to use the EA Trax feature. EA Trax will return in NHL 17, but orchestral themes can still be used.
See also[edit]
- Computer and video game music
- Electronic Arts
- EA Sports
- NHL series
- NBA Live series
- MVP Baseball series
- FIFA series
References[edit]
- ^ Good, Owen (2012-05-27). "Madden 13 Swears It's Not the Same Old Song—So It Had to Get a New One". Kotaku. Retrieved 2012-12-03.