Why Is Audio Just as Crucial as Graphics in Gaming?

Gaming conversations usually focus on visuals — sharper graphics, faster frame rates and more realistic animation. However, while visuals grab headlines, audio remains a core part of player immersion, performance and satisfaction. We asked Greg DeCamp, director of product management for DTS, why good gaming audio is such a game-changer for today’s players and how OEMs can capitalize on the gamers’ desire for advantage.

Gamers often talk about graphics first, but what’s the true role of audio in shaping the gameplay experience? Why should OEMs view audio as a strategic differentiator rather than just a supporting feature?

Graphics are incredible: 4K at 60 or 120 frames per second delivers eye candy that’s genuinely immersive. But here’s the thing: most video games have an 80-degree field of view. You’re seeing 80 degrees and missing 280 degrees. That’s where audio comes in.

There’s a parallel in movie consumption. People watch fantastic films on 4K OLED TVs with inky blacks and stunning highlights, but they’re listening through tiny speakers firing against the wall. The audio experience doesn’t match the visual investment, which is why we evangelize soundbars and AVRs.

Gaming is the same. Stereo headphones sound good — there’s no game without sound — but adding spatial audio, or what we call virtualization, transforms the experience. It’s not just better; it’s the whole story.

For OEMs, this is a strategic opportunity. Those who understand premium audio actively seek it out. It’s an investment — financial, developmental, marketing — but it delivers a demonstrably superior experience that drives purchasing decisions.

How do immersive spatial soundscapes impact the gaming experience?

Stereo audio is solid. Game developers put tremendous effort into authoring for two-channel experiences, and you’ll get along well with traditional headphones. But 3D audio adds two critical dimensions: externalization and localization.

Externalization makes audio feel expansive and natural — sounds exist in an authentic space around you. Localization is precision: boom, it’s coming from right there.

It’s the same leap as going from TV speakers to bookshelf speakers to full surround sound. Each step up is noticeably better. With headphones, we bring that surround experience directly to gamers.

Take Red Dead Redemption 2. When you activate DTS: Headphone:X and walk through your campsite, you hear conversations happening nearby, a campfire crackling as you pass, a horse 100 feet away, and a guitar player behind you. As you move past the campfire, that guitar sound travels behind you in authentic space. A stagecoach rolls by. In the distance, there’s a train.

That immersion — that externalization — puts you inside the gaming world. It’s phenomenal.

What competitive edge can spatial audio give gamers at different levels, from casual players to pros?

There’s one mission-critical thing across all player types — esports pros, casual players, campaign enthusiasts: not dying.

For professionals, it’s their livelihood. For casual players, it’s avoiding bragging rights for siblings or friends. For campaign players, nobody wants to replay the same level endlessly, no matter how good the story and graphics are.

Stereo audio helps: You know something’s happening “over here” and can react. But spatial audio gives you positional precision. You can react faster to specific locations, which is what we call the “edge,” whether competitive or casual.

That’s the common thread: knowing where the threats are as quickly as possible. Everybody loves that advantage.

What are some examples of how poor audio can frustrate players and how that translates into risk for OEMs?

Modern games don’t really have poor audio anymore. Game audio design rivals blockbuster movies in terms of production quality — a tremendous amount of work goes into it. Playing a film with significant sound design on crummy speakers would be disingenuous to that effort. The same applies to games.

The frustration comes from competitive disadvantage. If you’re constantly dying, maybe someone’s better than you, or they have spatial audio and can hear you coming, react quicker and take you out first. That creates real frustration when other players have equipment that gives them a tangible edge.

For OEMs, being “just another pair of headphones” in the gaming space means missing out. Gamers who experience the difference in spatial audio won’t go back, and they’ll actively seek out products that deliver it.

What are the main challenges OEMs face when delivering exceptional gaming audio, and how can DTS help them overcome these challenges and stand out in the market?

The biggest challenge for OEMs is flexibility: Not every headphone manufacturer has the resources with massive teams to build and maintain custom audio drivers. That’s why we’ve engineered multiple integration pathways to meet partners where they are.

For OEMs with robust development teams, we integrate DTS Headphone:X directly into their audio drivers, giving them maximum control over the user experience. But we’ve also developed alternatives for partners who require a faster, lighter-touch solution.

Our DTS Sound Unbound application works at the Windows application layer, available on the Microsoft Windows Store and Xbox Store. We can automatically license this to partners, eliminating the $20 consumer cost, or provide redemption codes for gaming-themed headsets. It’s plug-and-play for OEMs without compromising on performance.

Beyond the technology itself, we deliver custom tuning profiles. We measure pre-production headphones before market launch and create a profile that optimizes DTS Headphone:X rendering for each specific product. When consumers plug in, they automatically get audio tuned to make their headphones perform at their absolute best.

DTS carries weight with gamers — it’s a brand they actively seek out. Once players experience true spatial audio, they won’t go back. For OEMs, that brand equity translates into competitive differentiation and stronger market positioning without the heavy lift of building proprietary solutions from scratch.

Where is audio headed next, and how will spatial sound shape the future?

VR and AR are the next frontier. On a monitor with an 80-degree field of view, there are 280 degrees you can’t see. VR and AR put that on steroids — you’ve got a device strapped to your head, and that’s all you see.

If a virtual dog is barking behind you, you need to hear it and need an audible effect that convincingly places it behind you. The immersion potential is massive, and these devices are increasingly sophisticated. But they’re also isolating, which is probably their biggest challenge to mainstream adoption.

It’s similar to asking, “Where is home theater audio headed?” There are always technological enhancements — ways to make spatial sound more precise and convincing to your brain. But the real opportunity lies in getting more people to experience it.

Once they do, they won’t want to go back.

High-quality gaming audio has become an equal pillar of immersion, player performance and emotional impact, on par with visuals. Advanced spatial audio solutions enable OEMs to elevate gaming products, stand out in the market and stay aligned with consumer demands.

Discover how DTS can help you deliver competitive gaming audio.