I remember watching the 2022 World Cup final with my friends. Two great teams, the most talented players in the world, battling for the legacy of the title. The game was incredible—it went into extra time and penalties. Gonzalo Montiel, the Argentinian player, was about to take the shot that could end it all.
Everyone in the room was silent—deadly silent. You’d probably get beaten up if you so much as sneezed. But on the other side of the screen, it was the exact opposite. The adrenaline was through the roof—the commentator building up to the moment, the crowd going absolutely crazy, cheering for their teams. I was rooting for France, and as Montiel took his first step forward, everyone held their breath. I wasn’t ready—I closed my eyes. The only thing I heard was the sound of his foot hitting the ball, and then the explosion of cheers. I was sad because France lost, but hearing the crowd, the commentator, and my friends screaming their lungs out gave me butterflies. I couldn’t help but cheer with them anyway. It was one of the most beautiful matches in football history. The whole game felt like a Hollywood movie.
Every time I have to design sound or make music for a sports-related project, I sit down and ask myself one question: how can I recreate that feeling for the player or viewer?
Sound is crucial in moments like these. If we’d watched that match with the sound turned off, sure, it still would’ve been exciting, but it wouldn’t have stuck with us the same way. We’d forget it by the next day.
Recently, at Carthage Studio, we worked on a project creating 3D, VR-compatible assets for a baseball game. We covered everything visually, from teams and tools to stadiums—basically, all you need to build an amazing baseball VR game. And of course, we included sound effects and music in the pack. I’m going to talk about designing sound for sports in general, but I’ll be referring to this project a lot since it’s a great example. You can check it out here.
Challenges of Designing Sound for Sports:
In VR, it’s all about making the player feel like they’re truly there, and that means every sound, no matter how small, needs to work together to create a believable experience.
leading to two of the main problems that beginner face, small details and balance.
You have the background noise of the crowd, the players communicating, and environmental sounds like the wind or distant traffic. If any one of these is too loud or too soft, it can throw off the whole experience. So finding the right balance between all the different sounds happening at once is crucial.
Crowd cheering, commentator and many other sound are obvious sound to have, but what most fail distinguish are small details. The rustling of a player’s uniform, or even the scuff of a foot on the dirt— all of these little things can make a huge difference. They help make the game feel more alive and realistic. If those details are missing or don’t sound right, the immersion breaks, and the player won’t feel as connected to the action.
Essential Sounds That Make Sports Games Feel Real:
Knowing what sounds you need from the start makes the work so much easier. My advice is to take some time to immerse yourself in the sport you’re working on. Watch a few matches, catch some highlights, or even dive into a documentary or two if you can find any. It’ll give you a clearer sense of the atmosphere and the key moments that need to be captured.
When it comes to organizing sounds, I like to break it down into categories. For example, if you’re working on baseball, here’s how I would divide the sounds:
- Crowd & Atmosphere:
- Crowd reactions (cheers, boos, chants)
- General stadium ambiance (background buzz, distant sounds)
- Environmental sounds (weather, wind, stadium echoes)
- Game Action & Equipment:
- Equipment sounds (ball hits, gear rustling, bat cracks, catches)
- Physical contact (tackles, collisions, body impact)
- Footsteps and movement
- Dialogue & Player Communication:
- Player dialogue (calls, shouts, celebrations)
- Referee/coach interactions
- PA announcements and commentators
- Musical Elements:
- Background music (intros, halftime, menu themes)
- Tension-building music for key moments
- Victory/defeat music or jingles
PS: Each category represent a folder in the project workstation to keep everything organized
How to Layer Sounds Effectively:
Now that you know what sound you need, We can get on the DAW and start designing. I’m not going to get into details to designing sound but I’m going to explain the most important — to get you the desired sound you aiming for, which is layering sounds.
let’s take for example the sound of a bat hitting a ball. You might think to your self it’s just an impact sound, But it’s not as simple as it sound.
For this sound you want to capture the distinct, sharp crack or “thunk” of the ball making contact with the bat. depending on whether the bat is metal or wooden, the sound will differ, A wooden bat has a more resonant, low-pitched crack, while a metal bat has a higher-pitched ping. It’s rare that you’ll get the desired sound first try. You might want to layer multiple sounds, EQing, Compressing, using different effects to get the final desired sound. It’s a creative process demanding to be trusted.
After the ball hits the bat, the sound doesn’t just stop immediately—there’s often a slight echo or resonance.
Now that your done with the primary sound, you can start adding complimentary sound, everything around the hit, a grunt or a sharp exhale when the player swing the bat, the player’s cloths rustling. a sound of the crowd reaction etc …
Layering Tip: None of the sounds should overpower the others. The bat hitting the ball is the main focus, so that sound should be front and center. The other elements—player reactions, crowd noise, and ambient sounds—should complement it and add depth without distracting from the primary impact.
The Importance of Spatial Audio in VR:
In VR, sound placement is just as important as the visuals. Spatial audio helps create a 360-degree experience where the action feels like it’s happening all around you, not just in front of you. As the player moves or turns their head, the sound should shift naturally, making it feel like they’re truly in the environment. Whether it’s hearing a crack of the bat behind you or the crowd cheering from the stands, these subtle changes in sound direction make the experience more immersive and real, pulling the player deeper into the game.
Conclusion
Creating sound for sports, especially in VR, is all about bringing the energy, excitement, and atmosphere to life. Whether it’s layering sounds for the perfect bat hit or using spatial audio to immerse players in the action, every detail matters. It’s these small touches that make the difference between a game that feels flat and one that draws you in and makes you feel like you’re part of the moment. Sound is a powerful tool, and when done right, it makes the game unforgettable.
At Carthage Studio, we’ve always been driven by innovation and the pursuit of the extraordinary. After two years of exploring game development and 3D animation, we’ve reached a pivotal moment and decided to embrace the future—Virtual Reality. This technology has been in our DNA from the beginning, and now we’re going all in.
VR is our gateway to creating immersive, transformative experiences that redefine education, training, gaming, and meditation. It’s time to witness how VR can revolutionize these fields like never before. Join us in this video as we unveil the next chapter of Carthage Studio’s journey, offering powerful and customized VR experiences tailored just for you. Be part of the future with us—because it’s not just an experience; it’s a revolution.
Innovation drives us at Carthage Studio; it is not only a catchphrase. We have been on a wonderful journey through game development and 3D animation, pushing boundaries and redefining what is feasible over the past two years. It gives us great pleasure to declare today a daring new chapter: our rebranding as leaders in Virtual Reality.
Why VR? Because it’s not just the future; it’s been part of our DNA from day one. By embracing this technology, we’re prepared to deliver immersive experiences to inspire like never before. Our commitment to quality and creativity remains consistent as we venture into this exciting .
To industry professionals seeking a partner at the forefront of digital transformation or potential clients eager for groundbreaking solutions—Carthage Studio is your destination for extraordinary VR experiences.
Join us as we step into this new era of innovation. Discover how Virtual Reality can transform your projects with Carthage Studio leading the way! 🚀🎮 #CarthageStudio #Rebranding #VirtualReality #Innovation
What possibilities do you see with VR in your field? Let’s discuss in the comments! 👇
