Can I use copyrighted music on a free game?

The gaming industry addresses its music licensing challenges in various ways. One approach is using library music created for commercial use, which eliminates the need for additional fees. Additionally, some public domain pieces no longer require copyright payments.

Looking for music for video or computer games? Several great resources can help. House of Tracks offers a vast library of music, allowing you to purchase tracks and acquire rights. They also provide a selection of tracks for free commercial use. digccMixter is a unique community where artists create songs and sounds specifically for creative projects. PlayOnLoop specializes in royalty-free loops, making it easy to find seamless, repetitive music segments without extensive searching.

The cost of music for a game typically falls between five to 15 percent of the total project budget. For example, if the overall game budget—including art, game design, programming, production, and audio—is $100,000, you can expect to spend between $5,000 and $15,000 on music.

Alternatively, you can buy music directly from House of Tracks, where tracks range from €199 to €999 and come with full rights. Additionally, House of Tracks offers a collection of music that can be used for commercial purposes at no cost.