Spotify gets into video games

The Swedish music streaming giant seems to be up for testing new avenues these days. After releasing its first accessory, Spotify now seems to be moving towards video games with Flu Game. A promotional tool for British rapper AJ Tracey, but also a way for Spotify to enter a booming market.

Gone are the commercials and TV appearances. To promote AJ Tracey’s new album, Flu Game, Spotify has launched a video game about basketball. A nod to the second album of the British rapper, whose title itself refers to a game of the NBA finals in 1997 during which Michael Jordan fell victim to food poisoning.

While there’s no food poisoning in Spotify’s new game, gamers will have to navigate their way around a number of obstacles in the hope of scoring as many baskets as possible. They’ll be able to encourage each other in this effort with the various songs from Flu Game, compiled into a single ingame playlist.

While Flu Game is primarily a promotional tool, it’s part of a series of initiatives Spotify has launched in recent years to get closer to the video game industry. And for good reason, a recent study by Twitch and

MIDiA Research found that the most passionate gamers are also the most engaged music fans.

This is a godsend for music streaming platforms, which are keen to reach out to video game fans. According to the specialised firm Newzoo, they are more numerous than ever and total some 2.7 billion people worldwide. In 2016, Spotify created a music platform tailored to their needs, where they can discover the original soundtracks of their favourite video games. –