Using royalty free music in a non-casual game.

I have a music clip in my game, and while granted it only plays briefly during some transition text between levels, yesterday I saw a youtube video that actually had the same clip playing in the background.

This sort of made me think my game might look a little silly doing that, especially given that it's meant to be a more serious type of experience. This isn't really a game where you just pick it up, shoot a bunch of stuff, then restart a level or what have you. It's a dungeon crawler with linear progression and puzzle/story elements. I don't think I used really well known music in it, but still I kind of wonder how that'll go.

Opinions/thoughts would be appreciated.

 

I don't think its a big deal myself. If it fits your game good, I don't think it matters. It would be random luck if somebody outside the gamedev community noticed it, because they usually pay more attention to the whole experience, not a bit of transition music(there are exceptions of course). Now, if there is a piece of music that a wildly popular game has(say something like Minecraft has), then maybe you would get it noticed more, but even then it still isn't that important to me.

 

You should expect that anything free, will be most likely used, by many sources. Videos, games, ads etc. So as long you are aware of that, and you are fine, you are good to go.

But if you care, that sounds used should be unique, either make them, or purchase them. Even buying cheap one, gives you advantage by miles, on that matter, since are probably less popular, do to pay wall barrier, for most.

If players play and watch a lot, they will recognise what has been used where. Some youtubers may be even picky about such.

 

If it fits your game good, I don't think it matters. It would be random luck if somebody outside the gamedev community noticed it, because they usually pay more attention to the whole experience, not a bit of transition music(there are exceptions of course).

 

This isn't really a game where you just pick it up, shoot a bunch of stuff, then restart a level or what have you. It's a dungeon crawler with linear progression and puzzle/story elements. I don't think I used really well known music in it, but still I kind of wonder how that'll go.