From Dice to Metaverses: Gamifying Musical Experiences

This paper provides a historical survey of gamification concepts and techniques applied to music composition, performance, and listen­ing experiences. It traces the origins back to 18th century musical dice games before exploring how digital technology enabled new interactive and immersive possibilities pioneered by composers like Xenakis, Tudor, and Laurie Anderson. The growth of gami­fied musical experiences is highlighted, both experimental works in virtual worlds/metaverses as well as mainstream concerts like Travis Scott's Fortnite event. Psychological concepts like flow state are discussed in relation to fostering creativity and engagement through game-like elements. Recent examples are also examined, such as Enrique Tomas' Ars Electronica's Metaverse and Ecstasy / Light / Inertia. This paper positions current musical gamification practices within a rich historical tradition.