Why Do Some Developers Sell Their Soundtrack Separately?

[VirtualVictory]

Is it to just cover the cost the license so they can rake in more profits? Do we have permanent access to it or is it a limited license?

[Tev]

It's as permanent an access as any other purchase on Steam.

[Start_Running]

THe artists that work on the music have their own contracts and such.

[HLCinSC]

Not all do the practice, but it's pretty common in media. I don't think most movies or tv shows come with their sondtracks either.

[Kana]

is pretty much the standard nowadays, so everyone just does it, and is as teutep said

[Satoru]

Music for games are licensed in different ways. You might hand over all ownership of the music. Or you might want to retain distribution rights of your music outside of the game itself. Other times its because there's no way to get the music out of the game files so they offer it as a separate purchase.

[Start_Running]

Generally speaking the musician/artist gets a cut of any sale of the game that features their soundtrack.. THe soundtrack is usually pretty demanded by the consumers but in order to legally distribute it. They must also sell it and the same or slightly different share of the sales goes to the artist.

Royalties are a complicated matter.

[Satoru]

Also soundtrack pruchases date back to the NES days. I have a cassette version of the DQ1 orchestral soundtrack.

Its not like separately selling a soundtrack was invented because of DLC.

[kingfish_ak]

Originally posted by Virtual Victory:

Is it to just cover the cost the license so they can rake in more profits? Do we have permanent access to it or is it a limited license?

Kinda off topic; but, how cool would it be if a blueray, also came with the sountrack?