How important is sound when gaming?

[Robster]

So recently to catch up with some TV I've wanted to see I've been watching it on my tablet whilst playing the Xbox (without sound) I've found without sound I'm worse at most games, especially driving games like project cars 2 etc , also FPS like battlefront, guess this is a credit to how good game sounds are these days?

[Meoricin]

Isn't it to do with immersion? You're bound to be worse at a game if you're distracted by other things, and if you've got no sound then other things are simply more distracting.

While there are elements you could attribute to sound affecting gameplay (eg footsteps in an FPS), it's unlikely to significantly affect single-player imo.

[ROSSinHD]

For me I sim race or play CSGO. I need sound when I race as it tells me what the car is doing but I can regularly start CSGO and forget my headset and it will be a few matches before I realise.

[dalzo]

It’s absolutely vital in shooters imo, I played with my pretty decent tv sound system and sound bar and was decent at pubg

Got a pair of turtle beach 800x and I can hear a player fart in a bush from 100 yards away and pin point where he is.

[Royce44]

Tried and can't play without it.

With cars I can hear when its just on the limit of spinning out or whatever and likewise above, can hear your surroundings on shoot em ups.

Forza has an epic soundtrack too

[soad]

Eh? I only mute/disable some mobile games.

Wouldn't dream of doing so with a console.

[Brainpox]

The quality of the audio is more important than video imo. It could be the best looking game in the world but if it sounds terrible, the immersion won't be there. Meanwhile, a game with sub-par graphics with atmospheric audio that makes you feel like you're in another world works wonders.

Decent old open world games and driving sims demonstrate this pretty well. Everything looks kinda blocky and flat but if the sounds are there you fit right in.

It's the same with videos on YouTube. The audio has to at least match the quality of the video otherwise it becomes difficult to watch.

[parabolica]

Depends on the game, but in most cases I would say you're at a disadvantage if you mute. The really good developers spend ages integrating soundscape into games to give you the best possible immersion. That said I'm currently playing Mirror's Edge, mopping up all the collectibles and it's the type of game that has a fantastic score/sound but it isn't essential to game play and I've been wearing headphones listening to a new album I just got. Luckily the type of music I'm listening to 'fits' with the game.