Nissan launches new cars with sounds in Pacman video game

Nissan strives to create a connection with the emotions and memories of its customers through the sounds of its vehicles. The brand will use the sounds of the Pac-Man video game in the 2021 Rogue and Pathfinder models, eliciting more empathy from drivers.

С Pac-Man became popular in the 80s, this ubiquitous gaming sound was instantly recognizable. We're far from Pac-Man Fever, but the game is still in arcades around the world. For those who grew up in the heyday of the game, these characteristic sounds of defeated ghosts and swallowed buckshot will evoke emotions and memories.

Nissan seeks connections with its customers

Nissan decided to take advantage of these feelings, featuring Pac-Man developer Bandai Namco Group, create sounds for their latest models starting with 2021 models  in the USA. The difference between the previous set of beeps and sounds and the new sounds is noticeable, and Nissan hopes buyers will make the connection, consciously or unconsciously.

Jill Ciminillo has that covers individual cars in a minute or less with each video. She believes viewers often want to know not only about power and ride quality, but also about the sounds a car makes, such as when you turn it on or when a door opens.

A sale can be made or thwarted by car sounds

Apparently, the sounds of cars can make or break a sale, especially if the bell or horn is particularly annoying, so this seems like a smart move by Nissan to make the brand stand out. For example, in 2018 Lincoln announced that the sounds of the new Aviator would be recorded by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra; once you hear them, it's hard to ignore the more obnoxious sounds in other cars.

“When developing games, Bandai Namco's sound engineers design sounds that mimic the intuitive understanding of the players,” he says. Hiroyuki Suzuki, Nissan Lead Engineer for in-vehicle audio information. “We are collaborating to create sounds that can help drivers have a similar intuitive understanding,” he added.

It seems to have been a rather intense process in which psychology and science intermingled. Nissan has also ordered a new high-quality speaker that fits under the dash and is designed to deliver the most dimensional sound possible.. Frequency, pitch and harmonies convey the difference between information and urgency.

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