Post
The modern practice of releasing game soundtracks on streaming platforms and vinyl as standalone products.
Game OSTs used to be obscure import CDs. Today, labels like Materia Collective and iam8bit release dozens of vinyl editions every year, and Spotify game-music playlists pull hundreds of millions of streams. Composers like Lena Raine, Gareth Coker, and Mick Gordon have real recording-artist careers independent of the games they score, and developers increasingly plan OST releases as part of launch marketing.
Example
Celeste's soundtrack by Lena Raine charted on Bandcamp and spawned a remix album. Hades' OST by Darren Korb is a Spotify staple. The Disco Elysium vinyl box set sold out within hours of listing. NieR Replicant OSTs routinely top Japanese album charts.
Why it matters
Game OSTs have become a legitimate music genre with its own stars and economic model. The release strategy extends a game's cultural footprint long after launch and has turned composers into brands whose next score can help sell a game.
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