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Video game composers release unused music because a finished game is only one version of a long production. A cue can be complete, recorded and meaningful even when design changes make it unsuitable for the final build. Official albums may then present that music as a bonus, prototype, alternate version or separate collection. Preservation has several layers: keeping an approved recording available to listeners, documenting why and where it was intended to appear, retaining production files and notes, and recording how music actually sounded during play. Those outcomes overlap, but none guarantees the others. The clearest documented example is melos han-tani’s separate album of abandoned Even the Ocean music, created after the game’s direction changed. Other releases show different ways cut cues can reach the public.
Why do game composers release unused music?
The direct reason is usually creative change rather than a judgment that a piece was poor. During a long game project, levels, characters, pacing, narrative emphasis and overall art direction can move. Music written for an earlier version may no longer fit the finished game, while still being a complete work that its creator wants people to hear.
melos han-tani, composer and co-creator of Even the Ocean, described that situation in the notes for The Old Ocean (Unused Music of Even the Ocean): “Because of how long ETO’s development was, the game changed in a way where this style didn’t fit.” That is a firsthand explanation of one project, not a universal account of why every cue is cut.
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Releasing the music can also restore context that the game itself cannot provide. A bonus track can show an earlier musical direction, preserve a discarded level’s identity or let listeners compare a prototype idea with the final score. Sometimes the composer already included the files as bonuses on a larger soundtrack and later gives them a focused presentation. That is what happened with The Old Ocean: the music was already present as bonuses on the larger Even the Ocean OST, then received a separate release so it could be highlighted.
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The album page credits an original release on November 16, 2016. Its notes identify songs re-released on May 1, 2026. Those are separate events; the collection was not a new 2026 debut. Han-tani also gave some pieces new or refreshed names, sometimes reflecting their abandoned intended uses, while retaining track IDs that connect them to the earlier OST.
Other motives are archival and commemorative. A soundtrack may be designed as a fuller production record, with prototype cues, unused material, variations and commentary. In that case, the release is valuable not only because of the audio but because it explains what each piece was for. The creator or rights holder may also want to preserve music that would otherwise remain inaccessible when a game is delisted, a studio closes or old development media deteriorates.
What happens to music cut from a video game?
There is no single path. A cut cue can remain private, appear in an official soundtrack, be renamed and remixed, survive only in a development archive, or be documented without being distributed. The following releases demonstrate distinct, verified choices.
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Han-tani’s collection is a focused presentation of music absent from the finished game. Its notes explain the development change, connect songs to earlier track IDs and describe revised titles. It shows how a composer can turn abandoned material into a coherent listening experience without pretending it was part of the final in-game score.
Phantasie V: Resurrection Complete Official Soundtrack
The publisher’s September 9, 2022 release explicitly includes prototype music, unused cues and variations. Its notes distinguish titles based on original purpose from bracketed descriptions of eventual in-game use, and provide track-by-track commentary. This is preservation of production context as well as preservation of recordings.
Snacko
Dale North’s soundtrack, credited December 7, 2023, mixes unused tracks with jingles, trailer music and remixes. It is a reminder that a bonus section is not automatically a list of cut game cues. Each category must be identified by the release’s own description.
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Unveil
Adam Halpin’s album states that tracks 41–64 form a bonus album not included in the final game: 24 bonus tracks. That count belongs to this album and should not be treated as an industry-wide measure of how many tracks games normally cut.
The Train
Alexander Hamilton’s August 19, 2022 release offers unused and scrapped tracks as bonuses, with some tracks individually marked unused. The explicit labels make the selection easier to interpret than a generic “bonus music” heading.
Ace In Space
The developer listing, released February 14, 2020, identifies an alternate cut and “Guardian’s March (Unused).” It offers the official soundtrack in MP3 and WAV formats, showing that a digital release can preserve both an alternate version and a specifically identified unused cue.
Endacopia
The developer listing describes MP3 and WAV files, extended or alternate versions and unused songs. It lists 102 tracks in 2026, while also stating that guest-musician tracks are excluded. “Original soundtrack” therefore does not necessarily mean every contribution, nor does it mean only music heard in the shipped game.
| Release | What the publisher or creator identifies | What it teaches about cut music |
|---|---|---|
| The Old Ocean | Unused Even the Ocean music; revised titles and earlier track IDs | A separate album can give abandoned work its own context and audience |
| Phantasie V | Prototype music, unused cues and variations with commentary | Notes can preserve intended use and development history |
| Snacko | Unused tracks, jingles, trailer music and remixes | Bonus material may combine several categories |
| Unveil | Tracks 41–64, 24 bonus tracks not in the final game | A release can define a distinct bonus album |
| The Train | Unused and scrapped bonus tracks, some individually marked | Per-track labels reduce ambiguity |
| Ace In Space | Alternate cut and “Guardian’s March (Unused),” in MP3 and WAV | Digital formats can preserve labeled variants |
| Endacopia | Extended, alternate and unused songs; guest-musician tracks excluded; 102 tracks listed in 2026 | “Original soundtrack” has project-specific boundaries |
How are unused game tracks preserved?
Preservation has three different targets. A published recording makes music listenable. A production archive protects the files and documentation behind it. A record of sound in play captures how the interactive system actually presented the music. Treating these as interchangeable leads to false claims of completeness.
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An official album can retain an otherwise unheard composition as a normal track, bonus track, alternate cut or separate release. The most useful editions identify the version and explain its history. The Old Ocean connects titles to an earlier OST, while Phantasie V explains original purpose and eventual use. A release advertised as “complete” still documents only what its publisher lists; the word does not prove that every abandoned idea or session file is included.
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2. Preserve the production archive
The Video Game History Foundation’s Video Game Source Project argues for retaining the raw materials and documentation used to make games. Its announcement describes recovery from a developer’s old source backups and identifies trade secrecy, deterioration or neglect, and lack of archival awareness as barriers to access. Frank Cifaldi summarized the value of such work: “In the hands of an historian, a properly archived source repository is the next best thing to time travel.”
A source repository may include multitrack sessions, exported stems, project files, drafts, notes, cue sheets, version histories and the provenance that explains who made each file and when. Keeping those materials is different from publishing them. The Foundation’s discussion supports archival care; it does not grant fans permission to distribute unreleased masters.
3. Preserve sound in play
James Newman’s 2018 research argues that extracted files alone do not document the whole audible experience. Music, sound effects, hardware and player interaction can alter what a player hears. A preservation project that wants to represent the game as experienced may therefore need gameplay recordings, configuration information and documentation of interactive conditions, not only an album.
This proposal does not invalidate soundtrack albums. It clarifies their scope: an album preserves selected recordings for listening, while an in-play record preserves relationships among music, systems and player actions.
| Preservation target | What it can retain | What it cannot establish by itself |
|---|---|---|
| Published recording | An authorized mix, title, version label, bonus track or commentary | Every source file, every discarded cue or the exact interactive playback |
| Production archive | Sessions, stems, project files, notes and provenance, if retained | Public distribution rights or unrestricted access |
| Sound in play | How music, effects, hardware and interaction combine during gameplay | A complete catalog of unused studio recordings |
Does an OST include every cut song?
No. “Original soundtrack” describes a release chosen by its publisher or creator, not a universal archival standard. It may contain only final-game cues, or it may add prototypes, alternates, remixes, trailer music and unused songs. Read the release notes and track labels instead of inferring completeness from the title.
The examples show why. Snacko combines several kinds of bonus material. Endacopia excludes guest-musician tracks while listing extended, alternate and unused songs. Phantasie V provides unusually detailed commentary, whereas another soundtrack may identify only a handful of tracks. “Unused” means absent from the final game in that release’s own description; it does not mean unfinished, inferior or necessarily rejected for one specific reason.
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What should you check before calling a release archival?
Use four questions: what was selected, which version is represented, how clearly is its provenance explained, and in what formats is it supplied?
- Selection: Does the release name specific unused pieces, or does it simply offer a broad soundtrack with mixed bonuses?
- Version evidence: Are tracks identified as prototype, alternate, scrapped, unused, extended or final?
- Provenance: Do notes explain original purpose, intended level, earlier title, track ID or later in-game use?
- Format: Are files downloadable, supplied on CD or vinyl, or split between a physical edition and digital bonuses?
Physical media is not automatically a more complete archive. Jim Guthrie’s storefront distinguishes 14 vinyl tracks from 13 additional digital bonus tracks and marks the vinyl sold out in 2026. It also lists a physical CD, but that listing does not establish that the CD contains unused game cues. A search phrase such as “Sword and Sworcery The Ballad of the Space Babies soundtrack CD” can identify a documented physical soundtrack, but the available evidence does not establish an Amazon listing or that the CD contains cut music.
Who is allowed to release unused game music?
Authorization depends on the actual ownership and licensing arrangement. Do not assume that the composer owns every score, that the developer can publish every session file, or that a person who possesses a copy may upload it. A Bandcamp Daily interview describes one specific arrangement in which Jim Guthrie owned his music after the game’s release; that example cannot be generalized to all composers or games.
Before sharing files, identify the party that authorized the release and follow its stated terms. An official album is evidence of authorization for that edition, not permission to redistribute alternate masters, extracted game files or unreleased material. If ownership is unclear, preservation work should focus on keeping lawfully obtained files private and documenting their provenance rather than publishing them.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How can listeners and small archives preserve an authorized release?
For music you are authorized to keep, preservation is mainly about retaining the original evidence and making redundant backups without altering the source.
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- Keep the original download or disc image. Do not rely only on a transcoded copy or a streaming cache.
- Save the accompanying documentation. Retain the track list, liner notes, release date, version labels and any stated relationship to the game.
- Record provenance. Note where and when the file was obtained and which edition it belongs to, especially when an album has re-released tracks from an earlier OST.
- Create more than one backup. Store copies on separate media or locations and check that files remain readable over time. Back up only material you are entitled to possess.
- Do not fill gaps with guesses. Mark a cue as “unused,” “alternate” or “prototype” only when the creator or publisher uses that description. If a file’s status is unknown, preserve the uncertainty in your notes.
This approach preserves a listener’s copy and its context. It does not recreate a studio archive, prove who owns an unreleased file or capture interactive playback.
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How should an article or catalog describe cut tracks accurately?
Use the release’s own language and keep categories separate. “Unused” should refer to a cue described as absent from the final game. “Prototype” can indicate an earlier production version. “Alternate,” “extended,” “scrapped,” “trailer music,” “jingle” and “remix” each communicate something different. If a release mixes categories, identify the mix rather than calling every bonus track unused.
Dates also need care. State an album’s original release date separately from a later re-release or re-presentation. For The Old Ocean, November 16, 2016 is the original release credited on the page, while May 1, 2026 refers to songs identified as re-released in the notes.
What does a responsible conclusion look like?
Cut game music survives best when publication, documentation and archival custody are treated as complementary. An official album can give listeners access and preserve a creator’s chosen mix. Detailed notes can explain a cue’s former purpose. A maintained source repository can protect the underlying sessions and provenance. Gameplay recordings can document the interactive soundscape. None of those alone is the whole history.
There is also no evidence here for an industry-wide rate of unused music, a total count of surviving unreleased cues or a general rule that vinyl, CDs or downloads preserve better than a properly maintained digital archive. The reliable claim is narrower and more useful: development changes create legitimate reasons for music to leave a game, and creators preserve it through several distinct, authorized channels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are unused game tracks always unfinished demos?
No. A track can be fully composed and produced yet removed because the game’s direction changed. “Unused” describes its absence from the cited final game, not its technical state or artistic quality.
Can I upload an extracted unused cue from a game?
Possession of extracted files does not establish publication rights. Check the copyright and license terms and prefer an official release; if authorization is unclear, keep the files private and preserve their provenance instead of distributing them.
Why do some soundtrack albums have more tracks than the game?
Albums may include prototypes, alternates, trailer music, jingles, remixes or bonus material commissioned for listening. Track counts therefore describe that edition’s contents, not the number of cues used in gameplay.
What information makes a preserved track useful to historians?
A stable file, the edition and release date, original title, version label, creator, source location and accompanying notes provide context. Recording relationships to earlier track IDs or intended in-game uses can make later comparison possible.
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