The Game Sound Summit 2025

Picture this: A young sound designer sits in her San Juan apartment, layering the distinctive rhythm of bomba drums into a battle sequence for a blockbuster game that will be played by millions worldwide. Her work will be experienced in Tokyo living rooms, London gaming cafes, and São Paulo smartphones - all without a single shipping container or export tariff.

For island nations like Puerto Rico, traditionally constrained by geography and limited natural resources, the digital revolution isn't just changing entertainment - it's rewriting the rules of economic possibility.

Image Credit: André Yeampierre (Lucid Imaging)

Paradise with Limitations: The Economic Squeeze of Island Life

Small island economies have long danced a precarious waltz with fate - relying heavily on tourism that vanishes with each hurricane season, agriculture vulnerable to climate shifts, or manufacturing sectors that can relocate with a boardroom decision. When every physical export means expensive shipping and logistical gymnastics, islands find themselves eternally searching for economic lifelines that won't wash away with the next storm.

Did You Know? The global economy loses approximately $280 billion annually to natural disasters, with island nations bearing a disproportionate impact relative to their GDP.

The Digital Gold Rush: Gaming's $300 Billion Playground

The video game industry isn't just growing - it's exploding, with global markets projected to surge past $300 billion by 2026. Behind every immersive game experience that captivates millions is an invisible orchestra of audio professionals crafting sonic worlds that bring pixels to life.

As Juan Cruz of Trivium Studios puts it: "If you make the extra effort to sort of learn some of those [implementation] skills, you will definitely be a lot more appealing to potential game developers or recruiters that wanna hire you because you will have an extra skill set that other sound designers or composers probably don't have."

Did You Know? Audio professionals in gaming can earn anywhere from $65,000 to $150,000+ annually, often working remotely from any location with reliable internet.

A Global Challenge: SIDS and the UN’s Sustainable Development Agenda

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) like Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and Fiji face a unique set of hurdles recognized by the United Nations. Their small size, geographic isolation, limited export base, and high vulnerability to global shocks and natural disasters make sustainable development especially challenging. According to the UN, SIDS have made less progress, or even regressed, in areas like poverty reduction and debt sustainability compared to other developing countries.

The UN’s SAMOA Pathway and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call for urgent action to help SIDS diversify their economies, build resilient infrastructure, and foster innovation. Reliable digital connectivity, affordable energy, and upskilling the workforce are seen as essential steps toward breaking the cycle of vulnerability and unlocking new economic opportunities.

Did You Know?
SIDS account for less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions but face some of the highest risks from climate change, with natural disasters costing as much as 20% of GDP in a single event.

Game Sound Summit 2024 : Photo Credit André Yeampierre (Lucid Imaging)

When Borders Disappear: The Boundless Audio Profession

Unlike manufacturing jobs tied to factory floors or tourism roles dependent on physical visitors, game audio professionals can deliver world-class work from Caribbean beaches to global studios with nothing more than talent, training, and a laptop.

Juan's journey with "The Coldest Winter" exemplifies this borderless opportunity. Working from Puerto Rico, his team at Trivium Studios is crafting soundscapes that will reach players across continents, proving that compelling audio experiences can originate from anywhere—provided the creator has the right skills.

"Knowing a programming language, knowing how a game engine works, knowing how middleware works, and knowing how to use those tools is something that is gonna make you very, very hireable for potential recruiters," Cruz explains. Each audio file uploaded from an island workstation represents not just creativity, but economic potential untethered from geographic limitations.

Did You Know? Over 60% of professional game audio projects are now completed through remote collaboration, making location increasingly irrelevant for skilled sound designers.

Image Credit: André Yeampierre (Lucid Imaging)

When the Lights Go Out: How Fragile Infrastructure Threatens Digital Careers

For island-based audio professionals, the greatest villain isn't creative block—it's infrastructure failure. Imagine a Puerto Rican sound designer watching helplessly as her screen goes black during a crucial client presentation, the power grid failing at the worst possible moment. Every blackout becomes more than an inconvenience; it's an economic opportunity draining away with each passing minute offline.

In the high-stakes world of game development, where missed deadlines can cost contracts, unreliable power and internet don't just frustrate—they disqualify entire communities from digital participation. The stark reality: without infrastructure investment, even the most talented island creators remain invisible to the global marketplace.

Did You Know? Puerto Rico experienced over 1,200 hours of power outages in recent years, representing potential lost income of up to $30,000 per audio freelancer annually based on average hourly rates.

Office Space Image credit Grok

Talent Flight and Digital Nomads: The Remote Work Paradox

The scene repeats across generations: talented Puerto Ricans reluctantly packing bags, seeking stability elsewhere while carrying their island in their hearts. Yet today's economic migration has a digital twist—while locals struggle to establish remote careers, foreign workers increasingly set up laptops on Puerto Rican beaches, enjoying paradise while working for overseas companies.

This imbalance highlights the urgent need for digital equity: ensuring that local residents can access and compete in the virtual economy, transforming brain drain into digital opportunity that keeps talent, and its economic benefits, firmly rooted in island soil.

Did You Know? For every 100 tech professionals who leave Puerto Rico, the island loses approximately $12 million in potential annual economic activity.

The Sound of Home: Why Puerto Rico's Cultural Voice is Gaming Gold

In the increasingly homogenized world of game development, cultural authenticity isn't just nice to have—it's a competitive advantage. Josué Vera from Trivium Studios describes how their team approaches "The Coldest Winter" project: "We've been also delving a lot into our own culture and surrounding culture and seeing how we can, like, incorporate that into the palette that we're using."

When a Puerto Rican audio team incorporates the distinctive cadence of local speech patterns into character dialogue, or weaves the atmospheric sounds of El Yunque rainforest into game environments, they're not just creating sound—they're exporting cultural experience that cannot be replicated by AI or outsourced to generic production houses.

Did You Know? Games featuring authentic cultural elements typically see 23% higher engagement rates among players, demonstrating the market value of genuine cultural representation.

Image Credit André Yeampierre

Building Tomorrow's Sound: The Path Forward

Industry partnerships like those showcased at the Game Audio Summit represent crucial bridges between island talent and global opportunity. When sponsors like FMOD and Audiokinetic provide access to industry-standard tools, they're not simply supporting events—they're investing in economic transformation.

Vera emphasizes this mission: "Our focus is to give our audience access to this knowledge...to know, hey, this is the stuff that's being used. Look at how it's being used, et cetera." Each workshop, each networking session, each shared technique becomes another building block in a sustainable digital economy.

Did You Know? Audio professionals with formal middleware training (like FMOD or Wwise) command salary premiums of 15-25% over those with similar experience but without implementation skills.

Game On: Your Next Steps

The sonic future of island economies isn't just possible—it's already beginning. As virtual opportunities continue expanding, positioning yourself or your community at this digital crossroads can transform economic prospects:

• For aspiring audio professionals: Visit Trivium Studios' website to explore resources, training opportunities, and insights from professionals who've successfully built game audio careers from Puerto Rico.

• For developers and studios: Consider the unique cultural perspectives and authentic sounds that island-based audio teams can bring to your projects—diversity that resonates with global audiences seeking fresh experiences.

• For educators and policymakers: Recognize game audio as not merely entertainment, but as a legitimate export industry deserving of infrastructure investment and educational support.

The future is borderless. With the right tools, training, and connections, island communities can seize their place in the global creative economy—one sound, one story, and one digital connection at a time.

Ready to learn more? Visit Trivium Studios today to discover how Puerto Rico is turning virtual opportunity into real economic impact through the power of game audio.