Prosumer Practices of Ludomusical Upgrade and Downgrade in Online Participatory Cultures

The figure of the prosumer is increasingly central in today's musical landscape, as digital tools for music production and affordable online distribution have become ubiquitous. A key actor in online participatory cultures, the prosumer engages in communities that creatively rework and pay homage to existing music, often in playful and ludic ways. Here, video game music serves as both a repertoire and a technological reference for reimagining other kinds of popular music. On the one hand, new versions (e.g., covers, remixes) of video game soundtracks are produced, and when the original material is early or low-budget video game music, this means rearranging it for real instruments, "upgrading" the original material. On the other hand, tracks from various sources are "downgraded" to fit the technological constraints of early or low-budget video game music. These two trends mirror practices like remakes and remasters versus demakes and other anti-chrononormative operations, respectively. This paper examines the broader cultural and technological contexts of these practices, focusing on two case studies: first, the "upgrading" of tracks from the Undertale soundtrack, and second, the "downgrading" of progressive rock and metal songs into "soundfont covers". Special attention is given to the role of changing technological affordances in shaping peculiar timbral choices and fostering innovative listening experiences. These practices not only provide the listeners with reimagined versions of familiar music but also help us study and understand some practices behind past and present video game music production from a different perspective.