We are thrilled to announce the release of two documentaries that dive deep into Audiokinetic’s history and journey, the making of Wwise, and the incredible community that has made it all possible! Get the full story with The Story of Wwise and The Story of Audiokinetic, now available to view on our YouTube channel!

The Story of Audiokinetic: A Journey of Innovation and Resilience

Discover the untold story behind Audiokinetic. From its founding vision to empower audio teams, to building a culture rooted in creativity, innovation, and collaboration, this documentary explores how a passion for sound led to an industry-changing movement. Hear from the founder, early pioneers, and the people who shaped Audiokinetic into the trusted partner of audio professionals around the world.

Audiokinetic was founded in 2000 by Martin H. Klein, President and CEO. Working with a dedicated group of experts and veterans from the music, film, and gaming industries, a plan  was put together to develop Wwise and empower audio teams around the world to realize their visions toward creating truly immersive experiences. 

“As a creator, my vision was really to give the power to sound designers, to allow them to have all the tools in a pipeline where they can actually build 90% of their design from pre-production to end,” said Martin H. Klein, “It’s not the need of a company, it’s the need of an industry.” 

What began as a mission to empower game audio teams has since inspired advancements across industries, from Location-Based Entertainment (LBE) to Automotive and beyond, shaping the future of interactive sound everywhere. While gaming remains our primary market and first love, the company's vision has always been bigger. "Wherever there's interactivity, there's a need for Wwise." – Martin H. Klein, Audiokinetic CEO.

Watch The Story of Audiokinetic:

 

The Story of Wwise: Empowering Audio Creators

Explore the story behind Wwise, the audio engine that redefined how interactive sound is created and implemented. This documentary takes you inside the design and development of Wwise, from the vision, to early concepts and prototypes, to technical challenges and considerations, to the collaborative spirit that drove its evolution. Learn how innovation, community feedback, and a shared passion for great sound shaped one of the most influential tools in game audio, and how its growing community continues to drive it forward.

The Story of Wwise is a testament to the power of a single idea: putting control into the hands of the audio creator. "The vision for Wwise was really to help the sound team working on games to realize their vision, to have the power to control what happens in the game without relying so much on the programming team." – Martin Dufour, Audiokinetic CTO

In 2006, the first commercial version of Wwise was released. Microsoft Game Studios (MGS) was its first customer, with Shadowrun - a next-generation, cross-platform multiplayer title – becoming the first shipped game to use Wwise. And from there, the rest is history!

Watch The Story of Wwise:

These documentaries explore the history, the triumphs, the challenges, and the incredible team and amazing audio community behind Wwise, to whom we are forever grateful. You inspire us every day. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!