Gareth Coker is a British composer. He has created music for video games such as Ori and the Blind Forest, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, ARK: Survival Evolved, ARK: Survival Ascended, Halo Infinite, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and No Rest for the Wicked.
Life and career
Gareth Coker began learning the piano at a young age. In school, he joined the orchestra and a jazz band. Later, he studied at the Royal Academy of Music, focusing on musical composition. He lived in Japan for three years, where he taught English and studied traditional instruments from different cultures. After moving to Los Angeles, he balanced composing for video games with studying film scoring at the University of Southern California. Coker was inspired by Alan Silvestri’s music for Forrest Gump and Star Wars: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter to become a composer.
In 2011, Coker created music for a game’s prototype after a studio director discovered his work. At Moon Studios, he was allowed to experiment freely with the music, using visuals to guide his choices. He selected instruments that matched the game’s settings, such as wood-based percussion for the Ginso Tree area or wind sounds for the Forlorn Ruins. He worked with programmers to ensure the music’s timing matched the game’s pacing. Coker recorded the score at Ocean Way Nashville Recording Studios with the Nashville Studio Orchestra.
The music received praise from critics and fans, earning nominations for awards like the BAFTA Game Award for Best Music and a win for Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition at the 19th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards. Kirk Hamilton of Kotaku compared the score to the work of Joe Hisaishi, who composes for Studio Ghibli films. Yahoo’s Ben Silverman called it “a wonderful score,” noting its similarity to the music of Howl’s Moving Castle.
Coker continued working with Moon Studios on the sequel to Ori and the Blind Forest, Ori and the Will of the Wisps. He collaborated with the team throughout the game’s development, studying the story and art to ensure the music fit perfectly. Because the sequel had more characters and storylines, Coker had more themes to work with, which helped him expand the musical style.
The music for Will of the Wisps was praised by awards like the SXSW Award, Ivor Novello Award, D.I.C.E. Awards, and The Game Awards.
In 2015, Coker was hired by Studio Wildcard to compose the music for ARK: Survival Evolved. His first track became the game’s main theme. Studio Wildcard wanted a unique sound that avoided resembling John Williams’ Jurassic Park score. They sought a recognizable theme that conveyed adventure and survival.
Most of the ARK score was recorded with the Philharmonia Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios. Coker credited his assistant, Zach Lemmon, and conductor, Alexander Rudd, for the success of the recording sessions.
For ARK, Coker used ethnic instruments to match the game’s environments. For example, the swamp area used the didgeridoo, while the mountains featured wind instruments. The orchestra helped create an “epic” feel expected by players.
The ARK score was nominated for a GoldSpirit Award in 2017 and a Jerry Goldsmith Award in 2018.
Coker contributed to the music of Minecraft’s Mythology Expansions, including Chinese, Greek, Egyptian, and Norse themes. For the Chinese expansion, he used his experience living in Japan and his interest in Asian music. He incorporated instruments like the erhu, dizi, hulusi, and xiao, using traditional Chinese scales and harmonies.
For the Greek expansion, Coker studied ancient instruments like the lyra, psaltery, and pipes. He used the Greek gods as inspiration, such as creating underwater sounds for Poseidon. He worked with musicians like Rachel Nesvig (Hardanger Fiddle), Karen Han (erhu), and Kristin Naigus (wind instruments).
Coker also composed music for Minecraft’s mini-games and the Pirates of the Caribbean expansion. His work for the Greek Mythology expansion caught the attention of Ubisoft, who used his music as temporary tracks for their games.
The Minecraft soundtrack blends orchestral music with unique, non-orchestral elements to represent mythological themes. Coker commissioned handcrafted instruments from Greece for the soundtrack.
For Immortals Fenyx Rising’s Eastern Realms DLC, Coker included Chinese instruments, guided by Ubisoft Chengdu. The soundtrack mixes orchestral and Chinese elements, creating a unique style rather than an authentic historical sound.
Coker collaborated with Joel Corelitz and Curtis Schweitzer on the soundtrack for Halo Infinite. He noted the challenge of working on a well-known franchise, explaining that the team had to honor the original Halo music while adding their own vision.
The original Halo score, by Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori, is central to the series’ identity. Coker and his team balanced respecting this legacy with introducing new creative ideas.
Coker emphasized the importance of silence and space in the Halo Infinite score. Unlike fast-paced games, the music highlighted quieter moments, such as reactions from characters when seeing Master Chief. The score was nominated for a BAFTA in 2022.
Coker worked on the soundtrack for Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, alongside Yoko Shimomura and Grant Kirkhope. The audio director, Romain Brillaud, assigned each composer different musical styles. Coker added emotional depth to specific settings and boss fights, drawing from French impressionism.
Wired praised the Mario + Rabbids soundtrack as one of the most ambitious in recent years, combining elements of Japanese RPGs, ’90s film scores, and the playful style of Mario.