The worlds of electronic music and high-octane gaming have always been closely linked. Both thrive on cutting-edge technology, high-energy experiences, and passionate global communities. For many international DJs, gaming is the perfect way to decompress from a hectic touring schedule and connect with fans on a different level.
To celebrate the launch of the new Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, we’re taking a look at some of the game’s biggest fans from within the electronic music world. From official in-game tracks to owning e-sports teams, their passion goes far beyond just being a casual player.
Oliver Heldens
Oliver Heldens is a big Call of Duty fan. He explained: “I’ve been playing Call of Duty for as long as I can remember. I even named a bunch of my first officially released tracks in 2013 based upon inspiration from the iconic Modern Warfare 2 game.” Oliver Heldens even did an official track for Warzone season 4 called ‘Sound of Vondel’. The Dutchman used in-game sounds and character vocals.
Marshmello
Marshmello jumped on with other creators in the peak of Warzone, diving into Verdansk, as seen in the video below. He has a full playlist of gaming content. The masked artist even tweeted about bringing back Verdansk, when Call of Duty changed Warzone map, implying he is passionate about the game.
Steve Aoki
Steve Aoki has streamed Warzone heavily over the years; the American DJ also took part in an official campaign with the game. He starred in a live-action trailer titled ‘Ultimate Team’, which also featured other celebrities like comedian Pete Davidson and rapper Lil Baby. On the eve of Black Ops 7’s release, Aoki is consistently streaming COD on his YouTube – playing more than likely any other artist at the moment.
Nicky Romero
Nicky Romero has been a notable COD fan for some time, mentioning a handful of times that it’s one of his main hobbies outside of music. played a set to commemorate London’s Call of Duty League event back in 2020, taking the stage before joining other gamers in a celebrity matchup. Romero also purchased a stake in the London Royal Ravens’ Call of Duty E-Sports team, they since moved to Charlotte. It’s unclear is he still owns any of it.
Nicky Romero also livestreamed Call of Duty, playing with fellow Dutch DJ Afrojack:
Ben Nicky
When not touring, Ben Nicky to known to jump onto Call of Duty, specifically Warzone. He has played with one of the best competitive players WarsZ, which was posted online. The Bristol-born artist was even seen flexing his impressive PC online.
deadmau5
deadmau5, aka Joel Zimmerman, is famously an avid gamer. While he’s recently been deep in Diablo and Elden Ring, his history with Call of Duty is well-documented. He has been featured in numerous YouTube videos over the years, including streams of him playing Black Ops 3 on Nuketown with other creators.
Alan Walker
Alan Walker is a big gamer, which in terms means he plays a lot of Call of Duty. He has even livestreamed himself playing alongside other creators. Outside of this, he even created a montage for his song with Conor Maynard ‘Believers’. Using clips from professional players and creators, footage from Warzone, multiplayer and competitive was cut together, alongside some Counter Strike content, to create the music video for the anthem. Alan Walker even celebrated Black Ops 4 with a dedicated playlist in collaboration with PlayStation.
It’s not just the artists listed above who dive into Call of Duty, there are countless artists that have played in the past, and likely still play – especially with Black Ops 7 arriving. In the past Jauz, Zeds Dead, Ghastly, Riot Ten, Funtcase, and Trampa participated in a “Label Wars” Call of Duty: Warzone tournament for charity. Excision and Borgore have 1v1’d publically and Hardwell is a huge gamer, with Call of Duty being a favourite.
Be sure top pick up Black Ops 7 as it releases this Friday, who knows, you may be in a lobby with one of these electronic artists.