Simon Viklund

Simon Viklund was born in Stockholm on December 1, 1979.{{cite web|url=http://www.vg247.com/2013/08/13/music-to-heist-to-payday-2s-musical-masterpiece/|title=Music to heist to: Payday 2′s musical masterpiece|access-date=2013-08-18|last=Clay|first=Sam|date=2013-08-13|work=VG247|archive-date=2013-08-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130818191012/http://www.vg247.com/2013/08/13/music-to-heist-to-payday-2s-musical-masterpiece/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKxPbjS-Xfo|title=Simon Viklund - "Guru 4x4"|access-date=2014-01-06|last=Viklund|first=Simon|date=2010-12-02|work=YouTube|archive-date=2014-01-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106143500/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKxPbjS-Xfo|url-status=live}} He began learning music through the violin as child, and later received classical piano lessons for about seven years.{{cite web|url=http://www.originalsoundversion.com/comic-con-08-interview-with-bionic-commando-rearmed-composerdirector-simon-viklund/|title=Comic Con 08: Interview With Bionic Commando Rearmed Composer/Director Simon Viklund|access-date=2013-08-18|last=Napolitano|first=Jason|date=2008-07-28|work=OriginalSoundVersion.com|archive-date=2013-08-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130820082823/http://www.originalsoundversion.com/comic-con-08-interview-with-bionic-commando-rearmed-composerdirector-simon-viklund/|url-status=live}} He also taught himself to play the guitar and bass guitar.{{cite web|url=http://kotaku.com/5045411/rearming-the-music-+-and-memories-+-of-bionic-commando|title=Rearming the Music — and Memories — of Bionic Commando|access-date=2013-09-09|last=Good|first=Owen|date=2008-09-04|work=Kotaku|archive-date=2013-09-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130909211528/http://kotaku.com/5045411/rearming-the-music-+-and-memories-+-of-bionic-commando|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://level3.org.au/post/712/|title=INTERVIEW: Simon Viklund (3rd Strike Online Edition - Music)|access-date=2013-08-18|last=Jolly|first=Bradley|date=2011-08-23|work=Level 3|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827004248/http://level3.org.au/post/712/|archive-date=2011-08-27}} As a teenager he sang in the local church choir, and was briefly a singer in a band established by his friends in high school. He studied arts in high school, but later became more interested in music. Wiklund began to write music in the late 90s with the help of a computer program called FastTracker 2.{{cite web |author=jeriaska |date=2011-02-26 |title=Sound Current: 'Back in the Swing of Things - Simon Viklund on Bionic Commando Rearmed 2' |url=http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2011/02/sound_current_simon_viklunds_b.php#more |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716130140/http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2011/02/sound_current_simon_viklunds_b.php#more |archive-date=2012-07-16 |access-date=2013-08-18 |work=GameSetWatch}} None of his music was released at the time, because he was personally unsatisfied with his creations.

Wiklund joined Grin in 2000 and acted as a composer and sound designer on most of the company's projects, starting with its first game, Ballistics. He later changed his surname to Viklund as people abroad often mispronounced his name, as 'W' and 'V' have similar pronunciations in Swedish.{{Cite Instagram|postid=rOwmNnTasE|user=simon_viklund|title=My badge for ECTS 2002. ECTS was the E3 of London/Europe back then, but it doesn't exist anymore. We were there in 2002 to show Ballistics, our futuristic racing game. It was the most makeshift booth you've ever seen. I spelled my last name with "W" back then, but later changed it because people abroad mispronounced my name (W and V are pronounced the same way in Swedish). Gotta love that title too: Maestro. #GrinMemories|date=3 August 2014|author=Simon Viklund}} Viklund was also involved in developing the PC version of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter (2006) and its 2007 sequel, which were published by Ubisoft.{{Cite web|title=Something to GRIN About|url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/something-to-grin-about_4|access-date=2020-12-22|website=GamesIndustry.biz|date=May 6, 2009 |language=en|archive-date=2009-05-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090512130149/http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/something-to-grin-about_4|url-status=live}} He subsequently led the development of Bionic Commando Rearmed, a remake of the 1988 NES version commissioned by Capcom; Viklund also composed the game's soundtrack, which was praised for its faithful reimagining of the original 8-bit arrangements.{{Cite web|last=Parish|first=Jeremy|date=2008-08-13|title=Bionic Commando: Rearmed Review|url=http://www.1up.com/reviews/bionic-commando-rearmed|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310184142/http://www.1up.com/reviews/bionic-commando-rearmed|archive-date=March 10, 2016|access-date=|website=1Up.com}} Elements of Viklund's Bionic Commando Rearmed soundtrack were also incorporated into Bionic Commando (2009), which was mainly scored by Jamie Christopherson, while Viklund served as the sound designer. Aside from Grin's projects, he also worked on Triotech's Wasteland Racers 2071 (2006).{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamereactor.se/nyheter/222624/Ljuddesign+med+Overkill+Software+i+Gamereactor+Academy/|title=Ljuddesign med Overkill Software i Gamereactor Academy|last=Mäki|first=Jonas|date=2015-02-19|website=www.gamereactor.se|language=sv|access-date=2017-05-26|archive-date=2017-09-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170930035912/https://www.gamereactor.se/nyheter/222624/Ljuddesign+med+Overkill+Software+i+Gamereactor+Academy/|url-status=live}}

Viklund began work on Bionic Commando Rearmed 2 as its creative director in 2009, before Grin went bankrupt four months into its development. Development was transferred to Fatshark, and Viklund was hired as a creative advisor and composer. He was also commissioned by Capcom for Final Fight: Double Impact (2010) and Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Online Edition (2011), for which he composed the music.{{Cite web|title=E3: Street Fighter III:3rd Strike's new features detailed|url=https://www.destructoid.com/stories/e3-street-fighter-iii-3rd-strike-s-new-features-detailed-203578.phtml|access-date=2020-12-21|website=Destructoid|date=June 11, 2011 |language=english|archive-date=2021-05-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526030124/https://www.destructoid.com/stories/e3-street-fighter-iii-3rd-strike-s-new-features-detailed-203578.phtml|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=GameSetWatch Download Remixed Final Fight: Double Impact Soundtracks For Free|url=http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2010/04/download_remixed_final_fight_d.php|access-date=2021-04-08|website=www.gamesetwatch.com|archive-date=2019-02-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190217000855/http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2010/04/download_remixed_final_fight_d.php|url-status=live}}

Viklund, along with the Andersson brothers and other Grin employees, founded Overkill Software in 2009.{{Cite web|url=http://madgearsolid.com/blog/?p=772|title=An Interview with Simon Viklund|date=2011-09-11|website=Mad Gear Solid|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110911181239/http://madgearsolid.com/blog/?p=772|archive-date=2011-09-11|url-status=dead|access-date=2017-02-15}} At Overkill, he served as the creative director and sound designer for the company's first game, Payday: The Heist, and also composed its soundtrack, drawing inspiration from the 1995 crime film Heat. He also voiced Bain, the main narrator and contract broker in the game. Viklund would reprise his role as composer and the voice of Bain in Payday 2, released in 2013.

On August 18, 2015, Viklund left Overkill to focus on his personal and freelance music projects. However, he continued to voice Bain and produce music in Payday 2 as a freelancer.{{Cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItyKLw0vHko|title=PAYDAY 2: A Message From Simon Viklund|date=2015-08-18|last=OVERKILL Software|first=|type=video|language=|author-link=Overkill Software}}

In 2016, Viklund co-founded a new company with Ulf Andersson, 10 Chambers Collective, while also continuing to work on his freelance projects.{{Cite web|last=Harris|first=John|title=Q&A: How Steam co-op hit GTFO chooses depth over breadth in game design|url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/357025/QA_How_Steam_coop_hit_GTFO_chooses_depth_over_breadth_in_game_design.php|access-date=2020-12-22|website=www.gamasutra.com|date=January 28, 2020 |language=en|archive-date=2020-08-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200816212049/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/357025/QA_How_Steam_coop_hit_GTFO_chooses_depth_over_breadth_in_game_design.php|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=10 Chambers Collective - Simon Viklund|url=http://www.10chambers.com/member10.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191223195238/http://10chambers.com/member10.html|archive-date=2019-12-23|access-date=2017-06-26|website=www.10chambers.com|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Weber|first=Rachel|date=9 September 2016|title=Jobs roundup: New chief people officer for EA|url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2016-09-09-jobs-roundup-new-chief-people-officer-for-ea|access-date=2021-11-18|website=GamesIndustry.biz|language=en}} He also signed an exclusive songwriter agreement with BMG in the same year.{{Cite web|date=2016-06-10|title=SC: Simon Viklund Signs with BMG|url=https://www.bmg.com/sc/news/SIMON-VIKLUND-SIGNS-WITH-BMG.html|access-date=2020-12-21|website=BMG|language=en|archive-date=2021-05-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526030124/https://www.bmg.com/sc/news/SIMON-VIKLUND-SIGNS-WITH-BMG.html|url-status=live}} Viklund composed the soundtrack to Robonauts in 2017,{{Cite web|last=Doolan|first=Liam|date=2017-09-20|title=Review: Robonauts (Switch eShop)|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/switch-eshop/robonauts|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122230744/https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/switch-eshop/robonauts|archive-date=2021-01-22|access-date=2020-12-21|website=Nintendo Life|language=en-GB}} and worked as a game designer, narrative director, and composer for 10 Chambers' first project, GTFO.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/05/31/payday-cocreators-new-fps-is-gtfo/|title=Payday co-creator names new co-op FPS: GTFO|last=O'Connor|first=Alice|date=2017-05-31|website=Rock, Paper, Shotgun|language=en-US|access-date=2017-06-26|archive-date=2017-06-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170606185236/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/05/31/payday-cocreators-new-fps-is-gtfo/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Beckhelling|first=Imogen|date=2020-10-22|title=GTFO adds matchmaking and new difficulties in its latest update|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2020/10/22/gtfo-adds-matchmaking-and-new-difficulties-in-its-latest-update/|access-date=2020-12-21|website=Rock, Paper, Shotgun|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-11-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116182627/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2020/10/22/gtfo-adds-matchmaking-and-new-difficulties-in-its-latest-update/|url-status=live}}

Viklund's compositions are primarily based on elements of electronic music genres such as techno, big beat, electro-funk, or dubstep, but some have been based on rock, industrial music and rap.{{Cite web|last=Greening|first=Chris|date=September 20, 2011|title=Simon Viklund Interview: Designer and Composer Alike|url=http://www.vgmonline.net/simonviklundinterview/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170621023335/http://www.vgmonline.net/simonviklundinterview/|archive-date=2017-06-21|access-date=2017-04-28|website=Video Game Music Online|language=en}} In 2008, Viklund's music was labelled by Swedish magazine Nöjesguiden as "chip house" music, while Viklund considered his music to be from a variety of inspirations, ultimately becoming "8-bit-inspired dance music".{{Cite news|url=http://ng.se/artiklar/simon-viklund-%E2%80%9Csa-far-du-ett-exploderande-huvud-genom-censuren%E2%80%9D|title=Simon Viklund: "så får du ett exploderande huvud genom censuren"|last=Hallstan|first=Johan|date=2008-09-17|work=NÖJESGUIDEN|access-date=2017-04-28|language=sv|archive-date=2021-05-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526030127/https://ng.se/artiklar/simon-viklund-%e2%80%9csa-far-du-ett-exploderande-huvud-genom-censuren%e2%80%9d|url-status=live}} Viklund has described the musical style of his tracks to be "a mix between the music I find suitable for the project in question, the music I enjoy, and the music I have the skills to produce." In Ballistics and Bandits: Phoenix Rising, he cited the Quake III soundtrack, Fatboy Slim, and The Chemical Brothers as inspirations for the rock, techno, big beat, and industrial sound. When it came to the soundtrack of Bionic Commando Rearmed, Viklund was influenced by groups such as The Crystal Method and Justice.

The soundtrack of Payday 2 featured a wide variety of music, especially when it came to the music for the game's downloadable content. The trailer for "The Big Bank" DLC featured an opera piece composed by Viklund, who wrote the lyrics in Swedish and had them translated to Italian to be performed by opera singers.{{Cite web|last=Savage|first=Phil|date=2014-06-09|title=Payday 2: Big Bank DLC trailer shows moral quandaries, karmic comeuppance|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/payday-2-big-bank-dlc-trailer-shows-moral-quandaries-karmic-comeuppance/|access-date=2021-04-08|website=PC Gamer|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-09-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930092848/https://www.pcgamer.com/payday-2-big-bank-dlc-trailer-shows-moral-quandaries-karmic-comeuppance/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Viklund|first=Simon|date=2014-07-06|title=My first opera piece|url=http://simonviklund.com#post91|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140804134143/http://www.simonviklund.com/#post91|archive-date=2014-08-04|access-date=2017-05-25}}

The music for his first two projects, Ballistics and Bandits: Phoenix Rising, were made with FastTracker 2, while the tracks for Bionic Commando series and Payday: The Heist, were made with Jeskola Buzz.{{Cite web|url=http://simonviklund.com#post69|title=What gear I use|date=2013-07-26|website=simonviklund.com|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130820030355/http://simonviklund.com/#post69|archive-date=2013-08-20|url-status=dead|access-date=2017-04-28}} In 2013, for Payday 2, he moved on to using Ableton Live, supplemented with a Native Instruments Komplete keyboard and the reFX Nexus 2 Synthesizer plug-in.

Viklund has released several of his compositions as albums and singles, both independently and on behalf of Overkill Software:{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Simon Viklund|url=https://simonviklund.bandcamp.com/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108124613/https://simonviklund.bandcamp.com/|archive-date=2020-11-08|access-date=2020-12-21|website=Bandcamp}}{{Cite web|title=OVERKILL Soundtracks|url=https://overkillsoundtracks.bandcamp.com/|access-date=2020-12-22|website=OVERKILL Soundtracks|archive-date=2020-11-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116075011/https://overkillsoundtracks.bandcamp.com/|url-status=live}}

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Category:1979 births

Category:Living people

Category:Musicians from Stockholm

Category:Sound designers

Category:Swedish male composers

Category:Swedish video game composers

Category:Swedish video game designers