It's taken (quite!) a while to compile, but we hope it'll help you in your game audio journey - and we're continuously updating the list, so keep checking back for more. Happy exploring, and be sure to share with your friends and collagues, so more people can benefit from these resources!
Newest game audio stories • Essential game audio interviews • Game audio guides & resources • Essential sound design guides
Game sound effects:
Most popular game sound effects libraries • Newest game sound effects libraries • Overall most popular sound effects libraries • Search for SFX
More game audio resources:
Books about game audio • Podcasts about game audio • Game Audio Groups • Audio events • Game audio jobs • Find game audio pros • Showcase your audio skills • Game audio on social media • Branching out: Free 60+ page guide: How to succeed in 18 types of audio jobs
Game audio stories and resources:
– here are some of our favorite ones:
Crafting Ghost of Tsushima’s Tremendous Sound
Go behind the gloriously grounded sound of Ghost of Tsushima – with Audio Director Rev. Dr. Bradley D Meyer and Senior Sound Designer Josh Lord:
How The Last of Us Part II’s incredible sound was made:
The Naughty Dog sound team gives you the full story behind the sound for The Last of Us Part II here:
The Secrets to Creating Jurassic World Evolution’s Excellent Game Audio:
Interested in what goes into creating outstanding sound for games? This interview on the sound for Jurassic World Evolution is a must-read:
Jesper Kyd on Composing the Viking-themed Score for ‘Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’
BAFTA-award winning composer Jesper Kyd takes you behind the score for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla:
Creating the Soaring Sound of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020:
Find out how the stunningly-realistic sound of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 was made in this huge interview:
Designing Half-Life: Alyx’s Superb VR Sound:
How the Valve sound team expanded the sound of the beloved Half-Life 2D-game into the VR realm:
Making the magical sound of ‘Ori and The Will of the Wisps’
Get the story behind the beautiful sound of ‘Ori and The Will of the Wisps’:
Shaping the satisfying sound of ‘Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order’
How Respawn Entertainment’s sound team designed their first Star Wars game — Jedi: Fallen Order:
Behind the glorious sound of ‘God of War’:
In this exclusive, in-depth A Sound Effect interview, Mike Niederquell and the sound team at Playstation takes you behind the scenes on the stunning sound for the game.
Read – or hear – how Hitman 3’s hard-hitting sound was made:
Hitman 3 is a hit with both players and reviewers, and here’s the story on how its excellent sound was made – now available as both a written Q&A and an audio interview:
Game Audio (Super) Deep-Dive: Behind The Outer Worlds’ Otherworldly Sound:
Obsidian Entertainment’s The Outer Worlds was released a short while ago and fans are loving it. The sound team, led by Audio Director/Composer Justin E. Bell, played a huge role in bringing this dystopian space adventure to life.
Creating Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s Award-Winning Sound – huge sound team interview:
The Game Awards just named Call of Duty: Modern Warfare as having the Best Audio Design. In this in-depth A Sound Effect interview, the team members talk about their approach to designing an immersive and realistic sound experience:
Creating the charming sound design – and glorious honks – for ‘Untitled Goose Game’:
Em Halberstadt takes you behind the scenes on the sound for ‘Untitled Goose Game’:
Behind the beautiful sound of Monument Valley 2 – with Todd Baker
This is how Todd Baker created the stunning, lush sound of Monument Valley 2:
Designing the delightfully vintage sound of ‘Cuphead’ – with Samuel Justice
Samuel Justice takes you behind the scenes on the sound for this striking indie game:
Making the sound of ‘Minecraft Dungeons’ with Mojang’s audio team:
How Mojang’s audio team took the sound of Minecraft into a new direction:
10 Essential Tips for Game Audio Freelancers
Here are BAFTA Award-winning sound designer Rebecca Parnell’s 10 essential tips for game audio freelancers:
3 Principles of Sound Design for Games – by Rob Bridgett
At the brink of a powerful new console generation, here’s a reminder not to lose sight of the fundamentals of sound design:
37 tips for great game audio success – from the community:
Get lots of insights from the community on how to create great game audio:
4 Effective Ways to Break into Game Audio:
Adam Croft shares 4 fundamental things you can do to make that game audio dream a reality:
A Short Guide to Freelance Rates – and what to charge for your work:
Struggling with setting rates as a freelancer? Here’s a guide to help you get the numbers right:
An Introduction to Game Audio Scripting in Unity (Part 1 & 2)
Game audio scripting offers lots of exciting opportunities – this guide helps you get the hang of it:
Building the Dream Work Environment at A Shell in the Pit
In this interview, Gord McGladdery shares with us how he maintains an innovative work environment and a resilient business model:
Creating audio for games – with Martin Stig Andersen:
Acclaimed sound designer & composer Martin Stig Andersen shares some of his techniques, approaches – and favorite gear – in this new video:
Defining Your Creative Goals with Audio Storyboards:
Game sound designer Bryan Higa shares inspiring insights on how to use audio storyboards in your creative process:
Game Audio: Making it with a small team, a short timeframe and minimal resources:
Horus Station takes place in an abandoned space craft – and its atmospheric sound was created by a small team in a very short timeframe and with minimal resources. Here are the key insights and lessons learned by Can Uzer and the team:
Game Audio Glossary: Game Development Roles – and how they relate to your game audio work:
Find out how different game development roles relate to your game audio work:
Game Audio Guide: How to write a (game-changing) audio design document today:
Some years ago, veteran sound designer and game audio director Zachary Quarles wrote an excellent guide on how to do an audio design document – and this is his followup to that guide:
Gear is not the ticket to entry in the game audio community
How to build a lean, effective game audio setup that gets you off the ground – without breaking the bank:
Guide: Essential books about sound – for film, games and audio post production
An overview of excellent books on sound for film, games, recording and audio post:
How to get your game audio pipeline right – workflows, organization and the tools you need
Getting your game audio pipeline right is essential for a smooth-running development process – here’s how to do it:
How to prepare for – and power through – a layoff in the game audio industry, with Brian Schmidt:
Game audio veteran and GameSoundCon creator Brian Schmidt on how to bounce back from a game audio layoff:
How to Quickly Get Started With Game Audio in Unreal Engine — an essential primer by Dave Raybould
Learn how to quickly get up and running with audio in Unreal Engine:
REAPER for Game Audio – Getting Started & Rendering
Learn how to make the most of REAPER for game audio:
Reaper for Game Audio – Part III: Project Scopes & Subprojects
Find out why project management can be one of the most powerful and unique features that Reaper has to offer:
The road ahead for game audio
Game audio guru Damian Kastbauer reflects on the road ahead for the audio community, and the challenges and opportunities it offers:
Transmodality in game sound design: How we use sound to fill in the sensory blanks:
Ashton Mills explores how game audio can help convey information from a broad range of senses – for a much richer gaming experience:
Unreal Engine’s built-in game audio capabilities demonstrated using blueprints
Tzvi Sherman demonstrates the many game audio possibilities you get with Unreal Engine’s blueprints:
What Wwise can do for your game audio
Tzvi Sherman demonstrates many of Wwise’s powerful tools for implementing your sounds into a game engine:
Why sound is crucial in stealth games
Greg Lester just released a great video on the importance of carefully-crafted sound design in stealth games:
Please share these resources:
If you’re finding these resources useful, please share a link to this page with your network so more people can benefit from them – thanks in advance!
and sound recording from the A Sound Effect blog:
How to create horror sound effects that are truly scary (and gory!)
Find out how to create your own horror sounds, brutal gore sound effects, scary ambiences and ghoulish monster vocalizations in this exclusive guide:
How to create impressive fire and ice magic sound effects
Learn about tools, techniques – and surprising props – for creating magic sounds in this in-depth video tutorial:
How to Design Fierce Creature Vocals
Chase Steele returns with an excellent new tutorial on creature vocalizations (and he throws in 26 free sound effects for you too as a bonus!):
How To Design Futuristic Vehicle Sound Effects
Sound Spark’s Chase Steele shares his approaches and ideas for designing futuristic vehicle sound effects:
How To Design Stellar Spaceship Sound Effects – an Essential Sci-Fi Sound Design Guide:
Find out how to create fantastic spaceship sound effects in this special, in-depth guide – complete with examples, free sounds to design from and much more:
How To Design Superb Sci-Fi UI Sound Effects:
Discover the key to excellent Sci-Fi UI sounds in this guide by Ruslan Nesteruk – with additional insights from veteran sound designers Mark Camperell, Jason Cushing and Ivo Ivanov:
How To Design Supreme Sci-Fi Weapon Sound Effects:
How do you design awe-inspiring sci-fi weapon sound effects? This in-depth sound design guide will show you how:
Rule of Thirds: A Sound Design Approach by Barney Oram
Sound designer Barney Oram shares his approach to making the creative process easier:
Sound Advice: The Key to Outstanding Animation Sound Design
Experienced animation sound designer Jeff Shiffman shares his tips, tricks and insights for outstanding animation sound design:
Ten Second Technique: Tips to Improve Your Sound Design by Barney Oram
Sound designer Barney Oram shares the 10-second technique he uses to improve his sound design skills:
The Essential Guide To Recording Weapon Sound Effects – With Watson Wu
Few people on this planet have more experience with weapon sound effects recording than Watson Wu, and in this exclusive guide he shares how you do it right:
The Essential Primer to Recording Car Sound Effects
Max Lachmann and the team at Pole Position Production have spent a decade perfecting their car recording methods. This is how they do it today:
Game sound effects:
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Cinematic & Trailer Sound Effects Four Elements – Elemental Magic Play Track 3050 sounds included, 251 mins total $149
Master the Art of Bending the Elemental Forces
Unleash the raw power of fire, water, earth, and air with this comprehensive 9 GB sound library featuring 3050 high-quality sound effects across 630 files. Whether you’re designing cinematic soundscapes or enhancing video games Four Elements delivers the tools you need to harness the energy of the natural world.
Construction Kit – 2443 Sounds
A treasure trove of raw, organic, and processed sounds including seamless loops divided into Fire, Water, Air, Earth and Explosion categories. Customize every detail with an extensive selection of sound components.
- Organic Fire: Campfire sizzles, torch whooshes, and flame bursts.
- Processed Fire: Distorted impacts and unique crackles.
- Organic Earth: Rock crashes, gravel scrapes, and heavy stone hits.
- Processed Earth: Stylized rumbles and granular textures.
- Organic Water: Ocean waves, hydrophone bubbles, and fluid splashes.
- Processed Water: Underwater whooshes and stylized liquid smashes.
- Organic Air: Bamboo swishes, cloth movements, and pressure bursts.
- Processed Air: Filtered gusts and dynamic noise sweeps.
- Explosion: Firework detonations, Butane bursts, and cinematic impacts.
Building Blocks – 416 Sounds
Game-ready sound layers featuring Impacts, Whooshes, and Textures as seamless loops. Elevate transitions and enhance atmospheres with loops and pre-designed sound layers.
- Fire: Explosive bursts, blazing infernos, and warm embers.
- Earth: Ground-shaking impacts, crumbling terrain, and heavy collisions.
- Water: Cascading waves, serene rivers, and underwater ambiences.
- Air: Whispering breezes, stormy turbulence, and slicing gusts.
Design Kit – 192 Sounds
A collection of ready-to-use sound effects divided into Attack, Bend, and Explosion categories for quick integration into your projects. Perfect for high-energy scenes and immersive storytelling.
- Fire: Crackling flames, fiery bursts, and roaring infernos.
- Earth: Crushing impacts, shifting ground, and massive land eruptions.
- Water: Splashes, fluid manipulations, and crashing tidal waves.
- Air: Slicing winds, swirling currents, and thunderous gusts.
Four Elements gives you complete creative control, blending organic recordings with processed sound layers to meet the demands of any project. Master the forces of nature with Four Elements. Let your creativity ignite.
Keywords:
Elements, Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Wave, Water, Liquid, Rock, Cast, Stone, Pebble, Torch, Gas, Flame, Campfire, Sizzle, Burst, Scrape, Whoosh, Impact, Texture, Attack, Bend, Bending, Explosion, Processed, Surge, Quake, Hit, Flow, Burn, Ignite, Drop, Smack, Destruction, Rumble, Hiss, Blow, Wind, Cloth, Movement, Underwater, Bubble, Ocean, River, Lake, Firework, Firecracker, Bang, Blast, Detonation, Magic, Fantasy, Forces, Fire Magic, Water Magic, Earth Magic, Fire Air, Fire Effect, Fire Whoosh, Water Whoosh, Seamless Loop, Loop, Fire Cast, Water Cast, Earth Cast, Air Cast
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Mattia Cellotto’s extraordinary sound libraries are some of the most popular releases in independent sound effects – and here’s your chance to get them all at a nice discount. Here’s what’s you get:
NEW: ANIMAL HYPERREALISM IV contains animal vocalisations – from hippos, hyenas, vultures, dwarf mongooses, elephants, African cranes, parrots, tigers, pigmy hippos, rhea ostriches, to brown bears, pheasants, wildebeests, African wild dogs and many more. Features 2000 individual sounds in 294 files.
CATACLYSM is a collection more than 1400 sounds in 400+ files of recorded, synthesized and designed sounds created to support important destructive moments and add a stronger sense of extreme consequence to any sound.
ANIMAL HYPERREALISM VOL I is a library containing themed animal vocalisations & sounds, from real to designed creatures totaling more than 1300 individual sounds in 290 files.
ANIMAL HYPERREALISM VOL II is a library containing themed animal sounds & vocalisations, from real to designed creatures totaling more than 2000 individual sounds in 283 files.
ANIMAL HYPERREALISM VOL III is a library containing sounds themed animal vocalisations, from real to designed creatures totaling more than 1700 individual sounds in 279 files.
METAMORPHOSIS is a huge collection of recorded source, synthesized material and hybrid sounds – more than 2300 sounds total.
GLACIER ICE is a library containing over 300 high quality sounds of ice cracking, breaking, shattering in various sizes of blocks – recorded entirely in the Italian Alps over the course of two winters.
POLARITY delivers more than 950 sounds of electricity, science and technology – captured in several locations around the world, from electricity museums to science labs.
ULTRASONIC DRY ICE is a library containing over 600 sounds themed metal resonances, scrapes and all sorts of weird.
ROCKS MOMENTUM gets you more than 1100 sounds of rocks, bricks, wood logs, stones, impacting on different surfaces, rolling, being scraped one against the other and so on. The library was recorded in the Italian alps, and in Inverness, Scotland.
WATER VOLUMES delivers you over 300 sounds of natural hot-springs, bubbles, and liquids of various densities boiling under the effect of dry ice.
METAL GROANS AND SLAMS is a library for which metal was kicked, hammered, bowed and… induced to vibrate through feedback loops?! The collection features 346 unique sounds recorded through field trips in US, UK and Italy.
CRUNCH MODE & THE BORAX EXPERIMENT are also included as a bonus: Crunch Mode features 230 crunchy sounds made with a variety of vegetables, fresh bread, pizza crust & frozen goods, and The Borax Experiment gets you 158 squishy, gory, slimy, gooey SFX.
15 %OFFEnds 1760479199
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Cinematic & Trailer Sound Effects Four Elements – Elemental Magic Play Track 3050 sounds included, 251 mins total $149
Master the Art of Bending the Elemental Forces
Unleash the raw power of fire, water, earth, and air with this comprehensive 9 GB sound library featuring 3050 high-quality sound effects across 630 files. Whether you’re designing cinematic soundscapes or enhancing video games Four Elements delivers the tools you need to harness the energy of the natural world.
Construction Kit – 2443 Sounds
A treasure trove of raw, organic, and processed sounds including seamless loops divided into Fire, Water, Air, Earth and Explosion categories. Customize every detail with an extensive selection of sound components.
- Organic Fire: Campfire sizzles, torch whooshes, and flame bursts.
- Processed Fire: Distorted impacts and unique crackles.
- Organic Earth: Rock crashes, gravel scrapes, and heavy stone hits.
- Processed Earth: Stylized rumbles and granular textures.
- Organic Water: Ocean waves, hydrophone bubbles, and fluid splashes.
- Processed Water: Underwater whooshes and stylized liquid smashes.
- Organic Air: Bamboo swishes, cloth movements, and pressure bursts.
- Processed Air: Filtered gusts and dynamic noise sweeps.
- Explosion: Firework detonations, Butane bursts, and cinematic impacts.
Building Blocks – 416 Sounds
Game-ready sound layers featuring Impacts, Whooshes, and Textures as seamless loops. Elevate transitions and enhance atmospheres with loops and pre-designed sound layers.
- Fire: Explosive bursts, blazing infernos, and warm embers.
- Earth: Ground-shaking impacts, crumbling terrain, and heavy collisions.
- Water: Cascading waves, serene rivers, and underwater ambiences.
- Air: Whispering breezes, stormy turbulence, and slicing gusts.
Design Kit – 192 Sounds
A collection of ready-to-use sound effects divided into Attack, Bend, and Explosion categories for quick integration into your projects. Perfect for high-energy scenes and immersive storytelling.
- Fire: Crackling flames, fiery bursts, and roaring infernos.
- Earth: Crushing impacts, shifting ground, and massive land eruptions.
- Water: Splashes, fluid manipulations, and crashing tidal waves.
- Air: Slicing winds, swirling currents, and thunderous gusts.
Four Elements gives you complete creative control, blending organic recordings with processed sound layers to meet the demands of any project. Master the forces of nature with Four Elements. Let your creativity ignite.
Keywords:
Elements, Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Wave, Water, Liquid, Rock, Cast, Stone, Pebble, Torch, Gas, Flame, Campfire, Sizzle, Burst, Scrape, Whoosh, Impact, Texture, Attack, Bend, Bending, Explosion, Processed, Surge, Quake, Hit, Flow, Burn, Ignite, Drop, Smack, Destruction, Rumble, Hiss, Blow, Wind, Cloth, Movement, Underwater, Bubble, Ocean, River, Lake, Firework, Firecracker, Bang, Blast, Detonation, Magic, Fantasy, Forces, Fire Magic, Water Magic, Earth Magic, Fire Air, Fire Effect, Fire Whoosh, Water Whoosh, Seamless Loop, Loop, Fire Cast, Water Cast, Earth Cast, Air Cast
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Mattia Cellotto’s extraordinary sound libraries are some of the most popular releases in independent sound effects – and here’s your chance to get them all at a nice discount. Here’s what’s you get:
NEW: ANIMAL HYPERREALISM IV contains animal vocalisations – from hippos, hyenas, vultures, dwarf mongooses, elephants, African cranes, parrots, tigers, pigmy hippos, rhea ostriches, to brown bears, pheasants, wildebeests, African wild dogs and many more. Features 2000 individual sounds in 294 files.
CATACLYSM is a collection more than 1400 sounds in 400+ files of recorded, synthesized and designed sounds created to support important destructive moments and add a stronger sense of extreme consequence to any sound.
ANIMAL HYPERREALISM VOL I is a library containing themed animal vocalisations & sounds, from real to designed creatures totaling more than 1300 individual sounds in 290 files.
ANIMAL HYPERREALISM VOL II is a library containing themed animal sounds & vocalisations, from real to designed creatures totaling more than 2000 individual sounds in 283 files.
ANIMAL HYPERREALISM VOL III is a library containing sounds themed animal vocalisations, from real to designed creatures totaling more than 1700 individual sounds in 279 files.
METAMORPHOSIS is a huge collection of recorded source, synthesized material and hybrid sounds – more than 2300 sounds total.
GLACIER ICE is a library containing over 300 high quality sounds of ice cracking, breaking, shattering in various sizes of blocks – recorded entirely in the Italian Alps over the course of two winters.
POLARITY delivers more than 950 sounds of electricity, science and technology – captured in several locations around the world, from electricity museums to science labs.
ULTRASONIC DRY ICE is a library containing over 600 sounds themed metal resonances, scrapes and all sorts of weird.
ROCKS MOMENTUM gets you more than 1100 sounds of rocks, bricks, wood logs, stones, impacting on different surfaces, rolling, being scraped one against the other and so on. The library was recorded in the Italian alps, and in Inverness, Scotland.
WATER VOLUMES delivers you over 300 sounds of natural hot-springs, bubbles, and liquids of various densities boiling under the effect of dry ice.
METAL GROANS AND SLAMS is a library for which metal was kicked, hammered, bowed and… induced to vibrate through feedback loops?! The collection features 346 unique sounds recorded through field trips in US, UK and Italy.
CRUNCH MODE & THE BORAX EXPERIMENT are also included as a bonus: Crunch Mode features 230 crunchy sounds made with a variety of vegetables, fresh bread, pizza crust & frozen goods, and The Borax Experiment gets you 158 squishy, gory, slimy, gooey SFX.
15 %OFFEnds 1760479199
More game audio resources:
AUDIO JOBS
– find audio jobs around the world:
Soundlister is home to 1000s of Audio Jobs, with a large number of them being game audio jobs. We continue to share a number of new game audio opportunities each week, and we’ve also added a new search tool to help you explore past opportunities + a way to see all posts tagged with a specific job title – effectively allowing you to browse by title.
AUDIO PODCASTS
– find great podcasts about sound
The newly-formed Audio Podcast Alliance features a carefully-chosen selection of the absolute best podcasts about sound out there, with many of them focusing on game audio. Discover the cream of the crop of what the community has to offer when it comes to audio-related podcasts below:
AUDIO PROFESSIONALS
– find talented audio professionals from around the world for your projects:
If you’re looking to grow your audio team, Soundlister offers an overview of 1000s of audio professionals from all over the world – with a dedicated overview of audio pros specializing in game audio (whether it’s audio directors, composers, field recordists, foley artists, sound editors, sound designers, re-recording mixers or voice actors):
GAME AUDIO BOOKS
– find great books about sound for games:
There are a number of great books on game audio, and we’ve gathered a few examples for you below:
• 100 Unusual, Novel and Surprising Ways to be a Better Sound Designer in Video Games – by Rob Bridgett (get the book here)
• Aaron Marks’ complete guide to game audio – (get the book here)
• Leading with Sound – by Rob Bridgett (get the book here)
• New Realities in Audio: A Practical Guide for VR, AR, MR and 360 Video – by Stephan Schütze (get the book here)
• Principles of Game Audio and Sound Design – by Jean-Luc Sinclair (recommended by Dave Raybould – get the book here)
• Pro Tools 10 for Game Audio – by Greg deBeer (recommended by Ruben Antonio Infante – get the book here)
• Tales of a Technical Sound Designer – by Damian Kastbauer (get the book here)
• The Game Audio Strategy Guide– by Gina Zdanowicz & Spencer Bambrick (get the book here)
GAME AUDIO GROUPS
– find game audio community groups around the world
Want to meet up with friends and colleagues in the game audio community? Game audio groups often arrange local audio community meetups, talks, trips and other social events – and the Worldwide GameAudio page maintains an excellent list of community groups around the world:
Please share these resources:
If you’re finding these resources useful, please share a link to this page with your network so more people can benefit from them – thanks in advance!
GAME AUDIO ON SOCIAL MEDIA
– find groups and conversations on game audio:
SHOWCASE YOUR AUDIO WORK
– showcase your skills and be discovered by those who need them, completely free:
As an audio professional, Soundlister lets you showcase your skills and be discovered by those who need them. It offers an easy way to present your showreel, highlight your favorite projects and let visitors know where to find you on social media:
THE AUDIO EVENTS CALENDAR
– find audio-related events around the world – and online:
Looking to find audio-related events such as audio industry conferences, community meetups, special events, Q&As, online courses and more? Check out the Audio Events Calendar, where we’ve shared more than 800+ events since its launch.
BONUS: Expand your skillset with the free Sound Success Guide:
Want to branch out beyond game audio? Learning new sound skills can open up opportunities for additional revenue – and with the (entirely free) 60+ page Sound Success Guide, you get insights from 20 industry experts on how to get started and succeed in 18 different types of audio jobs:
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The BEASTIARIUM: Monsters & Creatures library delivers more than 1700 sounds of monsters, attacks, breathe, hits, death and other related sounds.
The library contains hundreds of high-quality sounds created using various recording, processing, and synthesis techniques.
Version 0.6 is out: 24 types of monsters, 1773 sounds.
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