For many game lovers, controllers are down, but the energy is way up at Utopia Festi, a game music carnival in Shanghai. The event brought together 21 popular game IPs—a rare feat. Usually, it’s just one game IP per concert.

Many of the pieces at Utopia Festi are performed by the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra. The last time I met them, it was at the Stockholm Concert Hall. But today, we're here at an outdoor stage set up at the Shanghai International Circuit...