diff --git a/src/scenes/StoryScene.js b/src/scenes/StoryScene.js
index 16a6bf76e..1db71237c 100644
--- a/src/scenes/StoryScene.js
+++ b/src/scenes/StoryScene.js
@@ -7,8 +7,10 @@ class StoryScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     }
 
     preload() {
-        // Load audio assets
-        this.load.audio('forest_ambient', 'assets/audio/music/forest_ambient.mp3');
+        // Audio disabled temporarily - encoding issues
+        // TODO: Re-enable when forest_ambient.mp3 is fixed
+        // this.load.audio('forest_ambient', 'assets/audio/music/forest_ambient.mp3');
+        console.log('⚠️ Audio disabled temporarily - will be enabled when files are ready');
     }
 
     create() {
@@ -23,8 +25,10 @@ class StoryScene extends Phaser.Scene {
         // 🌫️ NOIR FOG EFFECT
         this.createNoirFog(width, height);
 
-        // 🎵 NOIR BACKGROUND MUSIC
-        this.playNoirMusic();
+        // 🎵 NOIR BACKGROUND MUSIC (disabled temporarily)
+        // this.playNoirMusic();
+        console.log('🔇 Music disabled temporarily');
+
 
         // MAIN TITLE (horizontal, top center)
         const titleBg = this.add.rectangle(width / 2, 80, 480, 70, 0x4a3520, 0.9);