Composer Winifred Phillips Wins Grammy for Best Game Soundtrack

Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord, a 3D remake of the original 1981 title, has been awarded the Grammy for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media. Composer Winifred Phillips accepted the prestigious award, expressing gratitude to Digital Eclipse and the audience for their belief in and recognition of video game music. She highlighted the significance of the win, emphasizing the unique collaborative nature of composing for interactive experiences.

Phillips' victory was a significant achievement, surpassing strong competition from notable composers including Wilbert Roget, II (Star Wars Outlaws), John Paesano (Marvel's Spider-Man 2), Bear McCreary (God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla), and Pinar Toprak (Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora). In a post-award interview, Phillips shared her surprise and deep respect for the fellow nominees. She described the unique challenge and reward of composing music that dynamically interacts with player choices and experiences within the game world.

The award continues a legacy of video game music recognition at the Grammys, following previous winners such as Stephanie Economou (Assassin's Creed Valhalla) and Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab (Star Wars Jedi: Survivor). The win also builds upon the groundbreaking achievement of Christopher Tin's "Baba Yetu" (Civilization 4), the first video game music to win a Grammy in 2011. Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord's success underscores the growing appreciation and recognition of video game music as a distinct and significant art form.