Grammy Win for Video Game Soundtrack: Wizardry Composer Honored

Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord, a 3D remake of the original 1981 game, has been awarded the Grammy for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media. Composer Winifred Phillips accepted the award, thanking developer Digital Eclipse and the audience for their belief in and recognition of game music. She highlighted the energy and enthusiasm the industry brings to its work.

Wizardry, considered the first party-based video game RPG, is credited with inspiring classics like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. The remake is built directly on the original game's code, even allowing players to view the original Apple II interface.

Phillips' win was a significant achievement, surpassing nominations from prominent composers such as 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 expressed her surprise and gratitude, emphasizing the high caliber of the other nominees. She described the unique nature of composing for video games, highlighting the collaborative aspect of creating music that dynamically interacts with the player's experience and choices, fostering a sense of connection between composer and player.

Previous Grammy winners in this category include Stephanie Economou (Assassin's Creed Valhalla) and Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab (Star Wars Jedi: Survivor). The first video game music to win a Grammy was Baba Yetu from Civilization 4, winning Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist in 2011.