Winifred Phillips Wins Grammy for Best Video Game Soundtrack

At the 67th Grammy Awards, the prestigious Grammy for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media was awarded to the remarkable soundtrack of Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord. The composer, Winifred Phillips, accepted the accolade, expressing heartfelt gratitude to developer Digital Eclipse and the audience for their unwavering support and enthusiasm for game music. Phillips remarked, "Thank you for believing in music for games and recognizing it and for breathing life and enthusiasm and energy into what we do. It means so much."

Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord is a 3D remake of the seminal 1981 game, which is heralded as the first party-based video game RPG ever released. This groundbreaking title is credited with inspiring iconic series such as Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. The remake is built directly on the original game's code, allowing players to experience the classic Apple II interface alongside the modernized visuals.

Phillips triumphed over strong contenders including Wilbert Roget, II for Ubisoft's Star Wars Outlaws, John Paesano for Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Bear McCreary for God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla, and Pinar Toprak for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.

In a subsequent interview, Phillips shared her astonishment, stating, "I really didn’t expect it. The category was populated with so much brilliance this year, and I have so much deep respect for the other nominees in this category. So to have been recognized is just a highlight of my career. It truly is."

She elaborated on the unique role of video game composers, saying, "We do a very unique thing. We’re creating music that needs to accompany people who are having an experience and who are making choices, and having adventures and living a grand story, and we’re creating the music for that story. It’s such a wonderful privilege because you feel like you’re collaborating with the players. Like you know them and they know you. It’s really very special."

Previous recipients of this coveted award include Stephanie Economou for Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Valhalla, and Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab for Respawn's Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. The first piece of music from a video game to be both nominated and win a Grammy in any category was "Baba Yetu," arranged by Christopher Tin for Firaxis’ Civilization 4, which took home Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2011.