Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord Composer Winifred Phillips Wins Grammy for Best Soundtrack in a Video Game

Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord, a 3D remake of the seminal 1981 RPG, 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 unique collaborative nature of composing for interactive experiences, emphasizing the connection between the music and the player's journey.

Phillips' win was a significant achievement, surpassing strong competition from notable composers like 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-Grammy interview, Phillips shared her surprise and deep respect for the fellow nominees, calling the recognition a career highlight.

She further elaborated on the distinctive challenges and rewards of composing for video games, describing the process as a collaboration with players, creating a dynamic soundscape that complements their choices and adventures within the game's narrative.

This Grammy win adds to a legacy of video game music recognition, following previous winners such as Stephanie Economou (Assassin's Creed Valhalla) and Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab (Star Wars Jedi: Survivor). The award 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.