Wizardry Remake Earns a Grammy for Best Video Game Score

At the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, composer Winifred Phillips secured the award for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media for her work on the 3D remake of Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord.

Original Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord was the first game in the Wizardry series. It was developed by Andrew C. Greenberg and Robert Woodhead in 1980 and released a year later. The original Wizardry is considered the first party-based RPG video game, which laid the groundwork for future franchises like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. Its 3D remake by Digital Eclipse was published on Steam on Sept. 15, 2023, preserving the core gameplay while introducing modern enhancements, including updated graphics.

Phillips’ composition triumphed over such nominees as Pinar Toprak for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, John Paesano for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Bear McCreary for God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla, and Wilbert Roget II for Star Wars Outlaws. 

In her acceptance speech, Phillips expressed gratitude to Digital Eclipse and the audience for “believing in music for games and recognizing it.” She emphasized the unique nature of composing for interactive media, stating, “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.”

Reflecting on the recognition, Phillips remarked, “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.”

The Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media was first introduced in 2023. The inaugural award was presented to Stephanie Economou for her composition in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök.