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 original 1981 game, has achieved a remarkable feat, winning the Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media. Composer Winifred Phillips accepted the award, expressing gratitude to developer Digital Eclipse and the audience for their belief in and recognition of video game music. She highlighted the importance of this recognition in breathing life and energy into the field.

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

In a post-award interview, Phillips expressed her surprise and deep respect for the fellow nominees, calling the recognition a career highlight. She emphasized the unique nature of video game music composition, describing it as a collaborative process where the music accompanies player experiences, choices, and adventures, creating a special connection between composer and player.

Previous recipients of this prestigious award include Stephanie Economou (Assassin's Creed Valhalla) and Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab (Star Wars Jedi: Survivor). The award holds historical significance, with Christopher Tin's "Baba Yetu" (Civilization 4) marking the first video game music to win a Grammy in 2011.