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 has achieved a monumental feat, winning the Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media. Composer Winifred Phillips, in her acceptance speech, expressed heartfelt gratitude to developer Digital Eclipse and the audience for their belief in and recognition of video game music, acknowledging the passion and energy they bring to their work.

This 3D remake of the original *Wizardry* game holds a significant place in gaming history. The 1981 medieval fantasy title is widely considered the first party-based video game RPG, a pioneering work that profoundly influenced later classics like *Final Fantasy* and *Dragon Quest*. Remarkably, *Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord* is built directly upon the original game's code, even allowing players to view the original Apple II interface.

Phillips' victory was a triumph amidst stiff competition, surpassing nominations from prominent composers including 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 astonishment at the win, emphasizing the exceptional quality of the other nominees and highlighting the unique nature of video game music composition. She described the collaborative aspect of creating music that dynamically interacts with players' choices and experiences, fostering a sense of connection between composer and player.

Phillips joins a prestigious list of previous Grammy winners in this category, including Stephanie Economou (*Assassin's Creed Valhalla*) and Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab (*Star Wars Jedi: Survivor*). This award marks a significant milestone in the recognition of video game music, building upon the legacy of Christopher Tin's "Baba Yetu" from *Civilization 4*, the first video game music to win a Grammy in 2011.