At the 67th Grammy Awards, the prestigious accolade for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media was awarded to "Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord." Composer Winifred Phillips, in her acceptance speech, expressed heartfelt gratitude to developer Digital Eclipse and the audience, acknowledging their belief in the power of music within video games. She emphasized how their support infuses life, enthusiasm, and energy into the creative process, underscoring the significance of this recognition.

"Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord" is a 3D remake of the seminal 1981 game, which is widely recognized as the first party-based video game RPG. This original game not only pioneered the genre but also inspired 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 2 interface alongside the modernized version.

Winifred Phillips at the 67th Grammy Awards. Photo by Rich Polk/Billboard via Getty Images.

Phillips clinched the award amidst strong competition from notable nominees 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 at the win, 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 further elaborated on the unique nature of composing for video games, describing it as a privilege to create music that accompanies players on their adventures and collaborates with them in their storytelling experience.

The Grammy for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media has previously been awarded to Stephanie Economou for Ubisoft’s Assassin's Creed Valhalla, and Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab for Respawn’s Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. The first video game music to 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.