Winifred Phillips

Winifred Phillips
Background information
Genres	Video game
Occupation	Composer
Website	www.winifredphillips.com

Winifred Phillips is an American music composer and author. Her music composition credits include God of War , Assassin's Creed III: Liberation , and the LittleBigPlanet series. In 2025, Phillips won a Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media for her music in the video game Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord .

Early life

Phillips' love of music began in childhood, supported by her experiences in the public school system. She looked upon her teachers and looked forward to her music classes. In middle school, her band teacher found out that she was a quick learner and got into the habit of giving her a new instrument to learn whenever there was a gap in one of his ensembles. She got to play all sorts of music and all different kinds of instruments, eventually becoming classically trained in keyboard and voice. ^[1]

Phillips had been an avid gamer in her childhood and played everything from shooters and side-scrollers to sprawling RPGs. However, it was only after working in radio that she realized she could compose music for games. ^[2]

Career

Early career

From 1992 to 2003, Phillips was the composer, producer and actress in a series of radio dramas, first presented on National Public Radio Playhouse under the title Generations Radio Theater Presents, ^[3] and then later as Generations Radio Theater Presents: Radio Tales. ^[4] This anthology series adapted classic works of American and world literature, and was a recipient of funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. ^[5] The series was described by NPR as "featuring a top-to-bottom music score that is completely original and fully integrated to the text". ^[6] The programs aired regularly as the Radio Tales series on the Sirius XM Book Radio channel. ^[7]

Video games

In 2004, Phillips contributed music to her first video game project, God of War . She has composed music for more than 20 video games. Some relevant titles include the LittleBigPlanet video game franchise, SimAnimals ^[8] and Assassin's Creed III: Liberation. ^[9]

Writing

Phillips is the author of the book A Composer’s Guide to Game Music , which was published by the MIT Press in March 2014. ^[10] The book has won several awards including a National Indie Excellence Book Award, ^[11] and a Nonfiction Book Award from the Nonfiction Authors Association. ^[12]

The book was very well received by critics ^{[13] [14]} and in 2015, O'Reilly Japan published a Japanese language edition titled Game Sound Production Guide - Composer Techniques for Interactive Music. ^[15]

Works

Discography

LittleBigPlanet Series

Year	Title	Developer
2011	LittleBigPlanet 2 (co-composer)	Media Molecule
2012	LittleBigPlanet PS Vita (co-composer)	Double Eleven, Tarsier Studios and XDev Studio Europe
2012	LittleBigPlanet Karting (licensed music)	United Front Games and San Diego Studio
2014	LittleBigPlanet 3 (co-composer)	Sumo Digital
2020	Sackboy: A Big Adventure (co-composer)	Sumo Digital

Other games

Year	Title	Developer
2005	God of War (co-composer)	Santa Monica Studio
2005	Charlie and the Chocolate Factory	High Voltage Software
2006	The Da Vinci Code	The Collective
2007	Shrek the Third	Amaze Entertainment
2007	Shrek-N-Roll	Backbone Entertainment
2007	Ben Jordan: Paranormal Investigator (only case 6)	Grundislav Games
2008	Speed Racer: The Videogame	Sidhe Interactive
2009	Spore Hero	Electronic Arts
2009	SimAnimals	Electronic Arts
2009	The Maw	Twisted Pixel Games
2010	Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole	Krome Studios
2010	Hasbro Family Game Night 3	Electronic Arts
2012	Assassin's Creed III: Liberation	Ubisoft
2013	Fighter Within	Ubisoft
2014	Clash of Kings	Elex Tech
2015	Call of Champions	Spacetime Studios
2015	Total War Battles: Kingdom (co-composer)	Creative Assembly
2016	Rival Stars College Football	PikPok
2016	Homefront: The Revolution	Dambuster Studios
2017	Little Lords of Twilight	BKOM Studios
2018	They Suspect Nothing	Coatsink
2018	Shattered State	Supermassive Games
2018	The Haunted Graveyard	Holospark
2018	Scraper: First Strike	Labrodex Inc
2019	Hades' Star	Parallel Space Inc
2019	Ballista	High Voltage Software
2019	Sports Scramble	Armature Studio
2020	Life Hutch VR	Chthonic Studios
2020	Spyder	Sumo Digital
2020	The Dark Eye: Book of Heroes	Random Potion
2021	Lineage M (co-composer)	NCSoft
2022	Jurassic World Primal Ops	Behaviour Interactive
2023	Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord (remake)	Digital Eclipse

Awards

Video games

Year	Award	Category	Recipient	Result
2005	Game Audio Network Guild Award	Audio of the Year	God of War	Won [16]
2005	Game Audio Network Guild Award	Best Cinematic / Cut-Scene Audio	God of War	Won [16]
2005	Game Audio Network Guild Award	Best Interactive Score	God of War	Won [16]
2005	Game Audio Network Guild Award	Music of the Year	God of War	Won [16]
2005	G4-TV G-Phoria 2005 Awards	Best Original Soundtrack	God of War	Nominated [17]
2005	Spike TV Video Game Awards	Best Original Score	God of War	Nominated [18]
2006	Interactive Achievement Awards	Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition	God of War	Won [19]
2006	Game Audio Network Guild Award	Best Original Vocal Song - Choral	"Siren's Song" from God of War	Nominated[ citation needed ]
2008	Hollywood Music in Media Award	Best Original Score - Video Game	Speed Racer	Nominated[ citation needed ]
2009	International Film Music Critics Association Awards	Best Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media	Spore Hero	Nominated [20]
2009	Hollywood Music in Media Award	Best Original Score - Video Game	Spore Hero	Nominated[ citation needed ]
2010	Hollywood Music in Media Award	Best Original Song: Video Game	"With Hearts Sublime", from Legend of the Guardians	Won [21]
2011	Interactive Achievement Awards	Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition	LittleBigPlanet 2	Nominated [22]
2011	Game Developers Choice Award	Best Audio	LittleBigPlanet 2	Nominated [23]
2011	Hollywood Music in Media Award	Best Song - Video Game	"Victoria's Lab" from LittleBigPlanet 2	Nominated[ citation needed ]
2011	NAVGTR Award	Original Song	"Victoria's Lab" from LittleBigPlanet 2	Nominated [24]
2012	AIAS Interactive Achievement Award	Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition	LittleBigPlanet 2	Nominated[ citation needed ]
2012	Game Audio Network Guild Award	Best Use of Licensed Music	LittleBigPlanet Karting	Won [25]
2012	Game Audio Network Guild Award	Best Original Vocal Song - Choral	"Main Theme" from Assassin's Creed Liberation	Won [26]
2012	Game Audio Network Guild Award	Best Original Vocal Song - Pop	"Victoria's Lab" from LittleBigPlanet 2	Nominated[ citation needed ]
2012	Hollywood Music in Media Award	Best Song / Score - Mobile Video Game	Assassin's Creed Liberation	Won [27]
2013	Global Music Award	Best Video Game Music	Assassin's Creed Liberation	Won[ citation needed ]
2014	Hollywood Music in Media Award	Best Song - Video Game	"Ziggurat Theme" from LittleBigPlanet 3	Won [28]
2014	Global Music Award	Best Video Game Music	"Ziggurat Theme" from LittleBigPlanet 3	Won[ citation needed ]
2015	Global Music Award	Best Composition / Composer	"Dark Ages" from Total War Battles: Kingdom	Won[ citation needed ]
2021	NAVGTR Award	Outstanding Original Light Mix Score, New IP	Spyder	Nominated [29]
2021	NAVGTR Award	Outstanding Song Collection	Sackboy: A Big Adventure	Nominated [29]
2021	Global Music Award	Video Game Soundtrack	Spyder	Won [30]
2021	Global Music Award	Video Game Soundtrack	"Waltz of the Bubbles" from Sackboy: A Big Adventure	Won [30]
2021	BAFTA Award	Best Music	Sackboy: A Big Adventure	Nominated [31]
2022	Global Music Award	Game Music	Jurassic World Primal Ops	Won [32]
2023	NYX Game Award	Mobile Game - Best Music	Jurassic World Primal Ops	Won [33]
2023	NYX Game Award	Best Original Game Soundtrack	Horse Club Adventures: Complete Collection	Won [34]
2023	NYX Game Award	Nintendo Switch Game - Best Music	Horse Club Adventures: Complete Collection	Won [35]
2023	Game Audio Network Guild Award	Music of the Year	Jurassic World Primal Ops	Nominated [36]
2023	Society of Composers & Lyricists Award	Outstanding Original Score for Interactive Media	Jurassic World Primal Ops	Nominated [37]
2024	NYX Game Award	PC Game - Best Music	Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord	Won [38]
2024	NYX Game Award	Best Original Game Soundtrack	Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord	Won [39]
2024	Telly Award	Best Music — Immersive, Interactive, & Mixed	Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord	Won [40]
2024	Society of Composers & Lyricists Award	Outstanding Original Score for Interactive Media	Secrets of Skeifa Island	Nominated [41]
2024	Hollywood Independent Music Awards	World	Spring Festival	Nominated [42]
2025	Society of Composers & Lyricists Award	Outstanding Original Score for Interactive Media	Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord	Won [43]
2025	Grammy Awards	Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media	Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord	Won [44]

Other awards

• Hollywood Music in Media Award 2021 (Nomination), Best Holiday Music: Ho-Ho-Holiday ^[45]
• American Women in Radio and Television Gracie Award 2001, 2003, 2004: Best National Network Drama (Radio Tales) ^{[46] [47] [48]}
• The New York Festivals WorldMedal 2004: (Radio Tales) ^[49]
• American Women in Radio and Television Gracie Award 1998: Outstanding Achievement by an Actress ("The Yellow Wallpaper") ^[50]
• Golden Reel Awards 2001 / National Federation of Community Broadcasters (Radio Tales) ^[51]
• The Audio Publishers Association Audie Award 1999 (Nomination) ^[52]

References

1. "From God of War to Assassin's Creed: The Musical Journey of Winifred Phillips" GameSpot.com. Accessed December 16, 2016.
2. "RPGFan Feature - Music of the Year 2014 - Winifred Phillips Interview" RPGFan.com. Accessed December 16, 2016.
3. "NPR Playhouse - January - March, 2001" MNinter.net. Accessed March 21, 2008.
4. National Public Radio: "NPR Quarterly Program Guide, Spring 2001". NPR Marketing, Vol. VII, No. II
5. National Public Radio: "NPR Quarterly Edition, Fall 1998". NPR Marketing, Vol. IV, No. III
6. "NPR Playhouse Catalog Information Supplied by NPR Cultural Programming Producer Andy Trudeau" MNinter.net. Accessed March 21, 2008.
7. "Program List for Channel SIRIUS XM BOOK RADIO" XMRadio.com. Accessed March 9, 2010.
8. "The Sims Label Announces Winifred Phillips as the Composer of the Original Score for SimAnimals" EA.com. Accessed March 9, 2010.
9. "Music Awards Los Angeles - Music Awards Hollywood". hmmawards.org. Retrieved 2012-09-19.
10. "A Composer's Guide to Game Music" Worldcat.org. Accessed August 25, 2014.
11. "Indie Excellence Awards: Winners of the 2015 Awards" IndieExcellence.com. Accessed May 18, 2015.
12. "Book Award Winner: A Composer's Guide to Game Music" NonfictionAuthorsAssociation.com. Accessed July 10, 2015.
13. "FMS Feature - by Jon Burlingame" FilmMusicSociety.org. Accessed November 6, 2014.
14. "A Composer's Guide to Game Music Book Review" SoundonSound.com. Accessed August 25, 2014.
15. "O'Reilly Japan - Game Sound Production Guide” Oreilly.co.jp. Accessed September 18, 2015.
16. "4th Annual G.A.N.G. Award Winners Announced" Gamasutra.com. Accessed March 22, 2008.
17. "Gamasutra - G-Phoria 2005 Award Nominees Announced" Gamasutra.com. Accessed January 19, 2021.
18. "Samuel L. Jackson to Host; The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Vin Diesel, The Rock, Missy Elliott, Snoop Dogg & Ozzy Osbourne to Appear at Spike TV "Video Game Awards 2005" web.archive.org. Accessed January 19, 2021.
19. "Video Game News - 9th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards Winners Announced by the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences" GameZone.com. Accessed March 9, 2010.
20. "IFMCA announces its 2009 nominees for scoring excellence" filmmusiccritics.org. Accessed January 19, 2021.
21. "2010 HMMA Winners" Hmmawards.com. Accessed Nov. 20, 2010.
22. "2012 Awards Category Details Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition". interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences . Retrieved 28 July 2025.
23. gamechoiceawards.com. Accessed January 19, 2021.
24. navgtr.org. Accessed January 30, 2021.
25. "G.A.N.G. Awards 2013 Awards" audiogang.org. Accessed August 2, 2015.
26. "ACIII Liberation Score Brings Home Another Award - Inside Gaming Daily Blog". InsideGamingDaily.com. Retrieved 2013-04-14.
27. "Music Awards - Hollywood Music in Media Awards". hmmawards.org. Retrieved 2012-11-20.
28. "Hollywood Music in Media Awards: 2014 HMMA Winners" HMMAwards. Accessed November 7, 2014.
29. "2020 Nominees | NAVGTR" navgtr.org. Accessed January 19, 2021.
30. "Global Music Awards - Music Competition" globalmusicawards.com. Accessed January 19, 2021.
31. "MUSIC | BAFTA" bafta.org. Accessed March 5, 2021.
32. "Global Music Awards - Music Competition" globalmusicawards.com. Accessed May 25, 2024.
33. "NYX Game Awards | Best Music Jurassic World Primal Ops" nyxgameawards.com. Accessed May 25, 2024.
34. "NYX Game Awards | Original Game Soundtrack Horse Club Adventures" nyxgameawards.com. Accessed May 25, 2024.
35. "NYX Game Awards | Best Music Horse Club Adventures" nyxgameawards.com. Accessed May 25, 2024.
36. "Awards Archive | Game Audio Network Guild" audiogang.org. Accessed May 25, 2024.
37. "Society of Composers & Lyricists Announces Nominees for 4th Annual SCL Awards" awardsdaily.com. Accessed May 25, 2024.
38. "NYX Game Awards | Best Music Wizardry" nyxgameawards.com. Accessed May 25, 2024.
39. "NYX Game Awards | Original Game Soundtrack Wizardry" nyxgameawards.com. Accessed May 25, 2024.
40. "Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord" tellyawards.com. Accessed May 25, 2024.
41. "Nominees Announced For 5th Annual SCL Awards" thescl.com. Accessed May 25, 2024.
42. "2024 Nominations Table | Hollywood Independent Music Awards".
43. "The 6th Annual SCL Awards® - Society of Composers & Lyricists". 1 May 2025.
44. "Grammy Nominations 2025: Beyonce Leads With 11 Nods as Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX Are Among Top Nominees". 8 November 2024.
45. "2020 MUSIC GENRE NOMINEES: Hollywood Music in Media Awards" hmmawards.com. Accessed January 19, 2021.
46. "2001 Gracie Allen Award Winners" AWRT.org, as indexed by the Internet Archive at Archive.org. Accessed March 22, 2008.
47. "NPR Productions Win Gracie Allen Awards" NPR.org. Accessed March 22, 2008.
48. "AWRT Press Release" Web.Archive.org. Accessed March 9, 2010.
49. "2004 Winners, Radio Programming and Promotion, New York Festivals" NewYorkFestivals.com, as indexed by the Internet Archive at Archive.org. Accessed March 22, 2008.
50. Robin F. Whitten (Editor/Publisher): "AudioFile Magazine Vol. 7 No. 5, Feb / March 1999". AudioFile pg. 8, 1999
51. "NFCB Announces 2001 Golden Reel Award Winners" NFCB.org, as indexed by the Internet Archive at Archive.org. Accessed March 22, 2008.
52. "Largo Library Virtual Reference Desk" web.archive.org. Accessed January 19, 2021.

External links

• Winifred Phillips' Website
• Winifred Phillips Video Interview with GameSpot.com