‘Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart’ Dominates Game Audio Network Guild Awards (EXCLUSIVE)
“Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart” won big at the Game Audio Network Guild Awards, scooping four prizes including audio of the year.
On Wednesday night, the Game Audio Network Guild announced the winners of their annual ceremony celebrating the music, dialogue and sound design of this year’s greatest games.
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The virtual event was streamed via Twitch and hosted by “Deathloop” star and voice actor Jason E. Kelly. The show, a celebration of 20 years in game audio, featured highlights from the last two decades as well as musical performances by 88bit and Raphael Batista.
“G.A.N.G. has been a lighthouse in our community for 20 years, headed up by an illustrious board of directors and supported by active members and sponsors,” Savina Ciaramella, executive director of the Game Audio Network Guild, said. “We’re very pleased to have the opportunity to recognize excellence in game audio year after year with the G.A.N.G. Awards.”
“Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart” also took home the dialogue of the year award, as well as honors for best UI reward/objective sound design and creative and technical achievement in sound design. Composer Richard Jacques won the music of the year award for his work in “Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy,” which also won for best ensemble cast performance. Sound design of the year went to “Returnal,” which also won for best new IP audio, creative and technical achievement in music and non-humanoid performance.
Leslie Ann Jones, a multiple Grammy award-winning recording engineer and director of music and scoring at Skywalker Sound, received the G.A.N.G. Lifetime Achievement award.
“I am honored to accept this year’s Game Audio Network Guild Lifetime Achievement award and join such an illustrious list of past recipients,” Jones said. “Video game music scoring sessions have been a highlight of my career, so to be honored in this way is very gratifying.”
The Distinguished Service award was presented to G.A.N.G. vice president Sabrina Hutchinson, agent and founder of Defiant Talent Management, a talent agency representing composers and music supervisors in TV, film and video games.
“An award for service presented by an organization founded in service is especially meaningful to me,” Hutchinson said. “It’s a privilege to serve this organization and community.”
See the full list of winners below.
Best Game Music Cover or Remix:
“The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” — “Gerudo Valley” (Nintendo)
Best Main Theme
“Kena: Bridge of Spirits” — “Beneath Worlds” (Ember Lab)
Best Music for an Indie Game
“Outer Wilds: Echoes of the Eye” (Mobius Digital and Annapurna Interactive)
Best New Original IP Audio
“Returnal” (Housemarque and Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Best Original Song
“Deathloop” — “Déjà Vu” by Sencit & FJ?RA (Arkane Lyon and Bethesda Softworks)
Best Original Soundtrack Album
“It Takes Two” (Hazelight Studios and Electronic Arts)
Best Physical Soundtrack Release
“Halo Infinite” (343 Industries and Xbox Game Studios)
Creative and Technical Achievement in Music
“Returnal” (Housemarque and Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe)
Music of the Year
“Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy” — Richard Jacques, Steve Szczepkowski, Yohann Boudreault and Randy Eckhardt (Eidos-Montréal and Square Enix)
Best Game Foley
“Call of Duty: Vanguard” (Sledgehammer Games and Activision)
Best Sound Design for an Indie Game
“Unpacking” (Witch Beam and Humble Games)
Best UI Reward or Objective Sound Design
“Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart” (Insomniac Games and Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Creative and Technical Achievement in Sound Design
“Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart” (Insomniac Games and Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Sound Design of the Year
“Returnal” (Housemarque and Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Best Dialogue for an Indie Game
“Disco Elysium: The Final Cut I” (ZA/UM)
Best Ensemble Cast Performance
“Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy” (Eidos-Montréal and Square Enix)
Best Non-Humanoid Performance
“Returnal” (Housemarque and Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Best Voice Performance
“Call Of Duty: Vanguard” — Polina Petrova as Laura Bailey, audio director David Swenson, PCAP/VO director JB Blanc and casting director Ivy Isenberg (Sledgehammer Games and Activision)
Dialogue of the Year
“Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart” (Insomniac Games and Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Audio of the Year
“Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart” (Insomniac Games and Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Best Audio for a Casual or Social Game
“Honor of Kings” (TIMI L1 Studio, Tencent TimiAudio, Tencent Mobile Games)
Best Audio for an Indie Game
“Unpacking” (Witch Beam and Humble Games)
Best Game Trailer Audio
“God Of War Ragnar?k” — PlayStation Showcase 2021 Reveal Trailer (Sweet Justice Sound, Sony PD Sound and Sony Computer Interactive Entertainment)
Best Cinematic & Cutscene Audio
“Returnal” (Housemarque and Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Best Game Audio Article or Publication
“Leading With Sound” (Rob Bridgett and Routledge)
Best Game Audio Presentation Podcast or Broadcast
“Returnal With Loic Couthier & Toivo Kallio” (Tonebenders Sound Design Podcast)
Excellence in Audio Accessibility
“Blind Drive”(Lo-Fi People) and “Halo Infinite” (343 Industries and Xbox Game Studios) (TIE)
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