High Score 2026 to Feature Composers From HOLLOW KNIGHT, HELLDIVERS 2
Composer Meena Shamaly curates the milestone program at ACMI as part of Melbourne International Games Week.
Christopher Larkin, Wilbert Roget II and Sony Interactive Entertainment's Duncan Smith lead the first speaker announcement for the milestone edition of Australia's premier game audio conference, High Score.
High Score returns in 2026 for its landmark 10th edition, bringing leading figures from across music, sound design and video game development to Melbourne for two days exploring the creative and technical possibilities of game audio.
Presented by the Victorian Music Development Office (VMDO), Creative Victoria, venue partner ACMI, and a cornerstone event of Melbourne International Games Week, High Score takes place at ACMI on 3-4 October, with support from APRA AMCOS and Music Australia. Over the past decade, the event has established itself as APAC's leading dedicated meeting point for the people shaping music and sound for games, from industry leaders to emerging practitioners and the next generation of game audio talent.
Best known for shaping the distinctive sound worlds of Hollow Knight and its chart-busting sequel Hollow Knight: Silksong, BAFTA-nominated Australian composer and sound designer Christopher Larkin brings his approach to immersive worldbuilding to High Score. His credits also include Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault, with music and sound central to the way he creates atmosphere, establishes a sense of place and builds emotional depth.
Bringing blockbuster credentials and an experimental approach to the High Score program, Wilbert Roget II will explore the idea of 'musical sound design' and how everyday recordings can be transformed into compelling elements of a game score. In a semi-moderated conversation featuring audio and video examples, the Helldivers 2 and Mortal Kombat composer will unpack his self-described approach as a 'musical trash collector', revealing how found sounds, field recordings and unexpected source material can be reshaped into distinctive musical textures.
Together, the first three speakers span the breadth of contemporary game audio, from worldbuilding through music and sound, to scoring blockbuster franchises and the creative partnerships that take a AAA soundtrack from its first idea to the finished game.
The 10th edition also marks the first High Score program curated by Meena Shamaly, a composer, session musician, lecturer, poet, and broadcaster whose career spans games, orchestral performance and live music.
Shamaly hosts ABC Classic's Game Show, where each week he explores what's new in video game music and composition, and has presented live game music performances including Orchestra Victoria's Indie Symphony, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra's Press Play, and The Music of Video Games with Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
As a composer, his credits include Innchanted (DragonBear Studios) and Every Hue of You (Cactus Jam Games), the latter earning Shamaly and co-composer Natalie Jeffreys a nomination for Best Music for a Video Game or Other Interactive Media at the 2024 APRA AMCOS Screen Music Awards.
'In High Score, I have always found inspiration, wisdom, hope, and community. It is surreal to lead the charge in 2026, and I hope to honour and elevate for others what this event has always meant to me.' said High Score 2026 curator Meena Shamalay, 'We navigate industries that are as thrilling as they are challenging, as we find our footing between established legacy and a novel future. Our first three speakers alone are a treasure trove of talent and experience, with unique insights into the creative process, intricate pathways into technical mastery, and new ways of reimagining business and collaboration. There is plenty more I can't wait to reveal about our program, where you will hopefully find something for which you were searching, and maybe a few surprises you weren't expecting'.
'The VMDO is thrilled to be able to bring High Score to life in its 10th edition,' said VMDO General Manager, Kirsty Rivers. 'We know that the links between the game and music industries are strong and growing and High Score is the perfect place to explore opportunities to make music audio central to the game experience'
'Returning for its 10th year, we're proud to call High Score one of the more important events to be a part of Melbourne International Games Week.' said Head of Melbourne International Games Week at ACMI, Luke Lancaster 'The 2026 lineup reflects both the incredible calibre and international scope of the festival as a whole, and as we look to support the games industry and explore how games are experienced, High Score and its focus on games audio is a crucial, unique part of that ambition.'
Award-winning Australian broadcaster Angharad 'Rad' Yeo also returns as MC for High Score 2026. With more than a decade of experience across ABC television and radio, podcasts, digital media and live events, Yeo brings a deep knowledge of technology, science, video games, arts and culture, alongside a sharp perspective on the rapidly changing creative landscape, including the rise of AI.
Further speakers and the full High Score 2026 program will be announced in September.
Tickets and details are available at vmdo.com.au/events/high-score-2026
About High Score
High Score is Australia's premier game audio conference, bringing together composers, sound designers, developers and audio professionals to explore the creative and technical possibilities of music and sound for games. Presented by the Victorian Music Development Office (VMDO), Creative Victoria and ACMI, High Score returns to ACMI on 3–4 October 2026 for its landmark 10th edition as a cornerstone event of Melbourne International Games Week.
About VMDO
The VMDO is Victoria's Music Development Office. A Victorian government initiative since 2018, it works across metropolitan and regional Victoria, connecting Victorian music businesses to national and international opportunity.
Its work focuses on industry growth, market access, sector intelligence, business capability, and strategic collaboration across the creative industries ecosystem. The VMDO produces the Music Data and Insights Summit and High Score annually.
