18th Annual Game Audio Network Guild (G.A.N.G.) Awards Announce Winners

The Game Audio Network Guild (G.A.N.G.) has announced the winners for their 18th annual G.A.N.G. Awards. For the first time, the G.A.N.G. Awards were streamed live on Twitch.tv and featured a pre- and post-show. The Awards were co-hosted by composers Cody Matthew Johnson and Wilbert Roget, II. Video of the awards show is available until May 19th via Twitch at https://www.twitch.tv/videos/613392704.

For 18 years, the G.A.N.G. Awards has recognized the very best in game audio excellence. Some of the highlights this year include a pre-show interview with voiceover artist Mike Shapiro ("Half-Life: Alyx") along with post-show interviews with winners, game publishers and developers from around the globe. "Death Stranding" swept the awards show, taking home a total of six awards.

Said G.A.N.G. President Brian Schmidt, "In this our 18th year, we again recognize the highest achievements in game music, sound and dialogue. We are also excited to round out our indie categories with the new Best Dialogue for an Indie Game award, helping recognize the amazing work done by the smallest of teams. Although the show is online this year, the spirit of community of the Game Audio Network Guild continues unabated."

G.A.N.G. Co-Host Wilbert Roget II stated, "It was an honor to co-host the awards show and Post-Show with Cody, and discuss the processes and motivations behind last year's best-sounding games with the creators themselves. Nothing can beat the friendships and camaraderie that the G.A.N.G. Awards has provided in years past. I hope that the live Pre-Show, Post-Show, and winner interviews served to inspire the game audio community just the same!"

Co-Host Cody Matthew Johnson said, "The G.A.N.G. Awards are the biggest spotlight for the game audio industry, where top talent from around the world are honored and recognized for their masterful contributions to last year's favorite games. It was a privilege to participate in this year's events, and help celebrate the winners."

Said G.A.N.G. Executive Director Savina Ciaramella, "G.A.N.G. is a unique and special organization. The members truly like each other and help one another to succeed, despite the fierce competition in this industry. I feel privileged to work behind the scenes supporting our members, sponsors and partners from around the world, and look forward to seeing everyone in person next year."

Full list of winners and nominees:

Audio of The Year

• Death Stranding - Kojima Productions - WINNER
• Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order - Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts
• Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) - Infinity Ward
• Mortal Kombat 11 - NetherRealm Studios
• Borderlands 3 - Gearbox Software

Music of the Year

• Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (Gordy Haab and Stephen Barton) - Respawn - WINNER
• Entertainment/Electronic Arts
• Erica - Flavourworks
• Fantastic Creatures - Blue Callisto
• Undersea - Magic Leap Studios
• Borderlands 3 - Gearbox Software
• Rend - Frostkeep Studios

Sound Design of the Year

• Death Stranding - Kojima Productions - WINNER
• Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order - Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts
• Borderlands 3 - Gearbox Software
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) - Infinity Ward
• Mortal Kombat 11 - NetherRealm Studios

Best Cinematic / Cutscene Audio

• Death Stranding - Kojima Productions - WINNER
• World of Warcraft: Battle For Azeroth Patch 8.25 - Blizzard Entertainment
• Concrete Genie - Pixelopus
• Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order - Reason Entertainment/Electronic Arts
• Destiny 2: Shadowkeep - Bungie
• Gears 5 - The Coalition

Best Dialogue

• Death Stranding - Kojima Productions - WINNER
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) - Infinity Ward
• Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order - Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts
• Gears 5 - The Coalition
• Control - Remedy Entertainment

Best Dialogue for an Indie Game

• Golem - Highwire Games LLC - WINNER
• Dance of Death: Du Lac & Fey - Salix Games
• Deliver Us The Moon - KeokeN Interactive

Best Original Instrumental

• Erica "Know Thyself" (Austin Wintory) - Flavourworks - WINNER
• Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order - Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts
• Bee Simulator - Varsav Game Studios
• Mortal Kombat 11 - NetherRealm Studios
• Control - Remedy

Best Music for an Indie Game

• Bee Simulator (Mikolai Stroinski) - Varsav Game Studios - WINNER
• Sky: Children of the Light - thatgamecompany
• Astrologaster - Nyamyam
• Outer Wilds - Mobius Digital
• Slay the Spire - MegaCrit

Best Sound Design in a Casual/Social Game

• Call of Duty: Mobile - TiMi Studios/ Activision - WINNER
• Hearthstone: Saviors of Uldum - Blizzard Entertainment
• Kine - Chump Squad
• Honor of Kings 2.0 - TiMi Studios
• Grindstone - Capybara Games
• Sky: Children of the Light- thatgamecompany

Best Sound Design for an Indie Game

• Deliver Us The Moon - KeokeN Interactive - WINNER
• Golem - Highwire Games
• Knights & Bikes - Foam Sword
• Astroneer - System Era Softworks
• Hunt: Showdown - Crytek

Best Music for a Casual / Social Game

• Honor of Kings 2.0 - TiMi Studios - WINNER
• Sky: Children of the Light - thatgamecompany
• Astrologaster - Nyamyam
• Bee Simulator - Varsav Game Studios
• Hearthstone: Rise of Shadows - Blizzard Entertainment

Best Interactive Score

• Erica (Austin Wintory) - Flavourworks - WINNER
• Outer Wilds - Mobius Digital
• Concrete Genie - Pixelopus
• Death Stranding - Kojima Productions
• Borderlands 3 - Gearbox Software

Best Original Choral Composition

• Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order - "Cordova's Theme" (Gordy Haab and Stephen Barton) - Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts - WINNER
• Astrologaster - Nyamyam
• Rend - Frostkeep Studios
• Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm - Firaxis Games
• Elsinore - Golden Glitch Studios

Best Original Song

• League of Legends "Giants" (Jared Lee, Jessica Karpov, Kole Hicks, Umar Ibrahim) - Riot Games - WINNER
• "BB's Theme" from Death Stranding - Kojima Productions
• "Saudade" from Resident Evil 2 - Capcom
• "Fair as a Rose" from Elsinore - Golden Glitch Studios
• "Days Gone Quiet" from Days Gone - SIE Bend Studio
• "Constellation" from Sky: Children of the Light - thatgamecompany

Best Original Soundtrack Album

• Death Stranding (Ludvig Forssell) - Kojima Productions - WINNER
• Erica - Flavourworks
• Bee Simulator - Varsav Game Studios
• Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm - Firaxis Games
• Control - Remedy Entertainment
• Elsinore - Golden Glitch Studios
• Sole - Gossamer Games

Best Game Audio Publication, Presentation, or Broadcast

• 100 Unusual, Novel, Surprising Ways to be a Better Sound Designer in Video Games - Rob Bridgett - WINNER
• Thoughts on Game Audio History - Kenneth C M Young
• Lydia Andrew: The audio of assassination - John Broomhall/Resolution Magazine
• Guide: How to Survive a Game Audio Layoff - Insights from Damian Kastbauer - Jennifer Walden and Asbjoern Andersen
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare - Infinity Ward

Best Audio Mix

• (Tie) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) - Infinity Ward - WINNER
• (Tie) Death Stranding - Kojima Productions - WINNER
• Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order - Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts
• Borderlands 3 - Gearbox Software
• Apex Legends - Respawn Entertainment
• Concrete Genie - Pixelopus
• Control - Remedy Entertainment

Best Virtual Reality Audio

• Journey of the Gods - WINNER
• Dragons: Flight Academy -DreamWorks
• How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World Virtual Tour
• Undersea
• Blood and Truth
• Vacation Simulator

Best Game Music Cover/ Remix

• Chrono Trigger "The Trial" (John Robert Matz, Producer) - WINNER
• Borderlands 3 - Gearbox, Finishing Move Inc
• Mario Kart 64 - John Stacy
• Suikoden II KDET - Arranged and Conducted by Kentaro Sato
• Donkey Kong Country - Ross Casey

G.A.N.G. / MAGFest People's Choice Award

Cadence of Hyrule - WINNER

Distinguished Service Award

Emmanuel Lagumbay (G.A.N.G. Communications Director) - WINNER

Breakout Talent Award

Laryssa Okada (Composer) - WINNER

G.A.N.G. Recognition Award

Guy Whitmore (Composer) - WINNER