‘Death Stranding’ Sweeps Gaming’s G.A.N.G. Awards With Six Wins Including Audio of the Year

By Jazz Tangcay

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – “Death Stranding” swept the Game Audio Network Guild (G.A.N.G.) Awards, including winning the top prize of audio of the year. For the first time, the G.A.N.G. Awards were streamed live on Twitch.tv and featured a pre- and post-show on Wednesday night.

A genre-defying action experience by Kojima Productions, “Death Stranding” also won sound design of the year. Other winners of the evening included “Cordova’s Theme” from “Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order”  for best original choral composition and “Call of Duty: Mobile” for best sound design in a casual/social game.

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.”

The event was hosted by Wilbert Roget II  and Cody Matthew Johnson.

See the full list of winners below:

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” – Flavourworks

“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
“Deliver Us The Moon”

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

“Giants” from League of Legends  (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 – WINNER

Laryssa Okada (Composer)

G.A.N.G. Recognition Award – WINNER

Guy Whitmore (Composer)