A ceremony that remains very American
As in previous years, the most popular games here are those based on major licenses well known in cinema, and especially owned by Disney, which does not hesitate to carry out major solicitation campaigns. Here are the nominees for the next Grammy Awards in the category of best soundtrack in a video game :
Several things need to be clarified here, since we imagine that some of you may have choked up when reading this list. Here, DLCs can be namedwhich explains the presence Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. Moreover, the eligibility period is from August 2024 to August 2025which makes it possible to include certain games released more than a year ago. And finally, if you’re wondering what Helldiverse 2 still comes here given that it was released at the beginning of 2024, This is because the Grammy Awards also take into account when the soundtrack was released separately (so later), which is the case for Arrowhead’s game.
Naturally, this list will not have failed to provoke a reaction, if only for the absence of Chiaroscuro: Expedition 33 whose soundtrack left its mark this year. Kepler Interactive had requested the nomination of the game, but it was the Hollywood heavyweights who won here, in addition to composers already well established in the industry like Austin Wintory (who absolutely does not deserve it).
This is obviously far from the only legitimate game dismissed in this way, but the popularity of the title highlights the strange workings of this ceremony. Last year, several games missed out on a nomination like Final Fantasy VII Rebirthif only because it is more difficult for a non-American (and especially non-English) production to be nominated in this ceremony. Fans of the French RPG can rest assured, there will be many other ceremonies during which the soundtrack of Chiaroscuro: Expedition 33 will be celebrated, but not this one.