Austin Wintory Celebrates Grammy Win by Honoring Sandfall’s Unique Brilliance After Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s Omission
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This year’s Grammy Award for Best Video Game Soundtrack highlighted some fantastic original scores, but notably absent was Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Even the winner of this year’s award expressed disbelief that Sandfall’s game didn’t make the list.
Austin Wintory, renowned for his work on Journey, took home the 2026 Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media for his composition in the indie hoverboarding adventure Sword of the Sea. In a recent YouTube video, he shared that he learned about his win while dealing with “shaky wi-fi” during a flight.
“Thank you to everyone who supported this project and me throughout my career,” Wintory said in a heartfelt acceptance speech. “I’ve been incredibly fortunate over the last 20 years. Collaborating with Giant Squid on Sword of the Sea has been a dream come true. Working with Matt Nava and this team for over 15 years has been a joy. I can only hope for that luck to continue.”
However, Wintory felt compelled to address a shared sentiment: the absence of Lorien Testard from the nominee list for his work on Expedition 33.
“I would have been thrilled to stand alongside Lorien in the nominations and cheer him on as he accepted the award,” Wintory remarked. “In that spirit, I dedicate this Grammy to him and to Sandfall for an incredible achievement that resonates with countless fans worldwide.”
Wintory praised Expedition 33’s soundtrack as “excellent,” noting how it beautifully captures the gameplay’s emotional highs and lows and narrative moments. He emphasized the depth, subtlety, and boldness of the score, highlighting how integral it is to the game’s experience.
He further commended Expedition 33’s soundtrack, stating it not only enhances the gameplay but also stands out as a fantastic album on its own. “It’s an amazing album that people appreciate independently,” Wintory noted. “It has even transcended into a generational phenomenon, with concert tours selling out across Europe and fans creating memes and TikTok videos featuring the music. That’s a rare occurrence.”
Wintory had previously praised Expedition 33’s soundtrack when the Grammy nominees were first revealed, showcasing his consistent admiration. Despite the fervent speculation from fans, the reasons behind Expedition 33’s absence from the nominee list remain unclear. The soundtrack’s publisher had promoted it for Grammy consideration last year, but no formal explanation has been provided for its exclusion.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has outperformed Elden Ring in terms of Game of the Year accolades from various awards and media, and its journey is far from over.
