The Recording Academy announced the 2026 Grammy nominees for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media, but critically acclaimed Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was notably absent despite its chart-topping success. Nominees include soundtracks from Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Helldivers 2, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Star Wars Outlaws, and Sword of the Sea. Fans and critics have decried the omission as a major oversight for Lorien Testard's masterful composition.
Grammy 2026 Video Game Soundtrack Nominees Announced
The Recording Academy revealed the nominees for the Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media category on November 8, 2025, marking the fourth year of this dedicated award. This category recognizes original scores created specifically for video games released between August 31, 2024, and August 30, 2025. The nominees are:
- Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora – Secrets of the Spire by Pinar Toprak
- Helldivers 2 by Wilbert Roget II
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle by Gordy Haab
- Star Wars Outlaws: Wild Card & A Pirate’s Fortune by Cody Matthew Johnson and Wilbert Roget II
- Sword of the Sea by Austin Wintory
Helldivers 2 qualified due to its soundtrack release on September 20, 2024, falling within the eligibility window, even though the game launched earlier. Expansions for Avatar and Star Wars Outlaws also met the criteria through their timed content drops.
The Snub of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Despite widespread acclaim, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's soundtrack by Lorien Testard was overlooked. Released in 2025, the game's score topped the Billboard Classical charts for ten weeks and won the World Soundtrack Award for Best Game Music. Publisher Kepler Interactive submitted it for both Best Score Soundtrack and Best Song Written for Visual Media categories, but it didn't advance. Tracks like "Flying Water," "Lumière," and "Until You’re Gone" have been praised for elevating the turn-based RPG's immersive experience.
Fans expressed outrage online, with one X user stating, "The GRAMMYs snubbing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is arguably the biggest fumble of all time." Another lamented, "No Expedition 33 is ridiculous. I guarantee half of these people didn’t even listen." The Academy's voting body, primarily music professionals, may prioritize mainstream franchises over indie titles like this French-developed game.
Death Stranding 2's score by Ludvig Forssell and Woodkid also missed out, adding to the controversy. Previous winners include Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök (2023), Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (2024), and Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord (2025).
The 68th Annual Grammy Awards air on February 1, 2026. While Expedition 33 eyes The Game Awards in December, this snub underscores biases in gaming recognition.