G.A.N.G. Awards 2026: Death Stranding 2 and Expedition 33 Dominate Game Audio
Death Stranding 2 won eight awards and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 took seven at the 24th annual Game Audio Network Guild Awards during GDC 2026.
March 14, 2026 · 3 min read
Been gaming since the PS1 days. I have opinions and I'm not afraid to share them. If a game respects my time, I'll respect it back.
The 24th annual Game Audio Network Guild Awards wrapped up during the GDC Festival of Gaming this week, and two titles stood above the rest. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach claimed eight wins while Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 took home seven, marking a dominant showing for both Kojima Productions and the French debut studio Sandfall Interactive.
Death Stranding 2 Sweeps Technical Categories
Kojima Productions' sequel earned Audio of the Year along with wins across sound design and music categories. The game claimed Best Audio Mix, Best Game Foley, Best Game Trailer Audio, Sound Design of the Year, and both Creative and Technical Achievement awards for Music and Sound Design. A tie in Best Main Theme saw Death Stranding 2 share that honor with Expedition 33.
The recognition validates the technical ambition that defines Kojima's audio approach. The strand game sequel builds on its predecessor's atmospheric soundscapes while pushing the boundaries of interactive audio design.
Expedition 33 Dominates Music Awards
Sandfall Interactive's turn-based RPG swept the music categories. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won Music of the Year, Best Original Soundtrack Album, Best Original Song for "Lumière," Best Game Music Cover, Best New Original IP Audio, and Best Ensemble Cast Performance. Composers Lorien Testard and Alice Duport-Percier earned recognition alongside the French studio's debut.
Coming off five wins at the Game Developers Choice Awards including Game of the Year, Expedition 33's audio recognition cements its status as 2025's breakout title.
Hades II and Diablo IV Round Out Winners
Supergiant Games' Hades II collected four awards, sweeping the indie categories: Best Audio for an Indie Game, Best Dialogue for an Indie Game, Best Music for an Indie Game (Darren Korb), and Best Sound Design for an Indie Game. The sequel continues Supergiant's reputation for exceptional audio craft.
Blizzard's Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred earned three wins including Best Accessible Audio Design and shared honors for Best Cinematic and Cutscene Audio and Best Voice Performance (Judy Alice Lee as Neyrelle).
Full G.A.N.G. Awards 2026 Winners
- Audio of the Year: Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Music of the Year: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Sound Design of the Year: Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Dialogue of the Year: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
- Best Audio for an Indie Game: Hades II
- Best Main Theme: Death Stranding 2 / Expedition 33 (tie)
- Best Ensemble Cast: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Voice Performance: Troy Baker (Indiana Jones) / Judy Alice Lee (Neyrelle) (tie)
- Best Original Soundtrack Album: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Accessible Audio Design: Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred
Lifetime Achievement and Special Awards
Halo Studios Audio Director Becky Allen received the Lifetime Achievement Award for her three decades of contributions to game audio, including senior roles at Microsoft, PopCap Games, and her current oversight of the Halo universe's audio vision.
William "Chip" Beaman, CEO of The Halp Network, received the Bob Rice G.A.N.G. Recognition Award, while Orchestrator Karina Pardus earned the Distinguished Service Award.
The G.A.N.G. Awards continue to spotlight the craft behind interactive audio, and 2026's ceremony made clear that both technical innovation and musical artistry are thriving in games.