Brian Schmidt Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
February 22, 2008: Brian was the recepient of this years Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual Game Audio Network Guild (www.audiogang.org) awards held in conjunction with this years Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. The award recognizes outstanding leadership and contribution to the game audio industry.
Brian Schmidt, is a 20+ year veteran of the game audio industry. Brian uses his blend of hands-on video game music and video game sound design experience combined with deep technical knowledge to push new boundaries and further the state of the interactive audio industry. Prior to leaving Microsoft in March 2008, Brian was the program manager for Xbox and Windows game audio and media at Microsoft. While at Xbox, he was the driving force behind bringing interactive Dolby Digital to video gaming, setting a new bar for game audio. He was also the primary architect of the Xbox Audio Creation Tool (XACT) and was responsible for the overall design of the Xbox 360 audio system.
Brian started his life-long career in game audio in 1987, although it could be argued he started his career long before that, pumping quarters into pinball machines wherever he could find them. After graduating with degrees in Music Composition and Computer Engineering, he began work as a composer and programmer for Williams/Midway with a dream job writing both music and software for the pinball machines and arcade video games he loved to play. After leaving Williams in 1989, Brian created Schmidt Entertainment Technologies, working freelance as both a composer/sound designer and technical consultant. With a client list including companies such as Sega, Sony, Capcom, Electronic Arts, NAMCO, and QSound Lab, Brian designed and created content for interactive audio systems including Capcom's arcade game audio system and the sound system for Sega Pinball. As a composer, he has personally composed music for over 120 arcade and console games, including JOHN MADDEN FOOTBALL, DESERT STRIKE, JURASSIC PARK, STAR WARS TRILOGY, and the award-winning Crue Ball. His theme from the original NARC arcade videogame was later covered and recorded by The Pixies and his work is featured in the CD Set "Legends of Game Music." Brian has been contracted for custom game music compositions from Aaron Spelling, Michael Jordan, and Joel Silver, and his work has been shown in both television and film. In 1998, Brian left the freelance world to work at Microsoft, where he set the direction for game audio technologies for Windows and Xbox for the next decade before deciding to return to independent consulting in 2008.