Organisers for Melbourne-based games music conference High Score 2026 have released the complete program for this year’s showcase, including deep dives into major Australian-made games Mixtape, Cult of the Lamb, Hollow Knight: Silksong and Malys.
From 3 to 4 October, the event will dive into the art of developing music for games, and how music can shape gameplay.
The program also includes talks about the realities of making a career in game audio, how much composers should be paid, how soundtracks can gain a new audience beyond games, and how composers work alongside game developers.
High Score 2026 program – quick links
Highlights from the High Score 2026 program
As shared, the event will be headlined by a talk from BAFTA-nominated Australian composer Christopher Larkin, who will discuss world-building in Hollow Knight: Silksong and the role of music in creating its unique world.
There will also be a major talk from Wilbert Roget II, a composer who has worked on Helldivers 2, Star Wars: Outlaws, Mortal Kombat 11 and Call of Duty: WW2. He’ll discuss the art of musical sound design, using audio and video samples to explore his personal approach and how he finds inspiration in synthetic and unexpected sounds.
Here are all the major highlights from the rest of the program:
- Legacy of the Lamb – ‘Turns to the creative community behind Australian hit Cult of the Lamb and its major expansion, Woolhaven. Following the passing of composer River Boy during the development of Woolhaven, the team faced the challenge of completing the expansion’s music and sound while preserving and honouring the creative voice of their friend. Featuring musical collaborator Arrowbird, developer Jojo Zhou, and members of the wider Cult of the Lamb team, the session will both celebrate River Boy’s music and explore the collective effort behind carrying his work forward, resulting in a score and soundscape described as a “mixtape of his life”.’
- Playful & Punchy: The Sound of a Cartoon FPS – ‘Featuring PlaySide Studios’ Louis Seccull and Alec Bathman. The pair will unpack the audio of Mouse: P.I. For Hire, exploring how its sound moves between noir and cartoon, old and new, subtle and exaggerated, without losing the game’s particular sense of humour.’
- Crafting the Perfect Mixtape – ‘Brings together former Galvatrons frontman-turned-game developer Johnny Galvatron and producer-composer Josh Abrahams, whose career spans Future Sound of Melbourne, Addicted to Bass, Moulin Rouge and The Artful Escape. Together they’ll unpack Mixtape, the global smash Australian game where music is the protagonist, exploring how licensed songs, original composition, mechanics and narrative combine to create the perfect needle drop.’
ScreenHub: Mixtape is a powerful ode to music and the freedom of youth
- How Much Does Music Cost? – ‘In a session with immediate implications for Australia’s working composers, the Australian Guild of Screen Composers will launch its new Games Rate Card. This talk will introduce indicative guidance on composer fees for Australian game music commissions, based on survey data gathered in late 2025, before opening out into the other financial and rights questions that shape a commission, including publishing, master rights and licensing.’
- Creating Sounds from Hell in Malys – ‘FMOD’s Aaron Edwards, audio director and implementor on the roguelike exorcism deckbuilder, joins Sound Blooms’ Mat Dwyer, the game’s sound designer and voice actor, to break down its demonic audio landscape. The pair will explore how they brought Malys’ demons to life through sound, and how middleware helped them shape, control and ultimately “exorcise” the game’s supernatural soundscape.’
- Delverium – The Method to the Madness – ‘Game audio specialists Jeff van Dyck and Anders Groenningsaeter tackle a very different kind of chaos. Faced with a game where physics, sound and systems constantly collide, they built a synthesiser entirely within FMOD and devised a “Matrix of Madness” to manage Delverium’s sprawling physics-driven audio system. system. Their session will unpack what worked, what failed, and what happens when game audio demands solutions well outside the obvious.’
- Inside the Role of a Game Music Director – ‘Award-winning Japanese music director and composer Yoko Honda Gaalaas presents this talk, offering a rare look at the person working between composers, developers, performers, and audio teams to shape the musical identity of a game. The session moves from creative decision-making and collaboration to the practical leadership required to carry a musical vision through an interactive production.’
- Live Takes, Virtual Worlds: Capturing a Live Performance – ‘High Score curator Meena Shamaly joins producer and engineer Guus Hoevenaars, composer and pianist Nicole Brady and composer, voice actor and sound designer Alec Shea to examine how an idea becomes a recorded performance – from musicians and voice actors working in home studios through to larger ensemble sessions, and the compromises of time, budget, acoustics, and artistic direction along the way.’
- Press Play: Game Music Beyond the Screen – ‘Looks at the increasingly independent life of the game soundtrack. With game music moving through radio, streaming, Twitch, vinyl and live events, the session explores how scores can build communities and audiences far beyond the moment someone puts down the controller.’
Additional guest speakers on the line-up include Duncan Smith, Head of Music at Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe; Fabian Malabello, CEO of The Otherworld Agency; and Kevin Won, CEO and Lead Composer of Jade Chamber Sound and founder of the Asian Game Audio Network.
