Stephen Hodde
I’m a Seattle-based VR game developer specializing in sound.
Among other things, I create sound design, direct voice performance, design music, program game systems in C++, and help teams at Polyarc render creative visions and frameworks for our projects.
I'm a big believer in the transformative power of entertainment. So I'm committed to creating games that are both widely accessible and deeply personal– games that condition inspiring & restorative states in players.
Along the way I do my best to foster long-term, meaningful working partnerships.
I've worked in interactive media since 2006, starting at Big Spaceship. In 2009 I joined Volition, then Bungie, Amazon, and now Polyarc on over 12 video games, expansions, and unreleased projects.
In 2019 I delivered a talk that was very special to me, called "Design Before Sound" at the Game Developer's Conference, about how to place sound in service of the game's highest aspirations.
Every now and then I design VR interaction prototypes.
I've been extremely lucky to participate in projects that have resonated with industry craftspeople–
Moss
2019 GANG Awards
Winner: Best VR Audio
Winner: Best Sound Design for an Indie Game
Winner: Best Music for an Indie Game
Finalist: Audio of the Year
Finalist: Music of the Year
Finalist: Sound Design of the Year
Finalist: Best Dialog
Finalist: Best Original Instrumental
Finalist: Best Original Song
Winner: Best VR Audio
Winner: Best Sound Design for an Indie Game
Winner: Best Music for an Indie Game
Finalist: Audio of the Year
Finalist: Music of the Year
Finalist: Sound Design of the Year
Finalist: Best Dialog
Finalist: Best Original Instrumental
Finalist: Best Original Song
2019 DICE Awards 2019
Finalist: Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design
Finalist: Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design
2019 Independent Game Festival 2019
Finalist: Excellence in Audio
Finalist: Excellence in Audio
Destiny: The Taken King
2016 GANG Awards
Finalist: Sound Design of the Year
Finalist: Audio of the Year
Finalist: Cinematic Cutscene Audio
Finalist: Sound Design of the Year
Finalist: Audio of the Year
Finalist: Cinematic Cutscene Audio
2016 DICE Awards
Finalist: Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design
Finalist: Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design
Destiny
2015 DICE Awards
Winner: Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design
Winner: Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design
2015 Game Developers Choice Awards
Finalist: Best Audio
Finalist: Best Audio
2015 GANG Awards
Finalist: Sound Design of the Year
Finalist: Sound Design of the Year
2015 Music & Sound Awards
Finalist: Sound Design
Finalist: Sound Design
2016 TEC Awards
Finalist: Interactive Entertainment, Sound Production
Finalist: Interactive Entertainment, Sound Production