Welcome to ZQ SFX!

Hello! I'm Zachary Quarles, an award-winning sound designer, core member of Sweet Justice Sound, and owner of ZQ SFX LLC. My audio career began in 2000 after honing my skills in the Doom/Quake MOD scenes. I offer a unique blend of experience, having worked as a developer and as a publisher. This diverse background has culminated into now being a "hired gun" as Supervising Sound Designer with Sweet Justice. I've collaborated with top-tier studios like Blizzard, Sony Santa Monica, Xbox, Playground Games, id Software, Lucasarts, and Raven Software, contributing to renowned franchises such as Diablo, God of War, DOOM, Quake, Killer Instinct, Fable, Sunset Overdrive, Crackdown, and many more.

In my role as a developer, I've been a key member of creative teams, establishing and executing the audio vision for various titles and interfacing with diverse disciplines across the team. On the publishing side, I've supported developers with key audio services including audio direction, content design, source recordings, system designs, audio consultation, and department growth plans.

By bringing together my wide-ranging expertise in sound design and implementation, I have become an invaluable asset to any project through my work at Sweet Justice. My skills encompass everything from creating unique audio visions and seamless sound implementation, to cross-functional collaboration, and comprehensive audio support. This allows me to deliver killer sound design that amplifies the storytelling and overall gaming experience.

  • Need some booms, cracks, growls, blasts, and/or zaps?
    Please contact me!

  • Interested in a site license for one of my SFX libraries?
    Please contact me!

  • Want to hear what I cooked for dinner?
    Please—wait, let’s keep this professional.

Thanks for stopping by!

-ZQ

Past work

  • Diablo IV artwork

    Diablo IV

    Sound Design

  • God of War Ragnarök

    Sound Design

  • Fortnite

    Sound Design

  • Fable

    Sound Design

  • Arkhangel: The House of the Seven Stars

    Audio Direction & Sound Design

  • Crackdown 3

    Sound Design

  • Super Lucky's Tale

    Sound Design (uncredited)

  • ReCore

    Sound Design

  • DOOM (2016)

    Audio Direction & Sound Design (uncredited)

  • Killer Instinct: Season 3

    Audio Direction & Sound Design

  • Killer Instinct: Season 2

    Audio Direction & Sound Design

  • Killer Instinct: Season 1

    Sound Design

  • Sunset Overdrive

    Sound Design

  • D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die

    Sound Design

  • Dead State

    Sound Design

  • Cloud Spin

    Sound Design

  • Ascend: Hand of Kul

    Sound Design

  • Galactic Reign

    Sound Design

  • Chapman

    Musical Sound Design

  • Sunday

    Production Sound & Sound Design

  • RAGE

    Sound Design

  • Quake Arena Arcade

    Sound Design

  • F.E.A.R. 3 (aka: F.3.A.R.)

    Sound Design

  • Fracture

    Audio Direction & Sound Design

  • F.E.A.R. (360 Port)

    Sound Design

  • Marvel: Ultimate Alliance

    Sound Design

  • Quake 4

    Audio Lead, Sound Design, & Music Composer

  • X-Men: Legends II

    Sound Design

  • X-Men: Legends

    Cinematic Audio & Music

  • A Vampyre Story (tech demo)

    Sound Design & Music Composer

  • Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast

    Game Development

  • Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix

    Audio Lead, Sound Design, & Music Composer

  • Star Trek Elite Force: Expansion Pack

    Sound Design

clients

  • Logo of Sweet Justice

    Sweet Justice Sound Group

  • Logo for Blizzard

    Blizzard

  • Logo for Sony Santa Monica

    Sony Santa Monica Studio

  • Logo for Epic

    Epic Games

  • Logo for Xbox

    Xbox

  • Logo for Microsoft Studios

    Microsoft Studios

  • Logo for Playground Games

    Playground Games

  • Logo for id

    id Software

  • Logo for Raven

    Raven Software

  • Logo for WB Games

    WB Games

  • Logo for Lucasarts

    Lucasarts

  • Logo for Double Helix

    Double Helix Games

  • Logo for Iron Galaxy

    Iron Galaxy

Awards

  • Audio Achievement - God of War Ragnarök

    2023 BAFTA Games Awards

  • Golden Reel Winner: Game Effects/Foley - God of War Ragnarök

    The Golden Reel Award. Recognized for Outstanding Achievement in the Motion Picture Television Industries for the Year: 2022

  • Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design - God of War Ragnarök

    AIAS 26th Annual D.I.C.E award for Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design

  • Best Audio Design - God of War Ragnarök

    I worked closely with the Playstation audio team and Sony Santa Monica to create bespoke sound design for a large portion of the breakable items/set pieces in the game. I also provided some source material for Thor and Garm.

  • Audio of the Year & Sound Design of the Year - God of War Ragnarök

    GoW:R won several awards at the 21st Annual Game Audio Network Guild (G.A.N.G) Awards!

  • Image of Telly Award for "Oh for a Muse of Fire"

    42nd Annual Telly Awards: Gold Winner

    Legendary artists of the stage and screen come together to perform Shakespeare's famous "Oh for a Muse of fire" speech from HENRY V.

  • ASCAP 2017 Video Game Score of the Year

    Killer Instinct: Season 3. As audio director for the Killer Instinct franchise, I worked with composers Tom Salta and Klayton (Celldweller) extremely closely.

  • Patent: Indicating out-of-view augmented reality images

    Embodiments are disclosed that relate to operating a user interface on an augmented reality computing device comprising a see-through display system.

Press

  • Cover art for documentary

    KILLER SOUNDS: THE AUDIO OF KILLER INSTINCT

    This is a cool documentary on all things Killer Instinct and I make an appearance.

    Watch Video
  • Logo for Twenty Thousand Hertz

    Twenty Thousand Hertz Podcast: Level Up

    Twenty Thousand Hertz is an award-winning podcast created/hosted by my old friend Dallas Taylor. We chatted about video game stuff in one of his early episodes.

    Listen to podcast
  • Killer Instinct Logo

    Greater accessibility through audio in Killer Instinct

    This was an article I wrote for Gamasutra regarding my work on Killer Instinct and accessibility.

    Read article
  • Ridiculous slide from my presentation that features Will Ferrel

    Presentation: A Postmortem on Accessibility

    This was a presentation that I did for the Casual Connect convention in Seattle. This elaborates on my work with accessibility on Killer Instinct.

    Watch Video
  • Key art for Take Me to Coffee Podcast

    Take Me to Coffee Podcast Interview

    This is a podcast that two old friends put together. We chat about all sorts of things. Including farts.

    Listen to Podcast
  • A Sound Effect logo

    How to Write a (game-changing) Audio Design Document

    This was an article I wrote for A Sound Effect that was based off of an old blog entry.

    Read Article
  • A close up of a hand writing on paper

    Writing an Audio Design Document

    This was an old blog entry I wrote about audio design documents.

    Read Article
  • Logo for Audible Worlds

    Audible Worlds Interview

    This is a quick chat I had with my buddy Mike Niederquell.

    Read Interview
  • Cover art for book

    Breaking Into the Game Industry

    This is a book that my friend Brenda Romero co-wrote with Ian Schreiber. I have a section in there!

    Order Book

Testimonials

  • “Zack is an outstanding Audio Director – one of the industry’s best. He is extremely talented, has an infectiously positive attitude, and delivers on every audio goal he sets out to achieve. Zack is obsessive in his search for new ways to manipulate everyday sounds into new, unique, and engaging audio. You’re just as likely to see him with headphones and a mic as you are to see him breathe. Audio is that engrained in his DNA. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Zack for a number of years. Regardless of the scale and scope of the project, Zack and his team deliver AAA class audio that is surprising and immersive, often using minimal toolsets and resources. It is difficult to talk about Zack without bringing up his personality. If you’ve ever met him, you know what I mean by this, and you probably will never forget him. He brings levity to most any situation, but in a way that is engaging and inclusive. He always makes you feel like part of the team. Other than his bright personality and talent with audio, Zack is a proven mentor and a self-directed, insanely devoted worker. He is an overall pleasure to work with. I highly recommend Zack for any AAA game project. Having him on your team means that Audio is handled and going to be great.”

    Deke Waters: Director of Operations Source

  • “Zack is one of those guys that shows up early, already did the thing you were about to ask him to do, and jumps right into the very next task without hesitation and with incredible enthusiasm. He’s like the Radar O’Reilly of sound design. Not to mention that the work he does is incredible and elevates the quality of the games he’s a part of. I can’t wait to work with Zack again!”

    -Ian Stevens: Producer

  • “Working with Zack on DOOM has been amazing. He is a true professional versed in every aspect of audio…and then some. He has amazing vision and all the talent, technical prowess and creative drive needed to bring that vision to life.”

    -John Mulkey: Design Director

  • “I have been crossing paths with Zack for a number of years now but have been working with him steadily for the last 2 years on the game “Fracture” for which he was the Audio Director at Day 1 and I was the contracted content provider through Lucasarts. As most games with longish production cycles go, there were a few bumps in the road and many changes to be dealt with. Zack always maintained his creativity and sense of humor and I really have to take my hat off to how well he managed every single one of them. In this industry there is a quick little saying we use to qualify someone—-by simply saying that the person “gets it”. Well Zack is someone who gets it completely. From dreaming up interesting and creative new ideas to helping work to develop the low level technology required to pull them off, he is someone I would work with again in an instant. As an Audio Director, you must wear many hats, from programmer to politician, and he truly wears them all well. The bottom line is that, were I in a position to be considering Zack for a position, I would hire him in an instant and look forward to getting the chance to work with him again. Having been in the games industry for over 15 years now, guys like him don’t come around too often.”

    -Julian Kwasneski: Audio Director

  • “I had the pleasure of working with Zack on a number of AAA projects spanning a three year period. I can say without reservation that he is one of the best audio directors I have ever worked with. His dedication, professionalism, attention to detail, and natural talent are a credit to any company he works with.”

    -Dan Hay: Executive Producer

  • “Over the past two years, I’ve come to recognize Zack not only as an incredibly talented audio director, but also as a tireless, highly dedicated, and invaluable member of the team. He consistently delivers as Sound Guy Extraordinaire — even when (repeatedly) faced with 11th hour requests for critical audio support — and he somehow manages to keep even the most stressful deadlines light and fun. He’s exactly the sort of person you want on your team for any project.”

    -Michael Ryan: Senior Game Designer

  • “Zack Quarles is a joy to work with. He pours 110% of himself into every aspect of the project he’s working on. You’d be hard pressed to find anyone more committed or dedicated to quality and craftsmanship.”

    -Kenn Hoekstra: Executive Producer

  • “Zachary Quarles is one of the most talented audio engineers I have had the fortune to work with in the industry. The ideas he comes up with for audio effects are incredibly innovative. His understanding of musical and audio arrangement for an interactive experience is on par with the best audio work I have heard in any software title. In addition, Zack’s got a great personality and an equally great work ethic.”

    -Troy Perry: Cinematic Artist

  • “Working with Zack Quarles is both easy and refreshing. His music and sound work added a dimension to Soldier of Fortune 2 that brought the mood and feel of the game to a level rarely seen in video games. His talent and innovation are an asset to anyone working with him.”

    -Andrew Trabbold: Artist

  • “Working with Zack has been quite an experience. He’s been a positive influence on the projects he’s been a part of by always being upbeat and forward thinking about the music he’s composed. He takes a genuine interest in the opinions of others and by having an open approach to his music, has made it that much better. The music itself is always innovative, inspired and appropriate to the needs of the project.”

    -Fred Hooper: Artist

  • “Zack has an uncanny ability to make even the most trying development challenge fun and easy. He was able to take extremely difficult audio tasks and take them further than anyone thought possible. Combine this with his insight into cinematic presentation and you get someone who is invaluable to the game creation process.”

    -Pat Lipo: Game Designer

  • “Zachary is one of the people I turn to when I need advice in both sound fx design and music composition. His work in both these areas are technically and artistically outstanding. After listening to Zachary’s work, I feel he has a natural ability to create sound and music that will compliment specific environments and situations, whatever they may be.”

    -Brian Youds: Sound Designer

  • “One couldn’t ask for a better artistic collaborator than Zachary Quarles. His sound design for our production of Macbeth reflected Zack’s intense study of the text, his understanding of the efficacy of theatrical effect, and his technical proficiency. Zack had the challenge of only using organic sounds for his design, yet he created a ‘score’ for the production which supported the concept of decoding how a Jacobean audience may have received the piece into contemporary terms. Throughout the process, Zack was eager to both listen to and contribute suggestions, and the finished product testified to his creativity, imagination, and theatrical sensitivity. Given the opportunity, I would use Zack for all my future productions.”

    -Dr. Michael Mauldin: Artistic Director

  • “Having collaborated with Zack on Macbeth, I knew he was extremely talented and adaptable; however, I never knew how ultimately versatile Zack’s musical style was until he composed the music for Romeo & Juliet. Zack most recent score was of a style entirely different from Macbeth but of the excellent musicality that he consistently delivers. Rather than providing every piece he writes with similar chord structures or signature sounds, Zack leaves his personal mark by evoking the heart of the individual scene and by expanding the entire world of the play. Zack is conscientious not only of the role played by the individual song but also of the importance of the totality and unity of the score. His discrete use of music (that is simultaneously haunting and beautiful) in Romeo & Juliet enhances each scene in which its played, and although this production opened in January of 2003, the songs continue to play in my mind.”

    -Jason King Jones: Director