D.I.C.E. Awards
Current: 27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards
Awarded forVideo game industry achievements
VenueAria Convention Center
(Las Vegas, Nevada)
CountryUnited States
Hosted byAcademy of Interactive Arts & Sciences
Formerly calledInteractive Achievement Awards
(1998–2013)
First awardedMay 28, 1998; 25 years ago (1998-05-28)
Last awardedFebruary 15, 2024; 53 days ago (2024-02-15)
Websitehttps://www.interactive.org/

The D.I.C.E. Awards (formerly the Interactive Achievement Awards) is an annual awards show in the video game industry, and commonly referred to as the video game equivalent of the Academy Awards.[1][2][3] The awards are arranged by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) and held during the AIAS' annual D.I.C.E. Summit in Las Vegas. "D.I.C.E." is a backronym for "Design Innovate Communicate Entertain". The D.I.C.E. Awards recognizes games, individuals, and development teams that have contributed to the advancement of the multi-billion dollar worldwide entertainment software industry.[4]

Format

The Academy encourages submissions from any individual or company providing that submission eligibility requirements are met. Each application enters the submitted game or title for consideration in at least one Craft category and only one Genre category. For most categories, the title must be publicly released in North America within the past calendar year. The exceptions to this rule are submissions for "Online Game of the Year" and "Fighting Game of the Year".[5]

The finalists in each category are selected by a peer panel, assembled by AIAS, of over 100 video game professionals across several facets of the industry, including developers, programmers, artists, and publishers, which is published on the AIAS website each year. The nominees are then voted on by the full membership of AIAS (over 33,000 members) via a confidential and secured voting system, and winners are subsequently announced during the D.I.C.E. Summit in Las Vegas, typically in February of that year.[6][7][8]

Academy active Creative/Technical, Business, and Affiliate members are qualified to vote in all genre categories along with "Game of the Year", "Mobile Game of the Year", "Online Game of the Year", and "Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game". Creative/Technical members of the Academy may also vote on craft categories related to their expertise:[9]

Due to this approach, the D.I.C.E. Awards are considered the main peer-based recognition within the video games industry compared to other major awards.[10]

Award ceremonies

# Date Game of the Year Host(s) Venue Ref.
1st May 28, 1998 GoldenEye 007 — Georgia World Congress Center [11][12][13]
2nd May 13, 1999 The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time — Variety Arts Theater [14]
3rd May 11, 2000 The Sims Martin Short Millennium Biltmore Hotel [15]
4th March 22, 2001 Diablo II Martin Lewis Polly Esther's [16]
5th February 28, 2002 Halo: Combat Evolved Patton Oswalt Hard Rock Hotel and Casino [17][18][19]
6th February 27, 2003 Battlefield 1942 Dave Foley [20]
7th March 4, 2004 Call of Duty Diane Mizota Palms Casino Resort [21][22][23]
8th February 1, 2005 Half-Life 2 Kurt Scholler, Cory Rouse Green Valley Ranch [24]
9th February 9, 2006 God of War Jay Mohr Hard Rock Hotel and Casino [25][26]
10th February 7, 2007 Gears of War [27][28]
11th February 8, 2008 Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa [29]
12th February 19, 2009 LittleBigPlanet [30]
13th February 18, 2010 Uncharted 2: Among Thieves [31][32]
14th February 11, 2011 Mass Effect 2 [33]
15th February 9, 2012 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim [34]
16th February 7, 2013 Journey Chris Hardwick [35][36]
17th February 6, 2014 The Last of Us Felicia Day, Freddie Wong Hard Rock Hotel and Casino [37]
18th February 5, 2015 Dragon Age: Inquisition Pete Holmes [38]
19th February 18, 2016 Fallout 4 Mandalay Bay Convention Center [39]
20th February 23, 2017 Overwatch Greg Miller, Jessica Chobot [40]
21st February 22, 2018 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild [41][42]
22nd February 13, 2019 God of War Aria Resort and Casino [43][44]
23rd February 13, 2020 Untitled Goose Game [45]
24th April 22, 2021 Hades Greg Miller, Jessica Chobot, Kahlief Adams none[a] [46]
25th February 24, 2022 It Takes Two Greg Miller, Jessica Chobot Mandalay Bay Convention Center [47]
26th February 23, 2023 Elden Ring Stella Chung, Greg Miller Resorts World Las Vegas [48]
27th February 15, 2024 Baldur's Gate 3 Aria Resort and Casino [49][50][51]

Award categories

Game of the Year Awards

Timeline of Game of the Year awards categories. The most characteristic one -- Game of the Year or GOTY award -- only changed its name a few times since 1998. In blue, discontinued, renamed or merged categories. In green, current ones (2023). First year of publication of awards indicated.

Craft Awards

Timeline of Craft awards categories. In purple, discontinued, renamed or merged categories. In green, current ones (2023). First year of publication of awards indicated.

Genre Awards

Timeline of Genre awards categories. In red, discontinued, renamed or merged categories. In green, current ones (2023). First year of publication of awards indicated.

Discontinued, renamed, or merged categories

Game of the Year

Craft Awards

Genre Awards

Console

Computer

Online

Special categories

Hall of Fame

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences has annually inducted into its "Hall of Fame" video game developers that have made revolutionary and innovative achievements in the video game industry.[52]

Year Person Company/role Notable games
1998 Shigeru Miyamoto Nintendo Donkey Kong, Mario, The Legend of Zelda, F-Zero, Star Fox, Pikmin, and Wii series
1999 Sid Meier Founder of Firaxis Games and MicroProse Pirates!, Railroad Tycoon, Civilization, and Alpha Centauri
2000 Hironobu Sakaguchi Originally at Square (renamed Square Enix), Founder of Mistwalker Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, Parasite Eve, Lost Odyssey, and The Last Story
2001 John D. Carmack Founder of id Software Commander Keen, Doom, Quake, and Rage
2002 Will Wright Founder of Maxis SimCity, Spore, and The Sims
2003 Yu Suzuki Sega (head of Sega AM2 division) Hang-On, Space Harrier, Out Run, After Burner, Power Drift, Virtua Racing Virtua Fighter, Daytona USA, Virtua Cop, and Shenmue series
2004 Peter Molyneux Founder of Lionhead Studios and Bullfrog Productions Black & White, Populous, Magic Carpet, Syndicate, Dungeon Keeper, and Fable
2005 Trip Hawkins Founder of Electronic Arts and Digital Chocolate Madden Football
2006 Richard Garriott Founder of Origin Systems Ultima series and Tabula Rasa
2007 Dani Bunten (posthumous) Founder of Ozark Softscape M.U.L.E.
2008 Michael Morhaime President & Co-Founder of Blizzard Entertainment Warcraft, Starcraft, and Diablo
2009 Bruce Shelley Ensemble Studios Age of Empires
2010 Mark Cerny Cerny Games Marble Madness, Ratchet & Clank, and Jak & Daxter
2011 Ray Muzyka & Greg Zeschuk Co-Founders of BioWare Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age
2012 Tim Sweeney Founder and CEO of Epic Games Unreal and Gears of War series
2013 Gabe Newell Co-Founder and CEO of Valve Portal, Half-Life, and Left 4 Dead
2014 Sam Houser, Dan Houser and Leslie Benzies Co-Founders of Rockstar Games Grand Theft Auto and Bully
2016 Hideo Kojima Founder of Kojima Productions Metal Gear, Snatcher, Policenauts, Zone of the Enders, and Boktai
2017 Todd Howard Director and Executive Producer at Bethesda Game Studios The Elder Scrolls and the Fallout series
2019 Bonnie Ross Corporate Vice-President at Microsoft, Head of 343 Industries Halo series
2020 Connie Booth Vice-President of Product Development at Sony Interactive Entertainment Advocate for several of Sony's first-party franchises, including Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, Jak and Daxter, Ratchet & Clank, and Sly Cooper
2022 Ed Boon Creative director of NetherRealm Studios Co-creator of the Mortal Kombat series
2023 Tim Schafer Co-founder of Double Fine Productions Grim Fandango, Psychonauts, Broken Age, and Psychonauts 2
2024 Koji Kondo Nintendo composer and sound designer Works include numerous games, including those in the Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda franchise[53]

Lifetime Achievement Awards

The Lifetime Achievement Award is given "for individuals whose accomplishments span a broad range of disciplines over a lengthy career in the industry".[54]

Year Person Company/role
2007 Minoru Arakawa and Howard Lincoln Former presidents of Nintendo of America
2008 Ken Kutaragi Former Chairman/CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment and considered the "Father of the PlayStation"
2010 Doug Lowenstein Launched and served as president of the Interactive Digital Software Association, which became the Entertainment Software Association
2011 Bing Gordon Former Chief Creative Officer of Electronic Arts
2016 Satoru Iwata (posthumous) Former president of Nintendo
2018 Genyo Takeda Former General Manager of Nintendo Integrated Research & Development[55]
2022 Phil Spencer CEO of Microsoft Gaming[56]

Pioneer Awards

The Pioneer Award is given "for individuals whose career spanning work has helped shape and define the interactive entertainment industry".[54]

Year Person Company/role
2010 David Crane Founder of Activision
2011 Bill Budge Developer of Raster Blaster and Pinball Construction Set
2012 Ed Logg Co-developer of many arcade games including Asteroids, Centipede and Gauntlet
2013 Dave Lebling & Marc Blank Co-founders of Infocom
2014 Eugene Jarvis Developer of arcade games Defender and Robotron: 2084
2015 Allan Alcorn Developer of Pong and co-developed several Atari home consoles
Ralph H. Baer Creator of the first home console, the Magnavox Odyssey

Technical Impact Award

The Technical Impact Award was added for the 2015 awards ceremony to recognize "unique innovations that contribute to the ongoing progress of interactive media".[57]

Year Winner
2015 Apple App Store
2016 Visual Basic[58]

Notable highest wins and nominations

This section possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. (April 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

By game

By franchise

By developer

By publisher

Notes

  1. ^ Held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic
  2. ^ includes Half-Life 2: Episode Two sharing with Portal and Team Fortress 2 in The Orange Box compilation's win for "Computer Game of the Year" in 2008.
  3. ^ includes the Luigi's Mansion games
  4. ^ includes games based on the Forgotten Realms campaign setting such as Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, Neverwinter Nights, and Demon Stone, as well as the Planescape, Greyhawk (The Temple of Elemental Evil) and Ebberon (Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach) campaign settings.

References

  1. ^ "The Last of Us takes the big prize (and many others) at the Oscars of video games". Digital Trends. February 7, 2014. Archived from the original on November 4, 2021. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  2. ^ "DICE Awards turn 20: How gaming's Academy Awards have grown". VentureBeat. February 21, 2017. Archived from the original on October 25, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  3. ^ "Control nominated for eight "video game Oscars" D.I.C.E. Awards and five GDC Awards". Remedy Entertainment. January 14, 2020. Archived from the original on November 6, 2021. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  4. ^ "D.I.C.E. Awards and Special Awards". AIAS. Archived from the original on April 30, 2019. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  5. ^ "DICE 26th Annual Awards Rules & Procedures" (PDF). Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  6. ^ "D.I.C.E. Awards Summary". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on April 30, 2019. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  7. ^ "21st Annual D.I.C.E. Peer Panelists". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on January 14, 2018. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  8. ^ Campbell, Colin (February 7, 2014). "The DICE Award winners, and why it matters". Polygon. Archived from the original on February 7, 2014. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  9. ^ "D.I.C.E. Award Voting Rules & Procedures". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  10. ^ Orland, Kyle (February 23, 2018). "Can gaming's own "academy awards" become a cultural event?". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on February 23, 2018. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  11. ^ "First Interactive Achievement Awards". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on June 15, 1998. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  12. ^ "And the Winner is..." GameSpot. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  13. ^ "And the Winners Are..." GameSpot. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  14. ^ "ACADEMY OF INTERACTIVE ARTS AND SCIENCES ANNOUNCES WINNERS FOR ITS SECOND INTERACTIVE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on March 8, 2000. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  15. ^ "ACADEMY OF INTERACTIVE ARTS AND SCIENCES ANNOUNCES WINNERS FOR ITS THIRD INTERACTIVE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on June 23, 2000. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  16. ^ "All Star Industry Guests Scheduled to Present at the 4th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on April 13, 2001. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  17. ^ "ACADEMY OF INTERACTIVE ARTS AND SCIENCES ANNOUNCES RECIPIENTS OF FIFTH ANNUAL INTERACTIVE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on March 6, 2002. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  18. ^ "2001 Academy Awards for Games". IGN. February 7, 2002. Archived from the original on December 25, 2022. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
  19. ^ Varianini, Giancarlo (March 4, 2002). "Fifth annual AIAS awards announced". GameSpot. Archived from the original on October 3, 2022. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
  20. ^ "2002 AIAS Awards Results". Blues News. Stephen Heaslip. Archived from the original on December 26, 2022. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
  21. ^ "AIAS Announces Finalists for Annual Interactive Achievement Awards". GameZone. May 4, 2012. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  22. ^ "7th Annual Interactive Achievement Award Winners Announced". Writers Write. Writers Write, Inc. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  23. ^ "The 2004 AIAS Awards Ceremony". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  24. ^ "8th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards". Owlapps. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  25. ^ "Event Details". DICE Summit. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on December 26, 2022. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  26. ^ "DICE 2006: Interactive Achievement Awards". IGN. February 10, 2006. Archived from the original on December 26, 2022. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  27. ^ "AIAS Announces Winners of 10th Annual IAA's" (PDF). Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 5, 2023. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  28. ^ Surette, Tim (February 12, 2007). "D.I.C.E. 07: Gears grabs gold". GameSpot. Archived from the original on December 26, 2022. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  29. ^ "Academy Awards Top Honors to Call of Duty 4, BioShock, The Orange Box at 11th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards". GameIndustry.biz. GameIndustry International. February 8, 2008. Archived from the original on January 19, 2022. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  30. ^ "Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Special Awards". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on May 30, 2022. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  31. ^ "IAA 13th winners release FINAL 2.18.10" (PDF). Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  32. ^ Brice, Kath (February 19, 2010). "Uncharted 2 victorious at 13th AIAS Awards". GamesIndustry.biz. Gamer Network Limited. Archived from the original on December 26, 2022. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  33. ^ "Mass Effect 2 Takes 14th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards' Game of the Year". IGN. February 11, 2011. Archived from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  34. ^ "IAA 2012 Winners FINAL" (PDF). Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 24, 2022. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  35. ^ Mitchell, Richard (January 14, 2013). "2013 DICE Award nominations led by Journey, Walking Dead, Far Cry 3". Engadget. Yahoo. Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  36. ^ Haley, Sebastian (February 7, 2013). "Journey dominates the 2013 D.I.C.E. Awards (full winner list)". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on October 16, 2022. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  37. ^ Hayward, Justin (February 6, 2014). "The Last of Us wins DICE awards game of the year". GameSpot. Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  38. ^ O'Brien, Lucy (February 6, 2015). "Dragon Age: Inquisition Wins Game of the Year at DICE Awards 2015". IGN. Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
  39. ^ O'Brien, Lucy (February 19, 2016). "DICE 2016: Fallout 4 Wins Game of the Year at DICE Awards 2016". IGN. Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  40. ^ "20th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Results". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  41. ^ Osborn, Alex (February 23, 2018). "DICE 2018: Zelda: Breath of the Wild Wins Game of the Year at DICE Awards". IGN. Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  42. ^ "21st Annual D.I.C.E. Awards (Concept)". Giant Bomb. Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  43. ^ "22nd .D.I.C.E. Award Finalists Revealed". DICE Awards. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  44. ^ Shanley, Patrick (April 22, 2021). "2020 DICE Awards: 'Untitled Goose Game' Takes Top Honor". The Hollywood Reporter. The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. Archived from the original on January 30, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  45. ^ Shanley, Patrick (April 22, 2021). "2020 DICE Awards: 'Untitled Goose Game' Takes Top Honor". The Hollywood Reporter. The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. Archived from the original on January 30, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  46. ^ "24th Annual D.I.C.E. Award Winners Revealed". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on June 28, 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  47. ^ Bankhurst, Adam (February 25, 2022). "DICE Awards 2022 Winners: The Full List". IGN. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  48. ^ Bankhurst, Adam (February 24, 2023). "DICE Awards 2023 Winners: The Full List". IGN. Archived from the original on February 24, 2023. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  49. ^ "27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Finalists Revealed". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  50. ^ "Spider-Man 2 Leads DICE Awards With Nine Nominations". IGN. January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  51. ^ "Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Announces Winners of 2023's Best Video Games at 27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards". interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  52. ^ "AIAS Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on October 23, 2010. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  53. ^ "Koji Kondo to be Inducted into the DICE Hall of Fame". January 24, 2024.
  54. ^ a b "AIAS Special Awards". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on October 23, 2010. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  55. ^ "NINTENDO'S GENYO TAKEDA ANNOUNCED AS 2018 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT RECIPIENT BY THE ACADEMY OF INTERACTIVE ARTS & SCIENCES". Gamasutra (Press release). January 31, 2018. Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2018.
  56. ^ Kim, Matt (February 2, 2022). "Phil Spencer to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at 25th Annual DICE Awards". IGN. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  57. ^ McWhertor, Michael (October 30, 2014). "Next year's DICE awards will honor innovation, 'big ideas and artistic risks'". Polygon. Archived from the original on October 31, 2014. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  58. ^ Pereira, Chris (February 19, 2016). "The 2016 DICE Award Winners". GameSpot. Archived from the original on February 22, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
Categories