The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) has announced the winners of the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Awards for best games of 2021.

It Takes Two, a cooperative platforming journey where players control a couple going through a divorce that takes a fantastical turn, was named the Game of the Year at a ceremony held in Las Vegas

The Academy membership voted awards in 23 categories. Rachet & Clank: Rift Apart led the field, winning four awards.

The night honored multiple industry leaders, including Ed Boon (NetherRealm Studios), who was the 2022 Hall of Fame inductee, and Phil Spencer (Microsoft Gaming), who received the Lifetime Achievement Award. 

The complete list of winners is below:

GAME OF THE YEAR

• It Takes Two 

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN GAME DIRECTION

• Deathloop 

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN GAME DESIGN

• It Takes Two 

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN ANIMATION

• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart 

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION

• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart 

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN CHARACTER

• Resident Evil Village – Lady Dimitrescu 

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN ORIGINAL MUSIC COMPOSITION

• Returnal 

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN AUDIO DESIGN

• Returnal 

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN STORY

• Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy 

OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT

• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart 

ACTION GAME OF THE YEAR

• Halo Infinite 

ADVENTURE GAME OF THE YEAR

• Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy 

FAMILY GAME OF THE YEAR

• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart 

FIGHTING GAME OF THE YEAR

• GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- 

RACING GAME OF THE YEAR

• Forza Horizon 5 

ROLE-PLAYING GAME OF THE YEAR

• Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker 

SPORTS GAME OF THE YEAR

• Mario Golf: Super Rush 

STRATEGY/SIMULATION GAME OF THE YEAR

• Age of Empires IV 

ONLINE GAME OF THE YEAR

• Halo Infinite 

IMMERSIVE REALITY TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT

• Lone Echo II 

IMMERSIVE REALITY GAME OF THE YEAR

• Lone Echo II 

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT FOR AN INDEPENDENT GAME 

• Unpacking 

MOBILE GAME OF THE YEAR

• Pokémon UNITE 

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) announced the nominees for its 24th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Finalists on January 26.

A total of 57 games from 2020 received a nomination. The Last of Us Part II leads with 11 nominations followed by Ghost of Tsushima with 10 and Hades with 8. Tying for 5 nominations each are Half-Life: Alyx, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and Ori and the Will of the Wisps. Finalists for 2020’s top honor, Game of the Year, are: Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Ghost of Tsushima, Hades and The Last of Us Part II.

The winners will be revealed at the D.I.C.E. Awards ceremony, happening virtually on April 8, 2021. 

The 23 categories of nominees follow the jump.

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The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) announced the nominees for its 22nd Annual D.I.C.E. Awards on January 10.

Fifty-six games from 2018 received a nomination. God of War picked up 12 total nominations, followed by Marvel’s Spider-Man with 11, Red Dead Redemption 2with eight and indie title Return of the Obra Dinn with six.

Finalists for the top honor, Game of the Year, are: God of War, Into the Breach, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Return of the Obra Dinn. 

Academy members began general voting for the awards on January 11.  The winners will be revealed at the D.I.C.E. Awards ceremony on Wednesday, February 13.

Honored this year as a Hall of Fame inductee will be Bonnie Ross, Microsoft Corporate Vice President and Head of 343 Industries.

Following is the full list of nominees:

Game of the Year

• God of War
• Into the Breach
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Return of the Obra Dinn

Outstanding Achievement in Animation

• God of War
• GRIS
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• Moss
• Red Dead Redemption 2

Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction

• Detroit: Become Human
• God of War
• GRIS
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• Red Dead Redemption 2

Outstanding Achievement in Character

• Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (Kassandra)
• God of War (Atreus)
• God of War (Kratos)
• Marvel’s Spider-Man (Peter Parker/Spider-Man)
• Red Dead Redemption 2 (Arthur Morgan)

Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition

• Detroit: Become Human
• Forgotton Anne
• God of War
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• Tetris Effect

Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design

• Battlefield V
• Detroit: Become Human
• God of War
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• Moss

Outstanding Achievement in Story

• Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
• Florence
• God of War
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• Return of the Obra Dinn

Outstanding Technical Achievement

• ASTRO BOT Rescue Mission
• Battlefield V
• God of War
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• Red Dead Redemption 2

Action Game of the Year

• Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
• Celeste
• Destiny 2: Forsaken
• Far Cry 5
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Adventure Game of the Year

• Detroit: Become Human
• God of War
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Return of the Obra Dinn

Family Game of the Year

• ASTRO BOT Rescue Mission
• Kirby Star Allies
• LEGO DC Super-Villains
• Starlink: Battle for Atlas
• Unravel Two

Fighting Game of the Year

• BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle
• Dragon Ball Fighter Z
• SOULCALIBUR VI
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Racing Game of the Year

• Forza Horizon 4
• F1 2018
• Wreckfest

Role-Playing Game of the Year

• Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
• Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
• Monster Hunter World
• Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom
• Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire

Sports Game of the Year

• FIFA 19
• Mario Tennis Aces
• MLB The Show 18

Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year

• Bad North
• Frostpunk
• Into the Breach
• Northgard
• RimWorld

Immersive Reality Technical Achievement

• ASTRO BOT Rescue Mission
• Beat Saber
• Dr. Grordbort’s Invaders
• Tónandi
• Torn

Immersive Reality Game of the Year

• ASTRO BOT Rescue Mission
• Beat Saber
• Moss
• Sprint Vector
• Transference

Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game

• Celeste
• Florence
• Into the Breach
• Minit
• Return of the Obra Dinn

Portable Game of the Year

• Dandara
• Donut County
• Dragalia Lost
• Florence
• Oddmar

Online Game of the Year

• Fortnite
• Destiny 2: Forsaken
• Laser League
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Sea of Thieves

Outstanding Achievement in Game Design

• God of War
• Into the Breach
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• Return of the Obra Dinn
• Subnautica

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction

• Florence
• God of War
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Return of the Obra Dinn

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) has announced the nominees for its 20th D.I.C.E. Awards, called “the video game industry’s premier peer-based awards.”

The winners will be revealed at the Awards ceremony on February 23 in Las Vegas after the 2017 D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit.

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN ANIMATION

• Inside
• The Last Guardian
• Overwatch
• Street Fighter V
• Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION

• Battlefield 1
• Firewatch
• Inside
• The Last Guardian
• Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN CHARACTER

• Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare – Nick Reyes
• Firewatch – Delilah
• Firewatch – Henry
• The Last Guardian – Trico
• Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End – Nathan Drake

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN ORIGINAL MUSIC COMPOSITION

• Abzu
• Battlefield 1
• DOOM
• The Last Guardian
• Titanfall 2

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND DESIGN 

• Battlefield 1
• Inside
• The Last Guardian
• Quantum Break
• Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN STORY

• Firewatch
• Inside
• Oxenfree
• That Dragon, Cancer
• Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT

• Battlefield 1
• No Man’s Sky
• Overwatch
• Titanfall 2
• Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

ACTION GAME OF THE YEAR

• Battlefield 1
• DOOM
• Gears of War 4
• Overwatch
• Titanfall 2

ADVENTURE GAME OF THE YEAR

• Firewatch
• Inside
• King’s Quest: The Complete Collection
• The Last Guardian
• Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

FAMILY GAME OF THE YEAR

• Dragon Quest Builders
• LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens
• Ratchet & Clank
• Rock Band Rivals
• Super Mario Maker 3DS

FIGHTING GAME OF THE YEAR

• EA Sports UFC 2
• Guilty Gear Xrd -Revelator-
• Killer Instinct: Season 3
• Pokken Tournament
• Street Fighter V

RACING GAME OF THE YEAR 

• Driveclub VR
• Forza Horizon 3

ROLE-PLAYING/MASSIVELY MULTIPLAYER GAME OF THE YEAR

• Dark Souls III
• Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
• Hyper Light Drifter
• Tom Clancy’s The Division
• World of Warcraft: Legion

SPORTS GAME OF THE YEAR

• FIFA 17
• Madden NFL 17
• MLB The Show 16
• NBA 2K17
• Steep

STRATEGY/SIMULATION GAME OF THE YEAR

• The Banner Saga 2
• Deus Ex GO
• Fire Emblem Fates
• Sid Meier’s Civilization VI
• XCOM 2

D.I.C.E. SPRITE AWARD

• 1979 Revolution: Black Friday
• Firewatch
• Inside
• Superhot
• That Dragon, Cancer

HANDHELD GAME OF THE YEAR

• Dragon Quest Builders
• Fire Emblem Fates
• Kirby: Planet Robobot
• Pokemon Sun & Moon
• Severed

MOBILE GAME OF THE YEAR

• Clash Royale
• Crashlands
• Gardenscapes – New Acres
• Pokemon GO
• Reigns

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN ONLINE GAMEPLAY

• Battlefield 1
• Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
• Overwatch
• Titanfall 2
• Tom Clancy’s The Division

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN GAME DESIGN

• I Expect You To Die
• Inside
• Overwatch
• Owlboy
• Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN GAME DIRECTION

• 1979 Revolution: Black Friday
• Battlefield 1
• Inside
• The Last Guardian
• Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

GAME OF THE YEAR

• Battlefield 1
• Inside
• Overwatch
• Pokemon GO
• Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

In addition to these finalists, the D.I.C.E. Awards will honor emerging technology with two new awards categories.

Immersive Reality Game of the Year: The single game released on an immersive reality platform that best utilizes the attributes of the platform to entertain users. Elements of design, direction and narrative are factored into the title selection. Titles of all genres are eligible if commercially available on a publicly released platform.

• Eagle Flight Ubisoft FunHouse
• I Expect You To Die Schell Games
• Job Simulator Owlchemy Labs
• The Lab Valve
• SUPERHOT VR SUPERHOT Sp. z o.o.

Immersive Reality Technical Achievement: This award celebrates the highest level of technical achievement within an immersive reality experience through the combined attention to gameplay engineering and visual engineering. Elements honored include but are not limited to technology features specifically associated with the immersive medium, artificial intelligence, physics, engine mechanics, and visual rendering.

• Eagle Flight Ubisoft FunHouse
• I Expect You To Die Schell Games
• Job Simulator Owlchemy Labs
• SUPERHOT VR SUPERHOT Sp. z o.o.
• Tilt Brush Google

Along with all the awards, game director Todd Howard will also be honored as the 22nd member inducted into the AIAS’s Hall of Fame.