D.I.C.E. Awards
The D.I.C.E. Awards (formerly the Interactive Achievement Awards) is an award show in the video game industry started in 1998 and commonly referred to in the industry 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 recognize games, individuals, and development teams that have contributed to the advancement of the multi-billion dollar worldwide entertainment software industry.[4]
D.I.C.E. Awards | |
---|---|
Current: 26th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards | |
Awarded for | Video game industry achievements |
Venue | Aria Convention Center (Las Vegas, Nevada) |
Country | United States |
Hosted by | Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |
Formerly called | Interactive Achievement Awards (1998–2013) |
First awarded | May 28, 1998 |
Last awarded | February 24, 2023 |
Website | https://www.interactive.org/ |
Format
The nominees 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 the February of that year.[5][6][7] 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.[8]
Award ceremonies
Award categories
Game of the Year categories
Year introduced | Category |
---|---|
1998 | Game of the Year |
1998 | Online Game of the Year |
2005 | Mobile Game of the Year |
2015 | Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game |
2017 | Immersive Reality Technical Achievement |
2017 | Immersive Reality Game of the Year |
In 2010, Handheld Game of the Year and Cellular Game of the Year were merged into Portable Game of the Year. Separate categories for handheld and mobile games would be offered again starting in 2012. Portable Game of the Year would be offered again in 2019, but was eventually replaced by Mobile Game of the Year in 2021. Multiple genre categories for Online games were offered in 1999, but they would not continue going forward. 2015 was the first year to offer the D.I.C.E. Sprite Award, which was to recognize "a game having disproportionate resources for development and exposure (as compared to AAA titles)", to recognize smaller indie developers.[45] This would later be replaced by Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game.
Discontinued/Renamed/Merged categories
- Computer Game of the Year: 1998–2009
- Console Game of the Year: 1998–2009
- Downloadable Game of the Year: 2012–2014
- Handheld Game of the Year: 2002–2009, 2012–2018
- Portable Game of the Year: 2010–2011, 2019–2020
- Web-Based Game of the Year: 2013
- Wireless Game of the Year: 2005
- D.I.C.E. Sprite Award: 2015–2018
- Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay: 2015–2018
- Outstanding Innovation in Computer Gaming: 2001–2005
- Outstanding Innovation in Console Gaming: 2001–2005
- Outstanding Innovation in Gaming: 2006–2015
Craft Awards
Year introduced | Category |
---|---|
1998 | Outstanding Achievement in Game Design |
1998 | Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction |
1998 | Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design |
1998 | Outstanding Technical Achievement |
1999 | Outstanding Achievement in Story |
2000 | Outstanding Achievement in Animation |
2000 | Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition |
2004 | Outstanding Achievement in Character |
2009 | Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction |
The original four craft awards were for Outstanding Achievement in Art/Graphics, Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Design, Outstanding Achievement in Sound/Music, and Outstanding Achievement in Software Engineering. In 2000, three of the original four split into two separate categories. "Art/Graphics" would be split into Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction and Outstanding Achievement in Animation, "Sound/Music" would be split into Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design and Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition, and "Software Engineering" would be split into "Outstanding Achievement in Gameplay Engineering" and "Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering". There were separate categories for male and female character performances when they were first introduced in 2004. but they were merged into a single category in 2008. The 2008 and 2009 awards offered separate outstanding achievement categories for an original story and an adapted story. The Outstanding Achievement in Story would return in 2010. In 2015, the outstanding achievement categories for gameplay engineering and visual engineering were combined into the Outstanding Technical Achievement. In 2001, Online Game of the Year was replaced by the Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay. Online Game of the Year would be offered again in 2014 and then again in 2018, and has been offered every year since.
Discontinued Categories
- Outstanding Achievement in Gameplay Engineering: 2000–2014
- Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering: 2000–2014
- Outstanding (Achievement in) Character Performance - Female: 2004–2007
- Outstanding (Achievement in) Character Performance - Male: 2004–2007
- Outstanding Achievement in (Licensed) Soundtrack: 2004–2011
- Outstanding Achievement in Original Story: 2009–2010
- Outstanding Achievement in Adapted Story: 2009–2010
- Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay: 2001–2003, 2005–2013
- Outstanding Achievement in Portable Game Design: 2010
- Outstanding Achievement in Connectivity: 2012-2013
Genre Awards
Year introduced | Category |
---|---|
1998 | Action Game of the Year |
1998 | Adventure Game of the Year |
1998 | Family Game of the Year |
1998 | Fighting Game of the Year |
1998 | Racing Game of the Year |
1998 | Role-Playing Game of the Year |
1998 | Sports Game of the Year |
1998 | Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year |
The first eight annual awards ceremonies separated awards for computer games and console games. In addition, the first three awards ceremonies also had online content awards. Initially, there were separate awards for computer/console action, adventure, role-playing, sports, and later family games. Fighting and racing were exclusive console genre awards, and exclusive computer genres included strategy, simulation, creativity, and educational games. Adventure and role-playing awards were merged in 2000. The following year, adventure would be merged with action, and role-playing its own separate category. Console and computer first-person action categories were introduced in 2003 along with Console Platform Action/Adventure Game of the Year. Separate awards for console action sports and console sports simulation would be offered in 2004. The categories for sports simulation and action sports would be offered again in 2005, before merging back into a single Sports Game of the Year. Platform-exclusive genre categories, such as fighting, racing, strategy, and simulation, would drop the console or computer title of the award in 2005. Console and computer categories would be merged in 2006. Platform Action/Adventure would not be featured in 2007, and featured just one Action/Adventure Game of the Year. The categories for First-Person Action Game of the Year and Action/Adventure Game of the Year would be replaced by Action Game of the Year and Adventure Game of the Year in 2008. That same year, categories for strategy and simulation games would be merged into one. In 2010, Role-Playing Game of the Year was merged with Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year, but Massively Multiplayer was dropped from the category title in 2018.
Discontinued Categories
- Action/Adventure Game of the Year: 2006–2007
- Casual Game of the Year: 2009–2014
- Children's Game of the Year: 2006–2007
- Downloadable Game of the Year: 2004–2008
- First-Person Action Game of the Year: 2006–2007
- Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year: 2000–2009
- Platform Action/Adventure Game of the Year: 2004-2005
- Social Networking Game of the Year: 2010–2012
- Strategy Game of the Year: 1998–2007
- Simulation Game of the Year: 1998–2007
Console
- Console Action Game of the Year: 1998–2000
- Console Action/Adventure Game of the Year: 2001–2005
- Console Adventure Game of the Year: 1998–1999
- Console Adventure/Role-Playing Game of the Year: 2000
- Console Children's/Family Title of the Year: 2000
- Console Children's Game of the Year: 2004-2005
- Console Family Game of the Year: 2001-2002, 2004-2005
- Console First-Person Action Game of the Year: 2003–2005
- Console Platform Action/Adventure Game of the Year: 2003
- Console Role-Playing Game of the Year: 1998–1999, 2001–2005
- Console Sports Game of the Year: 1998–2003
- Console Action Sports Game of the Year: 2004-2005
- Sports Simulation Game of the Year: 2004–2005
Computer
- Computer Action Game of the Year: 1998–2000
- Computer Action/Adventure Game of the Year: 2001–2005
- Computer Adventure Game of the Year: 1998–1999
- Computer Adventure/Role-Playing Game of the Year: 2000
- Computer Children's Entertainment Title of the Year: 1999-2000, 2005
- Computer Family Game of the Year: 1998–2002, 2004-2005
- Computer First-Person Action Game of the Year: 2003–2005
- Computer Role-Playing Game of the Year: 1998–1999, 2001–2005
- Computer Sports Game of the Year: 1998–2005
- Computer Creativity Title of the Year: 1998–2000
- Computer Edutainment Game of the Year: 1998
- Computer Skills Building Title of the Year: 1998
- Computer Educational Title of the Year (0-8 years): 1999
- Computer Educational Title of the Year (9-16 years): 1999
- Computer Educational Title of the Year: 2000, 2002
Online
- Online Action/Strategy Game of the Year: 1999
- Online Family/Board Game of the Year: 1999
- Online Role-Playing Game of the Year: 1999
- Entertainment Site of the Year: 1998–2000
- News/Information Site of the Year: 1998–2000
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.[46]
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".[47]
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 (posthumously) | Former president of Nintendo |
2018 | Genyo Takeda | Former General Manager of Nintendo Integrated Research & Development[48] |
2022 | Phil Spencer | CEO of Microsoft Gaming[49] |
Pioneer Awards
The Pioneer Award is given "for individuals whose career spanning work has helped shape and define the interactive entertainment industry".[47]
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".[50]
Year | Winner |
---|---|
2015 | Apple App Store |
2016 | Visual Basic[51] |
Notable highest wins and nominations
By game
Most award-winning games: |
Most nominated games:
|
By franchise
Most award-winning franchises:
|
Most nominated franchises:
|
By developer
Most award-winning developers:
|
Most nominated developers:
|
By publisher
The most award-winning publishers:
|
The most nominated publishers.:
|
Notes
- Held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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