Yep, it’s mid January so we’re getting pretty deep (rising sewage levels on the Golden Globes red carpet deep, in fact) into award season now, you may have noticed.
The D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit is put on every year by the L.A. based Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Basically, the D.I.C.E. Awards are a sort of Oscars for video games voted for by industry professionals.
Right on queue it seems The Last of Us and GTA V will feature heavily yet again in an award listing. Who’d a thunk?
The big shocker seems to be that critical hit Gone Home has Gone Home. I don’t see it anywhere on the list. Ouch, That’s gotta be furrowing the heavily Ray Baned brows of the indie elite that have been banging on about it non-stop since August.
Anyhow, let’s take a look at this last year’s nominations;
Fighting Game of the Year
Divekick Iron Galaxy Studios LLC Iron Galaxy Studios LLC
Injustice: Gods Among Us Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment NetherRealm Studios
Killer Instinct Microsoft Studios, Double Helix Games
Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year
Europa Universalis 4 Paradox Interactive Paradox Development Studio
Fire Emblem: Awakening Nintendo Intelligent Systems
Sid Meier’s Civilization V: Brave New World 2K Games Firaxis Games
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm Blizzard Entertainment Blizzard Entertainment
XCOM: Enemy Within 2K Games Firaxis Games
Family Game of the Year
Disney Infinity Disney Interactive Avalanche Software
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment TT Games
Rayman Legends Ubisoft Ubisoft Montpellier
Skylanders Swap Force Activision Publishing Inc. Vicarious Visions
Super Mario 3D World Nintendo Nintendo
Mobile Game of the Year
Fetch Big Fish Big Fish
Flick Kick Football Legends PikPok PikPok
Plants VS Zombies 2 Electronic Arts Inc. Electronic Arts Inc., Popcap
Ridiculous Fishing – A Tale of Redemption Vlambeer Vlambeer
The Wolf Among Us Telltale, Inc. Telltale Games
Handheld Game of the Year
Fire Emblem: Awakening Nintendo Intelligent Systems
Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon Nintendo Next Level Games
Pokémon X & Y Nintendo Game Freak
Tearaway Sony Computer Entertainment America Media Molecule
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Nintendo Nintendo
Adventure Game of the Year
Assassin’s Creed: IV Black Flag Ubisoft Ubisoft Montreal
Tearaway Sony Computer Entertainment America Media Molecule
The Last of Us Sony Computer Entertainment America Naughty Dog Inc.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Nintendo Nintendo
Tomb Raider Square Enix Inc. Crystal Dymanics
Online Game of the Year
Battlefield 4 Electronic Arts Inc. DICE
Borderlands 2 2K Games Gearbox Software
Diablo III Blizzard Entertainment Blizzard Entertainment
The Last of Us Sony Computer Entertainment America Naughty Dog Inc.
World of Tanks Wargaming Public Company Ltd. 105 Wargaming.net
Action Game of the Year
Battlefield 4 Electronic Arts Inc. DICE
Bioshock Infinite 2K Games Irrational Games
Dead Rising 3 Microsoft Studios Capcom Games Studio Vancouver
DmC: Devil May Cry Capcom U.S.A., Inc. Ninja Theory
RESOGUN Sony Computer Entertainment America Housemarque
Outstanding Achievement in Animation
Assassin’s Creed: IV Black Flag Ubisoft Ubisoft Montreal
Beyond: Two Souls Sony Computer Entertainment America Quantic Dream
Puppeteer Sony Computer Entertainment America SCE Japan Studio
Rayman Legends Ubisoft Ubisoft Montpellier
The Last of Us Sony Computer Entertainment America Naughty Dog Inc.
Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction
Bioshock Infinite 2K Games Irrational Games
Puppeteer Sony Computer Entertainment America SCE Japan Studio
Rayman Legends Ubisoft Ubisoft Montpellier
Tearaway Sony Computer Entertainment America Media Molecule
The Last of Us Sony Computer Entertainment America Naughty Dog Inc.
Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering
Assassin’s Creed: IV Black Flag Ubisoft Ubisoft Montreal
Battlefield 4 Electronic Arts Inc. DICE
Grand Theft Auto V Rockstar Games Rockstar North
Ryse Microsoft Studios Crytek
The Last of Us Sony Computer Entertainment America Naughty Dog Inc.
Outstanding Achievement in Gameplay Engineering
Assassin’s Creed: IV Black Flag Ubisoft Ubisoft Montreal
Forza Motorsport 5 Microsoft Studios Turn 10 Studios
Grand Theft Auto V Rockstar Games Rockstar North
Super Mario 3D World Nintendo Nintendo
The Last of Us Sony Computer Entertainment America Naughty Dog Inc.
Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction
Brothers – A Tale of Two Sons 505 Games Starbreeze Studios
Grand Theft Auto V Rockstar Games Rockstar North
Papers, Please Lucas Pope Lucas Pope
Tearaway Sony Computer Entertainment America Media Molecule
The Last of Us Sony Computer Entertainment America Naughty Dog Inc.
Game of the Year
Assassin’s Creed: IV Black Flag Ubisoft Ubisoft Montreal
Bioshock Infinite 2K Games Irrational Games
Grand Theft Auto V Rockstar Games Rockstar North
The Last of Us Sony Computer Entertainment America Naughty Dog Inc.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Nintendo Nintendo
So, there we have it. What do you think? Good or bad list? Any surprises in there or any games missing you think deserved a shot? Let us know in the comments below!