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D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Game Design
CountryUnited States
Presented by Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences
First awarded 1998
Currently held by Baldur's Gate 3
Website www.interactive.org

The D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Game Design is an award presented annually by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences during the D.I.C.E. Awards. This award is "presented to the title that most effectively combines interactive and non-interactive elements to create a cohesive gameplay experience. Outstanding design is exemplified by balanced system design, cohesive mechanics that relate to overall aesthetic direction, level layout, challenge flow, progression elements, interface design, and social game mechanics. This award recognizes the Lead Designer or Design Director in architecting all elements into a unified design". [1] Creative/technical Academy members with expertise as a game designer or producer are qualified to vote for this award. [2]

The award's most recent winner is Baldur's Gate 3, developed and published by Larian Studios.

History

It was originally presented as Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Design; it was later renamed Outstanding Achievement in Game Design at the 3rd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards. [3] [4] [5] A separate award category was offered at the 2010 awards ceremony for Outstanding Achievement in Portable Game Design, presented to the title that makes "the most compelling contribution to the unique opportunities and challenges of portable, mobile and networked game play". [6] This award would not be presented at the ceremonies between 2011 and 2014; however, the category would be offered again in 2015, and has been offered every year since.

  • Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Design ( 1998- 1999)
  • Outstanding Achievement in Game Design ( 2000- 2010, 2015-present)
  • Outstanding Achievement in Portable Game Design ( 2010)

Game Design and Game of the Year

See also: D.I.C.E. Award for Game of the Year

More than half of the finalists for the Game Design category were also finalists for Game of the Year. However, only nine winners for Game Design ended up winning Game of the Year:

The winners for Game Design that were not finalists for Game of the Year [a] were:

The Game of the Year winners that were not finalists for Game Design (excluding winners during years when the Game Design category was not offered) were:

2001 and 2008 [b] were the only years that all finalists for Game Design were finalists for Game of the Year.

In 2009, the PlayStation Portable release of LittleBigPlanet and Scribblenauts were finalists for " Portable Game of the Year" in addition to Outstanding Achievement in Portable Game Design; Scribblenauts would be the winner for both awards. Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story received a nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Game Design while also nominated for "Portable Game of the Year".

Winners and nominees

1990s

Table key
Indicates the winner
Year Game Developer(s) Publisher(s) Ref.
1997/ 1998 [c]
(1st) 		PaRappa the Rapper NanaOn-Sha Sony Computer Entertainment [7] [8] [9]
Dungeon Keeper Bullfrog Productions Electronic Arts
Final Fantasy VII SquareSoft Sony Computer Entertainment
GoldenEye 007 Rare Nintendo
1998/ 1999 [c]
(2nd) 		The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Nintendo EAD Nintendo [10] [11]
Half-Life Valve Sierra On-Line
Metal Gear Solid Konami Konami
Pokémon Red and Blue Game Freak Nintendo
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri Firaxis Games Electronic Arts
1999/ 2000
(3rd) 		The Sims Maxis Electronic Arts [12]
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings Ensemble Studios Microsoft Games
Gran Turismo 2 Polyphony Digital Sony Computer Entertainment
Nox Westwood Studios Westwood Studios, Electronic Arts
Syphon Filter Eidetic 989 Studios

2000s

Year Game Developer(s) Publisher(s) Ref.
2000
(4th) 		The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask Nintendo EAD Nintendo [13] [14]
Jet Grind Radio Smilebit Sega
Rayman 2: The Great Escape Ubi Pictures Ubisoft
Shenmue Sega AM2 Sega
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 Neversoft Activision
2001
(5th) 		Grand Theft Auto III DMA Design Rockstar Games [15] [16]
[17] [18]
Dark Age of Camelot Mythic Entertainment Vivendi Universal Games
Halo: Combat Evolved Bungie Microsoft Game Studios
Ico Japan Studio Sony Computer Entertainment
Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy Naughty Dog
Pikmin Nintendo EAD Nintendo
2002
(6th) 		Animal Crossing Nintendo EAD Nintendo [19] [20]
Battlefield 1942 DICE Electronic Arts
Metroid Prime Retro Studios Nintendo
Neverwinter Nights BioWare Infogrames
Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos Blizzard Entertainment Blizzard Entertainment
2003
(7th) 		Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Ubisoft Montreal Ubisoft [21] [22]
[23] [24]
Amplitude Harmonix Sony Computer Entertainment
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic BioWare LucasArts
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker Nintendo EAD Nintendo
Tony Hawk's Underground Neversoft Activision
2004
(8th) 		Katamari Damacy Namco Namco [25] [26]
City of Heroes Cryptic Studios NCSoft
Fable Lionhead Studios Microsoft Game Studios
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Rockstar North Rockstar Games
Half-Life 2 Valve Vivendi Universal Games
2005
(9th) 		Guitar Hero Harmonix RedOctane [27] [28] [29]
God of War Santa Monica Studio Sony Computer Entertainment
King Kong Ubisoft Montpellier Ubisoft
Nintendogs Nintendo EAD Nintendo
Psychonauts Double Fine Productions Majesco Entertainment
2006
(10th) 		Wii Sports Nintendo EAD Nintendo [30] [31]
Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! Nintendo SPD Nintendo
Company of Heroes Relic Entertainment THQ
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Bethesda Game Studios 2K Games, Bethesda Softworks
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Nintendo EAD Nintendo
2007
(11th) 		Portal Valve Valve [32] [33]
BioShock 2K Boston, 2K Australia 2K Games
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Infinity Ward Activision
Rock Band Harmonix MTV Games
Super Mario Galaxy Nintendo EAD Nintendo
2008
(12th) 		World of Goo 2D Boy 2D Boy, Nintendo [34] [35]
Fable II Lionhead Studios Microsoft Game Studios
Fallout 3 Bethesda Game Studios Bethesda Softworks
Gears of War 2 Epic Games Microsoft Game Studios
Left 4 Dead Valve South Valve
2009
(13th) 		Outstanding Achievement in Game Design [36] [37] [38]
Batman: Arkham Asylum Rocksteady Studios Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Infinity Ward Activision
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story AlphaDream Nintendo
Plants vs. Zombies PopCap Games PopCap Games
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Naughty Dog Sony Computer Entertainment
Outstanding Achievement in Portable Game Design [6] [39] [40]
Scribblenauts 5th Cell Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure EA Tiburon Electronic Arts
LittleBigPlanet Cambridge Studio Sony Computer Entertainment
LocoRoco 2 Japan Studio
Patapon 2

2010s

The Outstanding Achievement in Game Design category was not offered at the award ceremonies from 2011 to 2014.

Year Game Developer(s) Publisher(s) Ref.
2014
(18th) 		Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Monolith Productions Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment [41] [42]
Dungeon of the Endless Amplitude Studios Amplitude Studios
Far Cry 4 Ubisoft Montreal Ubisoft
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft Blizzard Entertainment Blizzard Entertainment
Titanfall Respawn Entertainment Electronic Arts
2015
(19th) 		The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt CD Projekt Red CD Projekt [43] [44]
Fallout 4 Bethesda Game Studios Bethesda Softworks
Her Story Sam Barlow Sam Barlow
Lara Croft Go Square Enix Montreal Square Enix Europe
Massive Chalice Double Fine Productions Double Fine Productions
2016
(20th) 		Overwatch Blizzard Entertainment Blizzard Entertainment [1] [45]
I Expect You to Die Schell Games Schell Games
Inside Playdead Playdead
Owlboy D-Pad Studio D-Pad Studio
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End Naughty Dog Sony Interactive Entertainment
2017
(21st) 		The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Nintendo EPD Nintendo [46] [47]
Gorogoa Jason Roberts Annapurna Interactive
Horizon Zero Dawn Guerrilla Games Sony Interactive Entertainment
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds PUBG Corporation Bluehole
Super Mario Odyssey Nintendo EPD Nintendo
2018
(22nd) 		God of War Santa Monica Studio Sony Interactive Entertainment [48] [49]
Into the Breach Subset Games Subset Games
Marvel's Spider-Man Insomniac Games Sony Interactive Entertainment
Return of the Obra Dinn Lucas Pope 3909
Subnautica Unknown Worlds Entertainment Unknown Worlds Entertainment
2019
(23rd) 		Baba Is You Hempuli Hempuli [50] [51]
Disco Elysium ZA/UM ZA/UM
Outer Wilds Mobius Digital Annapurna Interactive
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice FromSoftware Activision
Slay the Spire MegaCrit Humble Bundle

2020s

Year Game Developer(s) Publisher(s) Ref.
2020
(24th) 		Hades Supergiant Games Supergiant Games [52] [53]
Ghost of Tsushima Sucker Punch Productions Sony Interactive Entertainment
Half-Life: Alyx Valve Valve
The Last of Us Part II Naughty Dog Sony Interactive Entertainment
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales Insomniac Games
2021
(25th) 		It Takes Two Hazelight Studios Electronic Arts [54] [55]
Deathloop Arkane Studios Bethesda Softworks
Inscryption Daniel Mullins Games Devolver Digital
Loop Hero Four Quarters
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Insomniac Games Sony Interactive Entertainment
2022
(26th) 		Elden Ring FromSoftware Bandai Namco Entertainment [56] [57] [58]
God of War Ragnarök Santa Monica Studio Sony Interactive Entertainment
Marvel Snap Second Dinner Nuverse
Tunic Isometricorps Games Finji
Vampire Survivors poncle poncle
2023
(27th) 		Baldur's Gate 3 Larian Studios Larian Studios [59] [60] [61]
Cocoon Geometric Interactive Annapurna Interactive
Dave the Diver Mintrocket Mintrocket
Super Mario Bros. Wonder Nintendo EPD Nintendo
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Multiple nominations and wins

Developers and publishers

Nintendo is the most nominated developer in this category, and the only developer to have won more than once; Nintendo has also published the most winners, with Sony publishing the most nominees. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has published both winners in 2010 for Game Design and Portable Game Design. In addition, Warner Bros. technically has published back-to-back winners, but the 4-year gap has existed in which the award has not been offered between wins.

Developers
Developer Nominations Wins
Nintendo EAD/ SPD/ EPD 14 5
Valve 4 1
Blizzard Entertainment 3 1
Harmonix 3 1
Santa Monica Studio 3 1
FromSoftware 2 1
DMA Design/Rockstar North 2 1
Ubisoft Montreal 2 1
Naughty Dog 4 0
Bethesda Game Studios 3 0
Japan Studio 3 0
Insomniac Games 3 0
BioWare 2 0
Double Fine Productions 2 0
Infinity Ward 2 0
Lionhead Studios 2 0
Neversoft 2 0
Ubi Pictures/Ubisoft Montpellier 2 0
Publishers
Publisher Nominations Wins
Nintendo 19 6
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment 3 3
Sony Computer/Interactive Entertainment 20 2
Electronic Arts 8 2
Namco/ Bandai Namco Entertainment 2 2
Ubisoft 4 1
Valve 4 1
Rockstar Games 2 1
Activision 5 0
Microsoft Game Studios 5 0
Bethesda Softworks 4 0
Annapurna Interactive 3 0
2K Games 2 0
Devolver Digital 2 0
Sega 2 0
Vivendi Universal Games 2 0

Franchises

The Legend of Zelda franchise is the most nominated franchise in this category, and is the only franchise to have won more than once.

Franchises
Franchises Nominations Wins
The Legend of Zelda 6 3
God of War 3 1
Grand Theft Auto 2 1
Mario 4 0
Half-Life 3 0
Marvel [d] 3 0
Call of Duty 2 0
Fable 2 0
Fallout 2 0
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 0
Tony Hawk's 2 0
Uncharted 2 0
Warcraft 2 0

Notes

  1. ^ Portal was released as part of the The Orange Box.
  2. ^ Portal was released as part of the The Orange Box.
  3. ^ a b Presented as Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Design.
  4. ^ Includes Spider-Man titles.

References

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