The 25th annual DICE Awards is in the books following tonight’s ceremony co-hosted by Jessica Chobot and Greg Miller. The nominee pack was led by Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart with nine nominations, followed by Deathloop with eight nominations, and Inscryption and It Takes Two each earning five. A total of 59 games released in 2021 received nominations in this year’s awards. To see the full categorical nominee list, head here.
With those nine nominations, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart was able to secure four wins, the most of any game. However, it was It Takes Two that took home both the award for Outstanding Achievement in Game Design and the top honor of Game of the Year. This continues its hot streak from 2021’s The Game Awards, where it also earned the title of Game of the Year. Other big winners include Halo Infinite, Lone Echo II, Returnal, and Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, all of which took home multiple awards.
The annual DICE Awards are held by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences in Las Vegas, Nev., at the Mandalay Bay Resort. The nominees and awards are determined by a panel of industry peers that includes representatives from companies like Ubisoft, Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Epic Games, Apple, and more. Last year’s Game of the Year winner was Hades by Supergiant Games.
You can see the full list of this year’s winners below.
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
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
Online Game of the Year
Halo Infinite
Outstanding Achievement in Game Design
It Takes Two
Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction
Deathloop
Game of the Year
It Takes Two
Did any winners surprise you? Which 2021 games would you give your awards to that the panel at DICE missed? Sound off in the comments section below!
