FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LOS ANGELES – January 12, 2018 - The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) is pleased to announce the nominees for its 21^st D.I.C.E. Awards (#DICEAwards), co-hosted by Greg Miller, co-founder of internet video show and podcast Kinda Funny, and Jessica Chobot of Nerdist News. Academy members will begin general voting for the video game industry’s premier peer-based awards show on Friday, Jan. 12^th at 5:00 PM PST.

The winners will be revealed at the D.I.C.E. Awards ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 22^nd in Las Vegas as the culmination of the week-long industry gathering at the 2018 D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit (#DICE18). The ceremony will once again be live streamed in its entirety beginning at 8:00 pm PT/11:00 pm ET via media partner IGN Entertainment. 

“Congratulations to all the 2017 nominees – an amazing list of diverse experiences that really embody the creative ambitions and achievements that define our industry,” said Meggan Scavio, President, Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. “I want to thank our passionate jury panelists that dedicate their time and expertise to drive our peer process and distinguish the best of the best in interactive entertainment.” 

Sixty-eight of the most exciting games from 2017 received a nomination.  Horizon Zero Dawn leads the group with 10 total nominations.  Several games received multiple nods, including: The Legend of Zelda: The Breath of the Wild with 6 nominations; Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, and Cuphead with 5 nominations; and Gorogoa, PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS, Super Mario Odyssey which received 4 nominations each. Nominees for the evening’s top prize, Game of the Year, are: Cuphead; Horizon Zero Dawn; PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS; Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

The following is the full list of nominees: http://www.interactive.org/images/awards/21st-Annual-DICE-Awards-Finalists.pdf

Outstanding Achievement in Animation

Cuphead

For Honor

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

Horizon Zero Dawn

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction

Cuphead

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

Horizon Zero Dawn

Little Nightmares

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Outstanding Achievement in Character

Assassin's Creed Origins - Bayek

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice - Senua

Horizon Zero Dawn - Aloy

Star Wars Battlefront II - Iden Versio

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy - Chloe Fraiser

Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition

Call of Duty: WWII

Cuphead

Horizon Zero Dawn

RiME

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design

Destiny 2

Injustice 2

Star Wars Battlefront II

Super Mario Odyssey

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Outstanding Achievement in Story

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

Horizon Zero Dawn

Night in the Woods

What Remains of Edith Finch

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

Outstanding Technical Achievement

Assassin's Creed Origins

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

Horizon Zero Dawn

Lone Echo/Echo Arena

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Action Game of the Year

Call of Duty: WWII

Cuphead

Destiny 2

PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

Adventure Game of the Year

Assassin's Creed Origins

Horizon Zero Dawn

Super Mario Odyssey

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Family Game of the Year

DropMix

GNOG

Just Dance 2018

SingStar Celebration

Snipperclips

Fighting Game of the Year

ARMS

Injustice 2

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite

Nidhogg 2

Tekken 7

Racing Game of the Year

DiRT 4

Forza Motorsport 7

Gran Turismo Sport

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Project CARS 2

Role-Playing Game of the Year

Divinity: Original Sin 2

Middle-earth: Shadow of War

NieR:Automata

Persona 5

Torment: Tides of Numenera

Sports Game of the Year

Everybody's Golf

FIFA 18

Golf Clash

Madden NFL 18

MLB The Show 17

Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year

Endless Space 2

Halo Wars 2

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

Total War: Warhammer II

XCOM 2: War of the Chosen

Immersive Reality Technical Achievement

Lone Echo/Echo Arena

Robo Recall

Star Trek Bridge Crew

The Invisible Hours

Wilson's Heart

Immersive Reality Game of the Year

Lone Echo/Echo Arena

Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin

Robo Recall

Space Pirate Trainer

Wilson's Heart

D.I.C.E. Sprite Award

Everything

Gorogoa

Night in the Woods

Pyre

Snipperclips

Handheld Game of the Year

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

Metroid: Samus Returns

Monster Hunter Stories

Mobile Game of the Year

Cat Quest

Fire Emblem Heroes

Gorogoa

Monument Valley 2

Splitter Critters

Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay

Call of Duty: WWII

Destiny 2

Fortnite

PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands

Outstanding Achievement in Game Design

Gorogoa

Horizon Zero Dawn

PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS

Super Mario Odyssey

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction

Gorogoa

Horizon Zero Dawn

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

What Remains of Edith Finch

Game of the Year

Cuphead

Horizon Zero Dawn

PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS

Super Mario Odyssey

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The Academy’s 30K+ members, comprised of the interactive publishing and development communities, recognize excellence in 24 different interactive game categories in one of the highest forms of recognition in the industry. Titles were played and evaluated by members of the Academy’s peer panels to determine final nominees. These panels, one for each award category, are comprised of the game industry’s most experienced and talented men and women who are experts in their chosen fields. Winners are determined as part of a confidential voting process and will be revealed on the evening of the show. A list of all the peer panelists can be found here.

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