This year’s DICE Awards ceremony took place in Las Vegas on February 18, and featured the top games of last year. Going into the ceremony, Rise of the Tomb Raider had the most nominations, but in the end heavyweights like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Fallout 4, and surprise indie hits of 2015 Ori and the Blind Forest and Rocket League bagged the most awards.
Also, this was a special evening for veteran Japanese designer Hideo Kojima, who was inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame, and also former Nintendo president Satoru Iwata received a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award.
So without further ado, here follows a list of the winners (and nominees) of the 2016 DICE Awards.
Game of the Year
- Fallout 4 * WINNER *
Other nominees:
- Bloodborne
- Ori and the Blind Forest
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction
- Fallout 4 * WINNER *
It is clear that Fallout 4 is a game with a great post-apocalyptic setting and atmosphere, and exploring the Boston commonwealth was a fantastic experience thanks to the game’s great open-world gameplay. Game director Todd Howard of Bethesda was on stage to pick up the award, and there’s no doubt that Fallout 4 was the big winner of the DICE ceremony this year.
Other nominees:
- Life is Strange
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Undertale
Adventure Game of the Year
- METAL GEAR SOLID V: The Phantom Pain * WINNER *
The fact that Metal Gear Solid V won this award was no doubt a heart-warming moment for Japanese video game designer Hideo Kojima, the man behind the game, who had previously been inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in the DICE ceremony.
Other nominees:
- Batman: Arkham Knight
- Life is Strange
- Ori and the Blind Forest
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
Action Game of the Year
- Star Wars Battlefront * WINNER *
Even if Electronic Arts’ game Star Wars Battlefront has been criticized for focusing on style over substance, it still offered an enjoyable gameplay experience. Although arguably Nintendo’s original paint-based shooter Splatoon, one of the Wii’s top games of 2015, deserved the award more.
Other nominees:
- Destiny: The Taken King
- HELLDIVERS
- Just Cause 3
- Splatoon
Mobile Game of the Year
- Fallout Shelter * WINNER *
There’s no doubt that Fallout Shelter was one of the top mobile games of 2015, and this was the third win of the evening for Bethesda’s Fallout franchise. Although The Room Three, with its creepy atmosphere and devious puzzles, was clearly also a top contender for the award.
Other nominees:
- DomiNations
- Lara Croft GO
- PAC-MAN 256
- The Room Three
DICE Sprite Award
- Rocket League * WINNER *
Rocket League was one of last year’s surprise hits, and one of the most original sports games in recent memory. It combines racing and European football to offer a unique and addictive gameplay experience, and is no doubt worthy of this special award.
Other nominees:
- Her Story
- GALAK-Z
- Kerbal Space Program
- Undertale
The winners of the remaining categories were the following:
Family Game of the Year
- Guitar Hero Live
- LEGO Dimensions
- Rock Band 4
- Super Mario Maker * WINNER *
- Tearaway Unfolded
Fighting Game of the Year
- Mortal Kombat X * WINNER *
- Dead or Alive 5 Last Round
- Rising Thunder
Racing Game of the Year
- Forza Motorsport 6 * WINNER *
- Need for Speed
- Project CARS
Role-Playing/Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year
- Bloodborne
- Fallout 4 * WINNER *
- Pillars of Eternity
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Undertale
Sports Game of the Year
- EA Sports FIFA 2016
- Madden NFL 2016
- MLB 15 The Show
- NBA 2K16
- Rocket League * WINNER *
Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year
- Cities: Skylines
- Fallout Shelter
- Grey Goo
- Heroes of the Storm * WINNER *
- Kerbal Space Program
Handheld Game of the Year
- Earth Defense Force 2: Invaders from Planet Space
- HELLDIVERS * WINNER *
- Pokemon: Super Mystery Dungeon
- Yo-Kai Watch
Outstanding Achievement in Animation
- Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
- Batman: Arkham Knight
- Ori and the Blind Forest * WINNER *
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- The Order: 1886
Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction
- Lara Croft GO
- Ori and the Blind Forest * WINNER *
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- The Order: 1886
- Star Wars™ Battlefront
Outstanding Achievement in Character
- Assassin’s Creed Syndicate – Evie Frye
- Her Story – Hannah Smith
- Life is Strange – Maxine Caulfield
- Rise of the Tomb Raider – Lara Croft * WINNER *
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Geralt of Rivia
Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition
- Batman: Arkham Knight
- Everybody’s Gone To The Rapture
- Ori and the Blind Forest * WINNER *
- Starcraft II: Legacy Of The Void
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design
- Destiny: The Taken King
- Ori and the Blind Forest
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- Star Wars Battlefront * WINNER *
- The Order: 1886
Outstanding Achievement in Story
- Fallout 4
- Her Story
- Tales from the Borderlands: A Telltale Game Series
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt * WINNER *
Outstanding Technical Achievement
- Just Cause 3
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- Star Wars Battlefront
- The Order: 1886
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt * WINNER *
Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay
- Destiny: The Taken King
- Halo 5: Guardians
- Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
- Rocket League * WINNER *
- Splatoon
Outstanding Achievement in Game Design
- Fallout 4
- Her Story
- Lara Croft GO
- Massive Chalice
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt * WINNER *
Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction
- Fallout 4 * WINNER *
- Life is Strange
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Undertale