The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences has revealed the nominees for the 19th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards. The winners will be revealed at the Awards ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 18, at The Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas at the conclusion of the 2016 D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit.
Among the 53 games to be nominated is Batman: Arkham Knight, the conclusion to Rocksteady Games’ Batman Arkham trilogy. Arkham Knight received three total nominations, including one for Best Adventure Game.
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Star Wars: Battlefront received four total nominations, including a nomination for Best Action Game.
This year’s Game of the Year nominees are Bloodborne, Fallout 4, Ori and the Blind Forest, Rise of the Tomb Raider, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Rise of the Tomb Raider and The Witcher 3 lead in total nominations, with eight each.
“Looking at the nominees for the 19th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, I am especially impressed by the broad range of titles catering to gamers’ increasingly sophisticated and diverse tastes,” said Martin Rae, president, Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, in a press release. “It is always gratifying to watch our industry and its many artists and craftsmen grow and continue to challenge and thrill audiences. February 18th will be another memorable celebration of the best in interactive entertainment bolstered by the playful humor of host Pete Holmes.”
The D.I.C.E. Awards ceremony will also honor the late Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata with a Lifetime Achievement Award, and Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima will be inducted into the D.I.C.E. Hall of Fame.
The full list of D.I.C.E. nominees follows:
GAME OF THE YEAR
- Bloodborne
- Fallout 4
- Ori and the Blind Forest
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN GAME DIRECTION
- Fallout 4
- Life is Strange
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Undertale
ADVENTURE GAME OF THE YEAR
- Batman: Arkham Knight
- Life is Strange
- METAL GEAR SOLID V: The Phantom Pain
- Ori and the Blind Forest
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
ACTION GAME OF THE YEAR
- Destiny: The Taken King
- Helldivers
- Just Cause 3
- Star Wars Battlefront
- Splatoon
MOBILE GAME OF THE YEAR
- Dominations
- Fallout Shelter
- Lara Croft GO
- PAC-MAN 256
- The Room Three
DICE SPRITE AWARD
- Her Story
- Galak-Z
- Kerbal Space Program
- Rocket League
- Undertale
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN ANIMATION
- Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
- Batman: Arkham Knight
- Ori and the Blind Forest
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- The Order: 1886
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION
- Lara Croft GO
- Ori and the Blind Forest
- 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 — Max
- Rise of the Tomb Raider — Lara Croft
- 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
- 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
- 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
OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
- Just Cause 3
- Rise of the Tomb Raider
- Star Wars Battlefront
- The Order: 1886
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
FAMILY GAME OF THE YEAR
- Guitar Hero Live
- Lego Dimensions
- Rock Band 4
- Super Mario Maker
- Tearaway Unfolded
FIGHTING GAME OF THE YEAR
- Mortal Kombat X
- Dead or Alive 5 Last Round
- Rising Thunder
RACING GAME OF THE YEAR
- Forza Motorsport 6
- Need for Speed
- Project CARS
ROLE-PLAYING/MASSIVELY MULTIPLAYER GAME OF THE YEAR
- Bloodborne
- Fallout 4
- Pillars of Eternity
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Undertale
SPORTS GAME OF THE YEAR
- FIFA 2016
- Madden NFL 2016
- MLB 15 The Show
- NBA 2K16
- Rocket League
STRATEGY/SIMULATION GAME OF THE YEAR
- Cities: Skylines
- Fallout Shelter
- Grey Goo
- Heroes of the Storm
- Kerbal Space Program
HANDHELD GAME OF THE YEAR
- Earth Defense Force 2: Invaders from Planet Space
- Helldivers
- Pokemon: Super Mystery Dungeon
- Yo-Kai Watch
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN ONLINE GAMEPLAY
- Destiny: The Taken King
- Halo 5: Guardians
- Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
- Rocket League
- Splatoon
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN GAME DESIGN
- Fallout 4
- Her Story
- Lara Croft GO
- Massive Chalice
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
