With eight nominations each, Ghost of Yōtei from Sucker Punch Productions and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 from French developer Sandfall Interactive are the favorites in the race for this year's D.I.C.E. Awards.
Dispatch from Adhoc Studio and Arc Raiders from Sweden's Embark Studios also have good chances with six nominations each. Blue Prince from Dogubomb has five nominations, while Death Stranding 2: On the Beach from Kojima Productions has four.
The DICE Awards will be presented on February 12 in Las Vegas. This is the 29th presentation of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences awards, which the organization considers to be the gaming industry's equivalent of the Oscars, Emmys, and Grammys, even though the “Academy Awards” do not have the same clear significance in the gaming industry as comparable awards in the film, TV, and music businesses. As in other entertainment industries, the winners are selected by Academy members, i.e., creative professionals from the industry, after a shortlist has been drawn up. The show will be hosted by Greg Miller (Kinda Funny Games) and Stella Chung. It will also be streamed by the official media partner IGN.
Looking at the origins of the nominated studios, there is an international cross-section, with European studios performing comparatively well this year. This is of course primarily due to the successes of Sandfall and Embark, but these two are by no means the only developers from Europe with prospects of winning an award. The Czech studio Warhorse, for example, has been nominated three times for Kingdom Come Deliverance. The same applies to the Swedish team at MoonHood, the creators of The Midnight Walk. Hazelight from Sweden and Fireproof Games from the UK have two nominations each. Other nominees from Europe include Triband and Light Brick Studio (both Denmark), Maze Theory (UK), Sleepy Mill Studio (France), and 11 bit studios (Poland).
From GSA, however, only one game made it onto the shortlist for the DICE Awards this year. The Swiss team from Okomotive, led by composer Joel Schoch, can hope for an award, as Herdling is nominated in the category Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition. However, the competition is fierce: alongside him are Lorien Testard (Clair Obscure: Expedition 33), Toma Otowa (Ghost of Yōtei), Atsuko Asahi (Mario Kart World), and Austin Wintory (Sword of the Sea).
All Nominees for the 29th D.I.C.E. Awards
Outstanding Achievement in Animation
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (Kojima Productions)
- Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions)
- Monster Hunter Wilds (Capcom)
- South of Midnight (Complusion Games)
- The Midnight Walk (MoonHood)
Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive)
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (Kojima Productions)
- Dispatch (Adhoc Studio)
- Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions)
- The Midnight Walk (MoonHood)
Outstanding Achievement in Character
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Esquie (Sandfall Interactive)
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Maelle (Sandfall Interactive)
- Dispatch - Courtney/Invisigal (Adhoc Studio)
- Dispatch - Robert Robertson III/Mecha Man (Adhoc Studio)
- Ghost of Yōtei - Atsu (Sucker Punch Productions)
Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive)
- Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions)
- Herdling (Okomotive)
- Mario Kart World (Nintendo)
- Sword of the Sea (Giant Squid)
Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design
- Arc Raiders (Embark Studios)
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (Kojima Productions)
- Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions)
- Lumines Arise (Enhance, Monstars)
- Split Fiction (Hazelight Studios)
Outstanding Achievement in Story
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive)
- Consume Me (Hexecutable LLC)
- despelote (Panic Inc.)
- South of Midnight (Complusion Games)
- The Drifter (Powerhoof)
Outstanding Technical Achievement
- Arc Raiders (Embark Studios)
- Assassin's Creed Shadows (Ubisoft Québec)
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (Kojima Productions)
- Donkey Kong Bananza (Nintendo)
- Doom: The Dark Ages (id Software)
Action Game of the Year
- Absolum (Dotemu, Guard Crush Games, Supamonks)
- Arc Raiders (Embark Studios)
- Doom: The Dark Ages (id Software)
- Hades II (Supergiant Games)
- Ninja Gaiden 4 (Team NINJA, PlatinumGames)
Adventure Game of the Year
- Blue Prince (Dogubomb)
- Dispatch (Adhoc Studio)
- Donkey Kong Bananza (Nintendo)
- Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions)
- Hollow Knight: Silksong (Team Cherry)
Family Game of the Year
- Lego Party! (SMG Studio)
- Lego Voyagers (Light Brick Studio)
- Lumines Arise (Enhance, Monstars)
- Marvel Cosmic Invasion (Tribute Games)
- Popucom (Countersurge Salient)
Fighting Game of the Year
- 2XKO (Riot Games)
- Capcom Fighting Collection 2 (Capcom)
- Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves (SNK)
- Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection (Digital Eclipse)
- WWE 2K25 (Visual Concepts)
Racing Game of the Year
- EA Sports F1 25 (Codemasters)
- Kirby Air Riders (Nintendo, Sora)
- Mario Kart World (Nintendo)
- Wheel World (Messhof)
Role-Playing Game of the Year
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive)
- Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector (Jump Over the Age)
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (Warhorse Studios)
- Monster Hunter Wilds (Capcom)
- The Outer Worlds 2 (Obsidian Entertainment)
Sports Game of the Year
- EA Sports FC 26 (EA Vancouver, EA Romania)
- PGA Tour 2K25 (HB Studios)
- MLB The Show 25 (San Diego Studio)
- NBA 2K26 (Visual Concepts)
- Rematch (Sloclap)
Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year
- The Alters (11 bit studios)
- Drop Duchy (Sleepy Mill Studio)
- Europa Universalis V (Paradox Tinto)
- The King is Watching (Hypnohead)
- StarVaders (Pengonauts)
Immersive Reality Technical Achievement
- Ghost Town (Fireproof Games)
- Hotel Infinity (Studio Chyr)
- Marvel's Deadpool VR (Twisted Pixel Games)
- Star Wars: Beyond Victory - A Mixed Reality Playset (Industrial Light & Magic)
- Unloop (Superposition NULL)
Immersive Reality Game of the Year
- Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked
- Ghost Town (Fireproof Games)
- Marvel's Deadpool VR (Twisted Pixel Games)
- The Midnight Walk (MoonHood)
- Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow (Maze Theory)
Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game
- Baby Steps (Devolver Digital)
- Blue Prince (Dogubomb)
- Consume Me (Hexecutable LLC)
- despelote (Panic Inc.)
- Dispatch (Adhoc Studio)
Mobile Game of the Year
- Persona 5: The Phantom X (Black Wings Game Studio)
- Umamusume: Pretty Derby (Cygames)
- What the Clash? (Triband)
- Where Winds Meet (Everstone Studio)
Online Game of the Year
- Arc Raiders (Embark Studios)
- Battlefield 6 (Battlefield Studios)
- Mario Kart World (Nintendo)
- Marvel Rivals (NetEase Games)
- Split Fiction (Hazelight Studios)
Outstanding Achievement in Game Design
- Arc Raiders (Embark Studios)
- Blue Prince (Dogubomb)
- Hades II (Supergiant Games)
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (Warhorse Studios)
- Öoo (NamaTakahashi, tiny cactus studio, Tsuyomi)
Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction
- Blue Prince (Dogubomb)
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive)
- Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions)
- Hades II (Supergiant Games)
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (Warhorse Studios)
Game of the Year
- Arc Raiders (Embark Studios)
- Blue Prince (Dogubomb)
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive)
- Dispatch (Adhoc Studio)
- Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions)
