God of War and Marvel’s Spider-Man secure multiple 22nd DICE Awards nominations

Sony Santa Monica Studios’ God of War leads the nominations for next month’s DICE Awards with 12 nominations across a range of categories. Marvel’s Spider-Man, too, has made a significant impact with 11 nominations, with Red Dead Redemption 2 and Return of the Obra Dinn each picking up eight and six respectively. Astro Bot Rescue Mission, Detroit: Become Human, Florence, and Into the Breach each received four.

DICE will run from February 10th to February 13th, 2019, at Las Vegas venue, the Aria Resort and Casino. The awards celebrate excellence in art, animation, story, music, game design, and game direction, as well as "looking at emerging technologies such as Immersive Reality", the game must have been released to the public between January 1st and December 31st, 2018.

The Academy’s top honour, Game of the Year (GOTY), celebrates a single title that stands above every other game released "with the strength of its craft, depth and innovation" and this year, God of War, Into the Breach, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Return of the Obra Dinn have all been shortlisted for the coveted award. Previous Game of the Year winners include Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2018), Overwatch (2017), Fallout 4 (2016), Dragon Age: Inquisition (2015), and The Last of Us (2014).

For 2019, DICE’s theme celebrates "trailblazers, disruptors, technical masterminds and poets of pixels continue to change the game, building and promoting community on both sides of the screen". Bonnie Ross – Microsoft Corporate VP and head of Halo studio 343 Industries – will also be honoured and inducted into The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences’ (AIAS) Hall of Fame.

The full nominee list is as follows:

Game of the Year

• God of War
• Into the Breach
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Return of the Obra Dinn

Outstanding Achievement in Animation

• God of War
• GRIS
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• Moss
• Red Dead Redemption 2

Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction

• Detroit: Become Human
• God of War
• GRIS
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• Red Dead Redemption 2

Outstanding Achievement in Character

• Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (Kassandra)
• God of War (Atreus)
• God of War (Kratos)
• Marvel’s Spider-Man (Peter Parker/Spider-Man)
• Red Dead Redemption 2 (Arthur Morgan)

Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition

• Detroit: Become Human
• Forgotton Anne
• God of War
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• Tetris Effect

Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design

• Battlefield V
• Detroit: Become Human
• God of War
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• Moss

Outstanding Achievement in Story

• Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
• Florence
• God of War
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• Return of the Obra Dinn

Outstanding Technical Achievement

• ASTRO BOT Rescue Mission
• Battlefield V
• God of War
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• Red Dead Redemption 2

Action Game of the Year

• Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
• Celeste
• Destiny 2: Forsaken
• Far Cry 5
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Adventure Game of the Year

• Detroit: Become Human
• God of War
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Return of the Obra Dinn

Family Game of the Year

• ASTRO BOT Rescue Mission
• Kirby Star Allies
• LEGO DC Super-Villains
• Starlink: Battle for Atlas
• Unravel Two

Fighting Game of the Year

• BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle
• Dragon Ball FighterZ
• SOULCALIBUR VI
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Racing Game of the Year

• Forza Horizon 4
• F1 2018
• Wreckfest

Role-Playing Game of the Year

• Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
• Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
• Monster Hunter World
• Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom
• Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire

Sports Game of the Year

• FIFA 19
• Mario Tennis Aces
• MLB The Show 18

Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year

• Bad North
• Frostpunk
• Into the Breach
• Northgard
• RimWorld

Immersive Reality Technical Achievement

• ASTRO BOT Rescue Mission
• Beat Saber
• Dr. Grordbort’s Invaders
• Tónandi
• Torn

Immersive Reality Game of the Year

• ASTRO BOT Rescue Mission
• Beat Saber
• Moss
• Sprint Vector
• Transference

Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game

• Celeste
• Florence
• Into the Breach
• Minit
• Return of the Obra Dinn

Portable Game of the Year

• Dandara
• Donut County
• Dragalia Lost
• Florence
• Oddmar

Online Game of the Year

• Fortnite
• Destiny 2: Forsaken
• Laser League
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Sea of Thieves

Outstanding Achievement in Game Design

• God of War
• Into the Breach
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• Return of the Obra Dinn
• Subnautica

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction

• Florence
• God of War
• Marvel’s Spider-Man
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Return of the Obra Dinn