Every year, the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences meet to dole out awards to the past year's video games in a variety of categories. Called the DICE Awards, these awards are considered some of the most prestigious in the entire video game industry. This year's DICE Award winners have been announced, and they include some very surprising winners.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is indie darling Untitled Goose Game winning the overall Game of the Year, beating out the likes of Control, Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding, Disco Elysium, and Outer Wilds. Out of all the DICE Award nominees this year, Untitled Goose Game was by far one of the most successful, also winning the Outstanding Achievement in Character award as well as the Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game award.
Untitled Goose Game had an impressive showing, but it was outdone by Remedy Entertainment's Control, which took home four awards. Control was named Action Game of the Year, won the award for Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction, Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition, and Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction. Considering how successful Control was at the DICE Awards, some may be wondering why it didn't get named Game of the Year over Untitled Goose Game.
Here is the full list of DICE Awards winners this year:
Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game - Untitled Goose Game
Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design - Death Stranding
Action Game of the Year - Control
Adventure Game of the Year - Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Family Game of the Year - Super Mario Maker 2
Fighting Game of the Year - Mortal Kombat 11
Game of the Year - Untitled Goose Game
Immersive Reality Game of the Year - Pistol Whip
Immersive Reality Technical Achievement - Blood & Truth
Online Game of the Year - Apex Legends
Outstanding Achievement in Animation - Luigi's Mansion 3
Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction - Control
Outstanding Achievement in Character - Untitled Goose Game
Outstanding Achievement in Game Design - Baba Is You
Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition - Control
Outstanding Achievement in Story - Disco Elysium
Outstanding Technical Achievement - Death Stranding
Racing Game of the Year - Mario Kart Tour
Role-Playing Game of the Year - The Outer Worlds
Sports Game of the Year - FIFA 20
Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year - Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction - Control
Portable Game of the Year - Sayonara Wild Hearts
There are a couple of games that didn't win any awards that may surprise players. Resident Evil 2, despite being the highest-rated video game of 2019 in terms of review score average, failed to win a single award at the event. Additionally, The Game Awards Game of the Year Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, also did not win any awards. It was, however, nominated for both Outstanding Achievement in Game Design and Action Game of the Year.
With so many huge games releasing this year, it will be interesting to see what takes home the top prize at the 2021 DICE Awards.