| D.I.C.E. Award for Role-Playing Game of the Year | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Presented by | Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |
| First awarded | 1998 |
| Currently held by | Elden Ring |
| Website | www |
The D.I.C.E. Award for Role-Playing Game of the Year is an award presented annually by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences during the D.I.C.E. Awards. "This award honors a title, single-player or multi-player, where an individual assumes the role of one or more characters and develops those characters in terms of abilities, statistics, and/or traits as the game progresses. Gameplay involves exploring, acquiring resources, solving puzzles, and interacting with player or non-player characters in the persistent world. Through the player's actions, his/her virtual characters' statistics or traits demonstrably evolve throughout the game".[1] All active creative/technical, business, and affiliate members of the academy are qualified to vote for this category.[2] The award initially had separate awards for console games and computer games at the 1st Annual Interactive Achievement Awards in 1998, with the first winners being Final Fantasy VII for console and Dungeon Keeper for computer. Throughout the history of this category, there have been numerous mergers and changes for role-playing related games. The current version was established at the 21st Annual D.I.C.E. Awards in 2018, which was awarded to Nier: Automata.
The award's most recent winner is Elden Ring, developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment.
History
Initially the Interactive Achievement Awards had separate awards for Console Role-Playing Game of the Year and Computer Role-Playing Game of the Year.[3][4] The Role-Playing game category was merged with the Adventure game category at the 2000 awards ceremony;[5][6] this was most likely because the previous console adventure game winners also won the award for console role-playing, which were Final Fantasy VII in 1998[3][7] and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in 1999.[8][9] In the following year, the Adventure game category was eventually merged with the Action game category, so a separate award for Role-Playing games resumed.[10][11] Starting in 2005, genre-specific awards would no longer have separate awards for console and computer games, so it simply became Role-Playing Game of the Year. In 2010, Role-Playing Game of the Year was merged with Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year, since most massively multiplayer online games were MMORPGs. The award would later be simplified back to Role-Playing Game of the Year in 2018.
- Console Role-Playing Game of the Year (1998—1999)
- Computer Role-Playing Game of the Year (1998—1999)
- Console Adventure/Role-Playing Game of the Year (2000)
- Computer Adventure/Role-Playing Game of the Year (2000)
- Console Role-Playing Game of the Year (2001—2005)
- Computer Role-Playing Game of the Year (2001—2005)
- Role-Playing Game of the Year (2006—2009, 2018—present)
- Role-Playing/Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year (2010—2017)
Winners and nominees
1990s
| Indicates the winner |
2000s
2010s
2020s
Multiple nominations and wins
Developers and publishers
Square Enix received the most nominations as a publisher, including nominations prior to the merger of SquareSoft and Enix. Electronic Arts has published the most award winners for the RPG genre, which included titles under collaboration with SquareSoft prior to their merger with Enix. Sega has published the most nominees without winning a single award.
As developers, SquareSoft/Square Enix is tied with BioWare for the most nominations in this category, with BioWare developing the most wins. Level-5 developed the most nominations without a single win. BioWare, SquareSoft and Square Enix are the only developers to have consecutive wins for RPG awards. SquareSoft, Square Enix, and Electronic Arts are the only publishers with back-to-back wins for RPG awards.
- SquareSoft won Console Role-Playing Game of the Year in 2000 with Final Fantasy VIII, and in 2001 with Final Fantasy IX; both were published by Square Electronic Arts, a subsidiary of EA that was part of a partnership with SquareSoft.
- BioWare won Computer Role-Playing Game of the Year four years in row from 2002—2005, and technically won a fifth year, winning Role-Playing Game of the Year in 2006.
- BioWare, now owned by Electronic Arts, won Role-Playing Game of the Year back-to-back again in 2010 with Dragon Age: Origins, and in 2011 with Mass Effect 2.
- Square Enix also won Role-Playing Game of the Year back-to-back again in 2021 with Final Fantasy VII Remake, and in 2022 with Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker.
In 2003, BioWare became the only developer to win both Console Role-Playing Game of the Year and Computer Role-Playing Game of the Year within the same year with Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, which was published by LucasArts. Black Isle Studios also published the winners for console and computer RPGs in 2002, but with different developers: Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance for console, developed by Snowblind Studios, and Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal for computer, developed by BioWare.
| Developer | Nominations | Wins |
|---|---|---|
| BioWare | 15 | 12 |
| SquareSoft/Square Enix | 16 | 5 |
| Bethesda Game Studios | 6 | 4 |
| FromSoftware | 5 | 2 |
| Nintendo EAD | 2 | 2 |
| Blizzard Entertainment | 7 | 1 |
| Obsidian Entertainment | 4 | 1 |
| Intelligent Systems | 3 | 1 |
| Blizzard North | 2 | 1 |
| Capcom | 2 | 1 |
| Level-5 | 8 | 0 |
| CD Projekt Red | 5 | 0 |
| Black Isle Studios | 4 | 0 |
| Atlus | 3 | 0 |
| Game Freak | 3 | 0 |
| Gas Powered Games | 3 | 0 |
| inXile Entertainment | 3 | 0 |
| Konami | 3 | 0 |
| Larian Studios | 3 | 0 |
| Eidos-Montréal | 2 | 0 |
| Ion Storm | 2 | 0 |
| Lionhead Studios | 2 | 0 |
| Matrix Software | 2 | 0 |
| Media.Vision | 2 | 0 |
| Monolith Soft | 2 | 0 |
| Namco Tales Studio | 2 | 0 |
| Sierra On-Line | 2 | 0 |
| Troika Games | 2 | 0 |
| Publisher | Nominations | Wins |
|---|---|---|
| Electronic Arts | 13 | 7 |
| SquareSoft/Square Enix | 21 | 5 |
| Microsoft Game Studios | 10 | 4 |
| Bethesda Softworks | 7 | 4 |
| Nintendo | 16 | 3 |
| Black Isle Studios | 4 | 3 |
| Namco/Bandai Namco | 10 | 2 |
| Blizzard Entertainment | 9 | 2 |
| Atari | 5 | 2 |
| Sony Computer/Interactive Entertainment | 11 | 1 |
| Capcom | 2 | 1 |
| Sega | 7 | 0 |
| Atlus | 5 | 0 |
| CD Projekt | 5 | 0 |
| Eidos Interactive/Square Enix Europe | 5 | 0 |
| Interplay Productions/Entertainment | 4 | 0 |
| Konami | 3 | 0 |
| Larian Studios | 3 | 0 |
| Sierra On-Line | 3 | 0 |
| Activision | 2 | 0 |
| Techland Publishing | 2 | 0 |
| Ubisoft | 2 | 0 |
Franchises
The Final Fantasy franchise has been the most nominated franchise and won the most awards. Deus Ex, Pokémon, and Warcraft have received the most nominations without winning a single award. Mass Effect and Dragon Age have won every single time they have been nominated. Final Fantasy is also the only franchise to have received back-to-back wins for RPG awards (twice):
- Final Fantasy VIII and Final Fantasy IX won Console Role-Playing Game of the Year in 2000 and 2001.
- Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker won in 2021 and 2022.
There were numerous games that received multiple nominations, mostly for expansion packs.
- Diablo II won Computer Role-Playing Game of the Year in 2001, and the expansion pack Lord of Destruction was nominated in 2002.
- Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn was nominated for Computer Role-Playing Game of the Year in 2001, and the expansion pack Throne of Bhaal won in 2002.
- Neverwinter Nights won Computer Role-Playing Game of the Year in 2003, the expansion pack Shadows of Undrentide was nominated in 2004, and the expansion pack Kingmaker won in 2005.
- World of Warcraft expansion packs that have been nominated were Cataclysm in 2011, Warlords of Draenor in 2015, Legion in 2017, and Dragonflight in 2023.
- Diablo III was nominated in 2013, and won in 2014.
- Final Fantasy XIV expansion packs included Shadowbringers being nominated in 2020, and Endwalker winning in 2022.
- Cyberpunk 2077 was nominated in 2021, with the expansion pack Phantom Liberty being nominated in 2024.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was the only game to win both console and computer RPG awards in the same year in 2004. Baldur's Gate was the only franchise to be nominated for and win both console and computer awards with different games in 2002: Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance for console, and the Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal expansion pack for computer.
| Franchise | Nominations | Wins |
|---|---|---|
| Final Fantasy | 12 | 5 |
| Baldur's Gate | 5 | 3 |
| Mass Effect | 3 | 3 |
| Diablo | 5 | 2 |
| Fallout | 5 | 2 |
| Neverwinter Nights | 3 | 2 |
| Star Wars | 3 | 2 |
| The Elder Scrolls | 3 | 2 |
| Dragon Age | 2 | 2 |
| Dark Souls | 2 | 1 |
| Paper Mario | 2 | 1 |
| The Legend of Zelda | 2 | 1 |
| Deus Ex | 4 | 0 |
| Pokémon | 4 | 0 |
| Warcraft | 4 | 0 |
| Dungeon Siege | 3 | 0 |
| Dragon Quest | 3 | 0 |
| Tales | 3 | 0 |
| The Witcher | 3 | 0 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 2 | 0 |
| Dark Cloud | 2 | 0 |
| Divinity | 2 | 0 |
| Fable | 2 | 0 |
| Kingdom Hearts | 2 | 0 |
| Ni no Kuni | 2 | 0 |
| Pillars of Eternity | 2 | 0 |
| Persona | 2 | 0 |
| Suikoden | 2 | 0 |
| Torment | 2 | 0 |
| Wild Arms | 2 | 0 |
| Xeno | 2 | 0 |
Notes
References
- 1 2 "2006 Award Category Details". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
- ↑ "D.I.C.E. Awards Voting Rules & Procedures". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
- 1 2 "1998 Awards Category Details Console Role Playing Game of the Year". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on November 27, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
- ↑ "1998 Awards Category Details Computer Role Playing Game of the Year". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on November 27, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ↑ "2000 Awards Category Details Console Adventure/Role Playing Game of the Year". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on June 1, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
- ↑ "2000 Awards Category Details Computer Adventure/Role Playing Game of the Year". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on June 1, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
- ↑ "1998 Awards Category Details Console Adventure Game of the Year". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on November 27, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- 1 2 "1999 Awards Category Details Console Role Playing Game of the Year". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on November 30, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ↑ "1999 Awards Category Details Adventure Game of the Year". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on November 30, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ↑ "2001 Awards Category Details Console Role Playing". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
- ↑ "2001 Awards Category Details Computer Role Playing". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on February 5, 2022. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
- ↑ "The Award - Updates". Interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on June 15, 1998. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
- ↑ "The Award - Winners". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on June 15, 1998. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
- ↑ "Second Interactive Achievement Awards - Console". Interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on October 11, 1999. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
- ↑ "1999 Awards Category Details Computer Role Playing Game of the Year". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on November 30, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
- ↑ "Second Interactive Achievement Awards - Computer". Interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on November 4, 1999. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
- ↑ "Third Interactive Achievement Awards - Console". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on October 11, 2000. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
- ↑ "Third Interactive Achievement Awards - Personal Computer". Interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on October 11, 2000. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
- ↑ "Console Role Playing". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on April 17, 2001. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- 1 2 "Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Announces Recipients of Fourth Annual Interactive Achievement Awards". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on April 6, 2001. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
- 1 2 "GDC 2001: Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences 2001 Awards". IGN. March 24, 2001. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
- ↑ "PC Role Playing". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on April 17, 2001. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ↑ "ACADEMY OF INTERACTIVE ARTS AND SCIENCES ANNOUNCES FINALISTS FOR THE 5th ANNUAL INTERACTIVE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. February 2, 2002. Archived from the original on June 2, 2002. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
- ↑ "ACADEMY OF INTERACTIVE ARTS AND SCIENCES ANNOUNCES RECIPIENTS OF FIFTH ANNUAL INTERACTIVE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on August 11, 2002. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
- ↑ "2001 Academy Awards for Games". IGN. February 7, 2002. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
- ↑ Varianini, Giancarlo (March 4, 2002). "Fifth annual AIAS awards announced". GameSpot. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
- ↑ "6th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards: Winners". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on February 5, 2005. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
- ↑ Colayco, Bob. "2002 AIAS award winners announced". GameSpot. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
- ↑ "7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on June 3, 2004. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
- ↑ "AIAS Announces Finalists for Annual Interactive Achievement Awards". GameZone. May 4, 2012. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
- ↑ "7th Annual Interactive Achievement Award Winners Announced". Writers Write. Writers Write, Inc. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
- ↑ "2005 Awards Category Details Console Role-Playing Game of the Year". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on November 7, 2021. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
- 1 2 Feldman, Curt (February 2, 2005). "Half-Life 2 named Game of the Year D.I.C.E. Awards". GameSpot. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
- ↑ "2005 Awards Category Details Computer Role-Playing Game of the Year". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on November 6, 2021. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
- ↑ Thorsen, Tor (January 17, 2006). "God of War leads AIAS Award finalists". GameSpot. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
- ↑ "DICE 2006: Interactive Achievement Awards". IGN. February 10, 2006. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
- ↑ "2007 Award Category Details". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on June 29, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
- ↑ Surette, Tim (February 12, 2007). "D.I.C.E. 07: Gears grabs gold". GameSpot. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
- ↑ "2008 Award Category Details". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on March 10, 2022. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
- ↑ Thorsen, Tor (February 8, 2008). "COD4, Orange Box, BioShock, Rock Band D.I.C.E. up Interactive Achievement Awards". GameSpot. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
- ↑ "2009 Award Category Details". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
- ↑ Bramwell, Tom (February 23, 2009). "LittleBigPlanet cleans up at the AIAS awards". Eurogamer. Gamer Network Limited. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- ↑ "2010 Award Category Details". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on January 28, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
- ↑ Mattas, Jeff (January 21, 2010). "2009 Interactive Achievement Award Finalists Announced". Shacknews. Shacknews LTD. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
- ↑ Brice, Kath (February 19, 2010). "Uncharted 2 victorious at 13th AIAS Awards". GamesIndustry.biz. Gamer Network Limited. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
- ↑ "2011 Award Category Details". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on June 25, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
- ↑ "Mass Effect 2 Takes 14th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards' Game of the Year". IGN. February 11, 2011. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- ↑ Sinclair, Brendan (January 20, 2011). "Red Dead Redemption, Enslaved, God of War lead IAA nominees". GameSpot. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- ↑ "2012 Award Category Details". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on February 19, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
- ↑ Bertz, Matt (February 9, 2012). "Skyrim Dominates The 15th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards". Game Informer. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- ↑ "Uncharted 3 Leads Nominees For 15th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards". GameRant. gamerant.com. January 13, 2012. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- ↑ "2013 Award Category Details". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on March 13, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
- ↑ Haley, Sebastian (February 7, 2013). "Journey dominates the 2013 D.I.C.E. Awards (full winner list)". VentureBeat. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- ↑ "2014 Award Category Details". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
- ↑ Taormina, Anthony (February 6, 2014). "'The Last of Us' Dominates 2014 D.I.C.E. Awards". GameRant. gamerant.com. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- ↑ "2015 Award Category Details". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
- ↑ "2015 D.I.C.E. Awards". BrutalGamer. February 6, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- ↑ "2016 Award Category Details". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on February 26, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
- ↑ Pereira, Chris (February 19, 2016). "The 2016 DICE Award Winners [UPDATED]". GameSpot. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- ↑ "2017 Award Category Details". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on January 9, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
- ↑ Albert, Weston (February 24, 2017). "Overwatch Wins Game of the Year at DICE Awards 2017". GameRant. gamerant.com. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- ↑ "2018 Award Category Details". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
- ↑ Iyer, Karthik (February 23, 2018). "DICE Awards 2018: Here Are All the Games That Won". Beebom. Beebom Media Private Limited. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- ↑ "2019 Award Category Details". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on October 5, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
- ↑ Shanley, Patrick (February 13, 2019). "D.I.C.E. Awards: Full Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- ↑ "2020 Award Category Details". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
- ↑ Shanley, Patrick (April 22, 2021). "2020 DICE Awards: 'Untitled Goose Game' Takes Top Honor". The Hollywood Reporter. The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- ↑ "2021 Awards Category Details". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on February 15, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
- ↑ Skrebels, Joe (April 22, 2021). "D.I.C.E. Awards 2021: All the Winners". IGN. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
- ↑ "2022 Awards Category Details". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on March 1, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
- ↑ Bankhurst, Adam (February 25, 2022). "DICE Awards 2022 Winners: The Full List". IGN. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- ↑ "Congratulations to the 26th Annual #DICEAwards Finalists". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
- ↑ Kim, Matt (January 12, 2023). "26th Annual DICE Awards Game of the Year Nominees Announced". IGN. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
- ↑ Bankhurst, Adam (February 24, 2023). "DICE Awards 2023 Winners: The Full List". IGN. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
- ↑ "Congratulations to the 27th Annual #DICEAwards Finalist". interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Retrieved January 10, 2024.