The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences has announced the nominees for 23 Annual Dice Awards, where Kojima Productions' Death Stranding and Remedy Entertainment's Control lead the way with impressive eight nominations.
As many as sixty-five games received nominations, which really makes you think about how productive and fruitful 2019 was. Granted, it had its fair share of flops too, but we'll leave those for another occasion.
Once again, Hideo Kojima's highly divisive Death Stranding is once again leading the way with nominations, after nabbing seven nominations and ten for .
It's well worth saying that players and reviewers remain quite divided on whether it's absolute trash or a masterpiece, but the critical consensus from various awards shows heavily suggests it's the latter.
ZA/UM's RPG Disco Elysium and Infinity Ward's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare both had six nominations, testifying to the quality of both.
In the four nominations bracket, we have Outer Wilds and the delightful nuisance-simulator Untitled Goose Game, both being proof that given enough care and effort - indie Davids can not only beat AAA Goliaths - they can teach them a thing or two while they're at it.
A Short Hike, Mortal Kombat 11, Resident Evil 2 remake and Sayonara Wild Hearts had three nominations each.
Game of the Year lists seem quite similar to the aforementioned awards shows, with Control, Death Stranding, Disco Elysium, Outer Wilds and Untitled Goose Game all making the cut.
The full list of nominees is as follows:
Outstanding Achievement in Animation
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
- Days Gone
- Death Stranding
- Devil May Cry 5
- Luigi's Mansion 3
Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
- Concrete Genie
- Control
- Death Stranding
- Resident Evil 2
Outstanding Achievement in Character
- Control
- Death Stranding
- Death Stranding
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
- Untitled Goose Game
Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition
- Arise: A Simple Story
- Control
- Erica
- Golem
- Mortal Kombat 11
Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
- Death Stranding
- Mortal Kombat 11
- Resident Evil 2
- Sayonara Wild Hearts
Outstanding Achievement in Story
- Control
- Disco Elysium
- Outer Wilds
- Telling Lies
- The Outer Worlds
Outstanding Technical Achievement
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
- Concrete Genie
- Control
- Death Stranding
- Metro Exodus
Action Game of the Year
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
- Control
- Devil May Cry 5
- Gears 5
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Adventure Game of the Year
- Death Stranding
- Luigi's Mansion 3
- Resident Evil 2
- Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
- The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Family Game of the Year
- A Short Hike
- Dragon Quest Builders 2
- Ring Fit Adventure
- Super Mario Maker 2
- Yoshi's Crafted World
Fighting Game of the Year
- Dead or Alive 6
- Jump Force
- Mortal Kombat 11
- Samurai Shodown
Racing Game of the Year
- Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled
- Dirt Rally 2.0
- F1 2019
- Mario Kart Tour
- Trials Rising
Role-Playing Game of the Year
- Disco Elysium
- Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers
- Kingdom Hearts III
- Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield
- The Outer Worlds
Sports Game of the Year
- FIFA 20
- Madden NFL 20
- MLB The Show 19
- NBA 2k20
- NHL 20
Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year
- Anno 1800
- Fire Emblem: Three Houses
- Oxygen Not Included
- Slay The Spire
- Total War: Three Kingdoms
Immersive Reality Technical Achievement
- Asgard's Wrath
- Blood & Truth
- Pistol Whip
- Stormland
- Westworld Awakening
Immersive Reality Game of the Year
- Asgard's Wrath
- Blood & Truth
- Pistol Whip
- The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets
- Trover Saves the Universe
Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game
- A Short Hike
- Disco Elysium
- Sayonara Wild Hearts
- Untitled Goose Game
- What the Golf?
Portable Game of the Year
- Call of Duty: Mobile
- Grindstone
- Sayonara Wild Hearts
- Sky: Children of the Light
- What the Golf?
Online Game of the Year
- Apex Legends
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
- Destiny 2: Shadowkeep
- Tetris 99
- Wargroove
Outstanding Achievement in Game Design
- Baba Is You
- Disco Elysius
- Outer Wilds
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- Slay the Spire
Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction
- A Short Hike
- Control
- Disco Elysium
- Outer Wilds
- Untitled Goose Game
Game of the Year
- Control
- Death Stranding
- Disco Elysium
- Outer Wilds
- Untitled Goose Game