The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences has announced the nominations for the 29th annual DICE Awards. The list highlights the games that impressed developers the most in 2025 and offers a clear picture of how the industry itself views last year’s biggest releases.
This year, Ghost of Yōtei and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stand at the top. Both games have received eight nominations each, including a spot in the Game of the Year category. Several other titles have also made a strong showing, with Arc Raiders and Dispatch close behind, followed by Blue Prince.
As always, the DICE Awards feel different from public-voted shows. These nominations come from game developers and industry professionals, which often leads to results that do not fully match fan expectations. Some popular titles have received fewer nominations here, underlining the awards’ focus on craftsmanship and design rather than hype.
The winners will be revealed at the DICE Awards ceremony in February, where achievements across multiple categories will be celebrated. Below is the full list of nominations for the 2026 DICE Awards.
Outstanding Achievement in Animation
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Monster Hunter Wilds
- South of Midnight
- The Midnight Walk
Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Dispatch
- Ghost of Yōtei
- The Midnight Walk
Outstanding Achievement in Character
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Esquie
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Maelle
- Dispatch – Courtney/Invisigal
- Dispatch – Robert Robertson III/Mecha Man
- Ghost of Yōtei – Atsu
Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Herdling
- Mario Kart World
- Sword of the Sea
Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design
- Arc Raiders
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Lumines Arise
- Split Fiction
Outstanding Achievement in Story
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Consume Me
- Despelote
- South of Midnight
- The Drifter
Outstanding Technical Achievement
- Arc Raiders
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- Doom: The Dark Ages
Action Game of the Year
- Absolum
- Arc Raiders
- Doom: The Dark Ages
- Hades 2
- Ninja Gaiden 4
Adventure Game of the Year
- Blue Prince
- Dispatch
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
Family Game of the Year
- Lego Party!
- Lego Voyagers
- Lumines Arise
- Marvel Cosmic Invasion
- Popucom
Fighting Game of the Year
- 2XKO
- Capcom Fighting Collection 2
- Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
- Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection
- WWE 2K25
Racing Game of the Year
- EA Sports F1 25
- Kirby Air Riders
- Mario Kart World
- Wheel World
Role-Playing Game of the Year
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
- Monster Hunter Wilds
- The Outer Worlds 2
Sports Game of the Year
- EA Sports FC 26
- PGA Tour 2k25
- MLB The Show 25
- NBA 2k26
- Rematch
Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year
- The Alters
- Drop Duchy
- Europa Universalis V
- The King is Watching
- StarVaders
Immersive Reality Technical Achievement
- Ghost Town
- Hotel Infinity
- Marvel’s Deadpool VR
- Star Wars: Beyond Victory – A Mixed Reality Playset
- Unloop
Immersive Reality Game of the Year
- Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked
- Ghost Town
- Marvel’s Deadpool VR
- The Midnight Walk
- Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow
Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game
- Baby Steps
- Blue Prince
- Consume Me
- Despelote
- Dispatch
Mobile Game of the Year
- Persona 5: The Phantom X
- Umamusume: Pretty Derby
- What the Clash?
- Where Winds Meet
Online Game of the Year
- Arc Raiders
- Battlefield 6
- Mario Kart World
- Marvel Rivals
- Split Fiction
Outstanding Achievement in Game Design
- Arc Raiders
- Blue Prince
- Hades 2
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
- Öoo
Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction
- Blue Prince
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Hades 2
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Game of the Year
- Arc Raiders
- Blue Prince
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Dispatch
- Ghost of Yōtei
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