D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design

D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design
CountryUnited States
Presented byAcademy of Interactive Arts & Sciences
First awarded1998
Currently held byMarvel's Spider-Man 2
Websitewww.interactive.org

The D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design is an award presented annually by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences during the D.I.C.E. Awards. This award is "presented to the individual or team whose work represents the highest level of achievement in creating a unified audio experience. The quality of the individual sound effects, voice over, music, technology, and other audio elements will be considered in addition to the overall audio mix of the title".[1] Creative/technical Academy members with expertise as a game designer, producer, audio designer, or musician are qualified to vote for this award.[2]

The award's most recent winner is Marvel's Spider-Man 2, developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment.

History[edit]

The award was initially presented as the Outstanding Achievement in Sound and Music for "the integration and use of sound and/or original music in an interactive title".[3][4] The first winner was PaRappa the Rapper, which was developed by NanaOn-Sha and published by Sony Computer Entertainment.[5] Sound and Music would be separated into their own categories for Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition and Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design during the 3rd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards.[6] The award would be renamed to its current title at the 23rd Annual D.I.C.E. Awards.[1]

  • Outstanding Achievement in Sound and Music (19981999)
  • Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design (20002019)
  • Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design (2020–present)

Winners and nominees[edit]

1990s[edit]

Table key
Indicates the winner
Year Game Developer(s) Publisher(s) Ref.
1997/1998[a]
(1st)
PaRappa the Rapper NanaOn-Sha Sony Computer Entertainment [7][8]
Fallout Interplay Productions Interplay Productions
Interstate '76 Activision Activision
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee Oddworld Inhabitants GT Interactive
Outlaws LucasArts LucasArts
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Interplay Productions Interplay Productions
1998/1999[a]
(2nd)
Road Rash 3D Electronic Arts Electronic Arts [9][10]
Grim Fandango LucasArts LucasArts
Heart of Darkness Amazing Studio Interplay Productions
Wild 9 Shiny Entertainment
1999/2000
(3rd)
Medal of Honor DreamWorks Interactive Electronic Arts [11]
NFL 2K Visual Concepts Sega
Thief: The Dark Project Looking Glass Studios Eidos Interactive

2000s[edit]

Year Game Developer(s) Publisher(s) Ref.
2000
(4th)
Medal of Honor: Underground DreamWorks Interactive Electronic Arts [12][13]
Deus Ex Ion Storm Eidos Interactive
Jet Grind Radio Smilebit Sega
The Longest Journey Funcom IQ Media, Empire Interactive, Tri Synergy
2001
(5th)
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Konami Konami [14][15]
[16][17]
Frequency Harmonix Sony Computer Entertainment
Ico Japan Studio
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Red Storm Entertainment Ubisoft
2002
(6th)
Medal of Honor: Frontline EA Los Angeles Electronic Arts [18]
Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem Silicon Knights Nintendo
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Rockstar North Rockstar Games
Metroid Prime Retro Studios Nintendo
No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way Monolith Productions Sierra Entertainment
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Stormfront Studios Electronic Arts
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Ubisoft Montreal Ubisoft
2003
(7th)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King EA Redwood Shores Electronic Arts [19][20]
[21][22]
Amplitude Harmonix Sony Computer Entertainment
Beyond Good & Evil Ubisoft Pictures Ubisoft
Call of Duty Infinity Ward Activision
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield Red Storm Entertainment Ubisoft
2004
(8th)
Halo 2 Bungie Microsoft Game Studios [23][24]
Doom 3 id Software Activision
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal Insomniac Games Sony Computer Entertainment
Rome: Total War Creative Assembly Activision
Sly 2: Band of Thieves Sucker Punch Productions Sony Computer Entertainment
2005
(9th)
God of War Santa Monica Studio Sony Computer Entertainment [25][26][27]
Condemned: Criminal Origins Monolith Productions Sega
F.E.A.R. (First Encounter Assault Recon) Vivendi Universal Games, Sierra Entertainment
King Kong Ubisoft Montpellier Ubisoft
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory Ubisoft Montreal
2006
(10th)
Call of Duty 3 Treyarch Activision [28][29]
Company of Heroes Relic Entertainment THQ
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Bethesda Game Studios 2K Games, Bethesda Softworks
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter Ubisoft Paris, Red Storm Entertainment Ubisoft
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent Ubisoft Shanghai
2007
(11th)
BioShock 2K Boston, 2K Australia 2K Games [30][31]
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Infinity Ward Activision
Need for Speed: ProStreet EA Black Box Electronic Arts
Skate
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 Ubisoft Paris, Red Storm Entertainment Ubisoft
2008
(12th)
Dead Space EA Redwood Shores Electronic Arts [32][33]
Gears of War 2 Epic Games Microsoft Game Studios
LittleBigPlanet Media Molecule Sony Computer Entertainment
Prince of Persia Ubisoft Montreal Ubisoft
Wipeout HD Studio Liverpool Sony Computer Entertainment
2009
(13th)
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Naughty Dog Sony Computer Entertainment [34][35][36]
Assassin's Creed II Ubisoft Montreal Ubisoft
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Infinity Ward Activision
Flower Thatgamecompany Sony Computer Entertainment
Skate 2 EA Black Box Electronic Arts

2010s[edit]

Year Game Developer(s) Publisher(s) Ref.
2010
(14th)
Limbo Playdead Playdead, Microsoft Game Studios [37][38][39]
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Ubisoft Montreal Ubisoft
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 DICE Electronic Arts
Medal of Honor Danger Close Games, DICE
Red Dead Redemption Rockstar San Diego Rockstar Games
2011
(15th)
Battlefield 3 DICE Electronic Arts [40][41][42]
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games Activision
L.A. Noire Team Bondi Rockstar Games
Need for Speed: The Run EA Black Box Electronic Arts
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Naughty Dog Sony Computer Entertainment
2012
(16th)
Journey Thatgamecompany Sony Computer Entertainment [43][44]
Assassin's Creed III Ubisoft Montreal Ubisoft
Diablo III Blizzard Entertainment Blizzard Entertainment
Medal of Honor: Warfighter Danger Close Games Electronic Arts
Syndicate Starbreeze Studios
2013
(17th)
The Last of Us Naughty Dog Sony Computer Entertainment [45][46]
Battlefield 4 DICE Electronic Arts
BioShock Infinite Irrational Games 2K Games
God of War: Ascension Santa Monica Studio Sony Computer Entertainment
Grand Theft Auto V Rockstar North Rockstar Games
2014
(18th)
Destiny Bungie Activision [47][48]
Assassin's Creed Unity Ubisoft Montreal Ubisoft
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Sledgehammer Games Activision
Far Cry 4 Ubisoft Montreal Ubisoft
Valiant Hearts: The Great War Ubisoft Montpellier
2015
(19th)
Star Wars Battlefront DICE Electronic Arts [49][50]
Destiny: The Taken King Bungie Activision
Ori and the Blind Forest Moon Studios Microsoft Studios
Rise of the Tomb Raider Crystal Dynamics Square Enix Europe, Microsoft Studios
The Order: 1886 Ready at Dawn Sony Computer Entertainment
2016
(20th)
Battlefield 1 DICE Electronic Arts [51][52]
Inside Playdead Playdead
Quantum Break Remedy Entertainment Microsoft Studios
The Last Guardian Japan Studio, GenDesign Sony Interactive Entertainment
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End Naughty Dog
2017
(21st)
Super Mario Odyssey Nintendo EPD Nintendo [53][54]
Destiny 2 Bungie Activision
Injustice 2 NetherRealm Studios Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Star Wars Battlefront II DICE Electronic Arts
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy Naughty Dog Sony Interactive Entertainment
2018
(22nd)
God of War Santa Monica Studio Sony Interactive Entertainment [55][56]
Battlefield V DICE Electronic Arts
Detroit: Become Human Quantic Dream Sony Interactive Entertainment
Marvel's Spider-Man Insomniac Games
Moss Polyarc Polyarc
2019
(23rd)
Death Stranding Kojima Productions Sony Interactive Entertainment [1][57]
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Infinity Ward Activision
Mortal Kombat 11 NetherRealm Studios Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Resident Evil 2 Capcom Capcom
Sayonara Wild Hearts Simogo Annapurna Interactive

2020s[edit]

Year Game Developer(s) Publisher(s) Ref.
2020
(24th)
Ghost of Tsushima Sucker Punch Productions Sony Interactive Entertainment [58][59]
Dreams Media Molecule Sony Interactive Entertainment
The Last of Us Part II Naughty Dog
Ori and the Will of the Wisps Moon Studios Xbox Game Studios
Sackboy: A Big Adventure Sumo Sheffield Sony Interactive Entertainment
2021
(25th)
Returnal Housemarque Sony Interactive Entertainment [60][61]
Forza Horizon 5 Playground Games Xbox Game Studios
Halo Infinite 343 Industries
It Takes Two Hazelight Studios Electronic Arts
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Insomniac Games Sony Interactive Entertainment
2022
(26th)
God of War Ragnarök Santa Monica Studio Sony Interactive Entertainment [62][63][64]
A Plague Tale: Requiem Asobo Studios Focus Entertainment
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Infinity Ward Activision
Gotham Knights WB Games Montréal Warner Bros. Games
Somerville Jumpship Jumpship
2023
(27th)
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Insomniac Games Sony Interactive Entertainment [65][66][67]
Alan Wake 2 Remedy Entertainment Epic Games
Cocoon Geometric Interactive Annapurna Interactive
Hi-Fi Rush Tango Gameworks Bethesda Softworks
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Respawn Entertainment Electronic Arts

Multiple nominations and wins[edit]

Developers and publishers[edit]

Sony has published the most nominees, as well as published the most winners in this category. Sony has the longest publisher-winning streak in this category, having won the award for six straight years (2018 to 2023). Sony also has the record for publishing the most nominees in a single year, with four nods at the 24th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards. Electronic Arts developer DICE and Ubisoft Montreal have developed the most nominees, with DICE and Sony's Santa Monica Studio having developed the most winners in the category. DICE and DreamWorks Interactive are the only developers with back-to-back wins for the award. Ubisoft has published the most nominees without having a single winner, while Ubisoft Montreal has developed the most nominees without a winner as well. Ubisoft Montreal is also one of the few studios that have developed more than one nominee for a single year; the other studios are Interplay Productions, Monolith Productions, and EA Black Box.

Franchises[edit]

The most nominated franchise has been Call of Duty, while God of War and Medal of Honor have been the most award-winning franchises. Battlefield is the only other franchise to have won more than once. The Tom Clancy franchise has the most nominations without winning a single award, and is the only franchise with more than one nominee in one year.

Franchises
Franchises Nominations Wins
Medal of Honor 5 3
God of War 4 3
Battlefield 5 2
Call of Duty 8 1
Uncharted 4 1
Destiny 3 1
Star Wars 3 1
BioShock 2 1
Halo 2 1
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 1
The Last of Us 2 1
The Lord of the Rings 2 1
Tom Clancy's 7 0
Assassin's Creed 4 0
Frequency[b] 2 0
Grand Theft Auto 2 0
LittleBigPlanet[c] 2 0
Need for Speed 2 0
Ori 2 0
Ratchet & Clank 2 0
Red Dead 2 0
Skate 2 0

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b Presented as Outstanding Achievement in Sound and Music.
  2. ^ Amplitude is the sequel to Frequency.
  3. ^ Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a spin-off of the LittleBigPlanet franchise.

References[edit]

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