The 27th D.I.C.E. Awards return next month to Las Vegas, where the industry-only event celebrates the best games and achievements in games of 2023. Unlike The Game Awards, which are hosted and produced by Geoff Keighley, with votes from media outlets and the public in some instances, the D.I.C.E Awards are voted on exclusively by game developers. 

Basically, it's the awards show where the people who made the games you played last year determine their favorite games of last year. It's an awards show of The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, with D.I.C.E standing for Design, Innovate, Communicate, and Entertain, and amongst the awards, the academy typically inducts someone into the Academy of Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame – we spoke to Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon about it in 2022. 

Like in previous years, Kinda Funny's Greg Miller and IGN's Stella Chung will host the show, which will be livestreamed on Thursday, February 15, 2024.

As you might know, 2023 was a great year for games (but an admittedly terrible one for the people who make them with more than 10,000 laid off in the games industry). Leading the pack of the 27th annual D.I.C.E. Awards is Marvel's Spider-Man 2, developed by Insomniac Games, with nine nominations. Following it is Remedy Entertainment's Alan Wake 2, with eight nominations. And behind it is Larian Studios' Baldur's Gate 3, with seven nominations. 

Here Are The 27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Nominations

Below, we'll list each of the categories in this year's D.I.C.E. Awards and the games nominated for it. 

Outstanding Achievement in Animation

• Final Fantasy XVI
• Hi-Fi Rush
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2
• Mortal Kombat 1
• Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction

• Alan Wake 2
• Hogwarts Legacy
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2
• Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
• Starfield

Outstanding Achievement in Character

• Alan Wake 2 – Saga Anderson
• Baldur's Gate 3 – Astarion
• Baldur's Gate 3 – Karlach
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2 – Miles Morales
• Thirsty Suitors – Jala

Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition

• Alan Wake 2
• Diablo IV
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2
• Planet of Lana
• Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design

• Alan Wake 2
• Cocoon
• Hi-Fi Rush
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2
• Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Outstanding Achievement in Story

• Alan Wake 2
• Baldur's Gate 3
• Dave the Diver
• Thirsty Suitors
• Venba

Outstanding Technical Achievement

• Alan Wake 2
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2
• Hogwarts Legacy
• The Finals
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Action Game of the Year

• Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon
• Dead Space
• Hi-Fi Rush
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2
• Remnant II

Adventure Game of the Year

• Alan Wake 2
• Cocoon
• Dave the Diver
• Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Family Game of the Year

• Disney Illusion Island
• Fae Farm
• Hello Kitty Island Adventure
• Midnight Girl
• Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Fighting Game of the Year

• Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising
• Mortal Kombat 1
• Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2
• Pocket Bravery
• Street Fighter 6

Racing Game of the Year

• F-Zero 99
• Forza Motorsport
• Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged
• Lego 2K Drive

Role-Playing Game of the Year

• Baldur's Gate 3
• Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
• Diablo IV
• Final Fantasy XVI
• Starfield

Sports Game of the Year

• EA Sports FC 24
• MLB The Show 23
• WWE 2K23

Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year

• Against the Storm
• Cobalt Core
• Dune: Spice Wars
• The Last Spell
• Wartales

Immersive Reality Technical Achievement

• Asgard's Wrath 2
• Assassin's Creed Nexus VR
• Horizon: Call of the Mountain
• Vertigo 2
• We Are One

Immersive Reality Game of the Year

• Asgard's Wrath 2
• Assassin's Creed Nexus VR
• Horizon: Call of the Mountain
• Vampire: The Masquerade – Justice
• Vertigo 2

Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game

• Cocoon
• Dredge
• El Paso, Elsewhere
• Thirsty Suitors
• Venba

Mobile Game of the Year

• Gubbins
• Hello Kitty Island Adventure
• Honkai: Star Rail
• Terra Nil
• What the Car?

Online Game of the Year

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III
• Diablo IV
• Omega Strikers
• Street Fighter 6
• The Finals

Outstanding Achievement in Game Design

• Baldur's Gate 3
• Cocoon
• Dave the Diver
• Super Mario Bros. Wonder
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction

• Baldur's Gate 3
• Cocoon
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2
• Super Mario Bros. Wonder
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Game of the Year

• Alan Wake 2
• Baldur's Gate 3
• Cocoon
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

The D.I.C.E. Awards will be livestreamed on Thursday, February 15, 2024. 

What do you think developers will select as the Game of the Year? Let us know in the comments below!

TeamKill Media, the developer behind last year's Quantum Error, has revealed Son and Bone, its PlayStation 5-exclusive first-person shooter where you kill dinosaurs. It's due out some time this year and you can watch the announcement teaser below. 

"When a local farm in Patchwork, MT is attacked by a group of notorious bandits, Sheriff Sam Judge sets out to bring them to justice by any means necessary and save the hostage they have taken," the teaser's YouTube description reads. "But on his journey, through the mysterious motives of those he pursues, Sam finds himself transported to another world overrun with prehistoric creatures and dinosaurs and must fight for his life to make it back to earth." 

Check out the Son and Bone announcement teaser for yourself below: 

As you can see, TeamKill Media is aiming to fill the Dino Crisis-sized hole left in action games right now, and we're here for it.

Here are some official screenshots from the game: 

Son and Bone is due out this year exclusively on PS5. 

Are you going to check out Son and Bone this year? Let us know in the comments below!