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D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game

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D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game
CountryUnited States
Presented byAcademy of Interactive Arts & Sciences
First awarded2004
Currently held byCocoon
Websitewww.interactive.org

The D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game is an award presented annually by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences during the D.I.C.E. Awards. This is "awarded to a game that embodies the independent spirit of game creation, representing a higher degree of risk tolerance and advances our media with innovative gameplay and experiences".[1] All active creative/technical, business, and affiliate members of the Academy are qualified to vote for this category.[2]

The award's most recent winner is Cocoon, developed by Geometric Interactive and published by Annapurna Interactive.

Past Variations

[edit]

The Academy introduced the computer genre award of Downloadable Game of the Year for the 7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards.[3] "Downloadable games are those games in which the user must download a copy to their hard drive of their computer to play. These games sometimes feature a username and password to play, but are not a requirement for entry".[4] 2006 was the first year that did not offer separate console and PC genre categories, so console and PC games were eligible.[5] The nomination packet for the 2007 awards listed a genre category for Casual Game of the Year. The category description matched the description for "Downloadable" and even used past finalists as examples.[6] Finalists were still listed for "Downloadable" instead of "Casual".[7] Casual Game of the Year was officially offered for the 2009 awards.[8][9] Some of the past finalists for "Downloadable" were listed as examples for "Casual". Casual games were defined as "titles that are designed to appeal to novice or experienced players; are produced with low-cost budget targets; are available through online or retail distribution; and may be played on console, computer, or mobile platforms".[10] Downloadable Game of the Year was reintroduced for the 2012 awards as a "Game of the Year" category; recognizing the "game where the sole form of distribution is through a digital marketplace on PC or console".[11] Both awards for "Downloadable" and "Casual" would not be offered for the 2015 awards. That same year, the Academy introduced the D.I.C.E. Sprite Award which was "awarded to a game having disproportionate resources for development and exposure (as compared to AAA titles), represent a higher degree of risk tolerance and advances our media with innovative gameplay and experiences. Examples include: The Walking Dead, Limbo, and Fez".[12] The D.I.C.E. Sprite Award would be replaced with Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game for the 2019 awards ceremony.[13]

  • Downloadable Game of the Year (2004—2008, 2012—2014)
  • Casual Game of the Year (2009—2014)
  • D.I.C.E. Sprite Award (2015—2018)
  • Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game (2019—present)

Winners and nominees

[edit]
Table key
Indicates the winner

2000s

[edit]
Year Game Developer(s) Publisher(s) Ref.
2003
(7th)[a] 		Hamsterball Raptisoft Real.com [14][15]
[16][17]
Poppit! To Go Pogo.com Electronic Arts
Word Whomp To Go
Zuma Deluxe PopCap Games PopCap Games
2004
(8th)[a] 		The Incredibles: Escape from Nomanisan Island Backbone Entertainment Disney Interactive [18][19][20]
Diner Dash Gamelab PlayFirst
Mahjong Garden To Go Pogo.com Electronic Arts
Shroomz - Quest for Puppy The Planet GameTrust, Inc.
2005
(9th)[b] 		Wik: The Fable of Souls Reflexive Entertainment Reflexive Entertainment [21][22]
[23][24]
Chuzzle Raptisoft PopCap Games
Egg vs. Chicken Gamelab PlayFirst
Oasis Mind Control Software
Tradewinds Legends Sandlot Games Sandlot Games
2006
(10th)[b] 		Bookworm Adventures PopCap Games PopCap Games [7][25][26]
Diner Dash: Flo on the Go PlayFirst PlayFirst
Mystery Case Files: Prime Suspects Big Fish Studios Big Fish Games
Plantasia Gamelab PlayFirst
Virtual Villagers: A New Home Last Day of Work Big Fish Games
2007
(11th)[b] 		Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords Infinite Interactive, 1st Playable Productions D3 Publisher [27][28]
Azada Big Fish Studios Big Fish Games
Build-a-lot HipSoft HipSoft
flOw Thatgamecompany Sony Computer Entertainment
Peggle PopCap Games PopCap Games
2008
(12th)[c] 		Braid Number None Microsoft Game Studios [9]
Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst Big Fish Studios Big Fish Games
Patapon Japan Studio Sony Computer Entertainment
Professor Layton and the Curious Village Level-5 Nintendo
World of Goo 2D Boy 2D Boy, Nintendo
2009
(13th)[c] 		flower Thatgamecompany Sony Computer Entertainment [29]
Drawn: The Painted Tower Big Fish Studios Big Fish Games
Flight Control Firemint Firemint
Plants vs. Zombies PopCap Games PopCap Games
Scribblenauts 5th Cell Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

2010s

[edit]
Year Game Developer(s) Publisher(s) Ref.
2010
(14th)[c] 		Angry Birds HD Rovio Entertainment Chillingo [30][31]
Bejeweled 3 PopCap Games PopCap Games
Kinect Sports Rare Microsoft Game Studios
Pac-Man Championship Edition DX Namco Bandai Games Namco Bandai Games
Plants vs. Zombies[d] PopCap Games PopCap Games
2011
(15th) 		Downloadable Game of the Year [32][33]
Bastion Supergiant Games Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Drawn: Trail of Shadows Big Fish Studios Big Fish Games
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet Shadow Planet Productions Microsoft Studios
Ms. Splosion Man Twisted Pixel Games
Orcs Must Die! Robot Entertainment
Casual Game of the Year
Fruit Ninja Kinect Halfbrick Studios Microsoft Studios
Jetpack Joyride Halfbrick Studios Halfbrick Studios
Monsters Ate My Condo Adult Swim Games PikPok
Tiny Wings Andreas Illiger Andreas Illiger
Where's My Water? Disney Interactive Disney Interactive
2012
(16th) 		Downloadable Game of the Year [34]
The Walking Dead Telltale Games Telltale Games
Fez Polytron Corporation Microsoft Studios
Journey Thatgamecompany Sony Computer Entertainment
Mark of the Ninja Klei Entertainment Microsoft Studios
The Unfinished Swan Giant Sparrow, Santa Monica Studio Sony Computer Entertainment
Casual Game of the Year
Journey Thatgamecompany Sony Computer Entertainment
Fairway Solitaire Big Fish Studios Big Fish Games
Puzzle Craft Ars Thanea Electronic Arts
Rayman Jungle Run Ubisoft Montpellier, Pastagames Ubisoft
Sound Shapes Queasy Games Sony Computer Entertainment
2013
(17th) 		Downloadable Game of the Year [35]
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Starbreeze Studios 505 Games
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon Ubisoft Montreal Ubisoft
Gone Home Fullbright Fullbright
Papers, Please Lucas Pope 3909
The Stanley Parable Galactic Cafė Galactic Cafė
Casual Game of the Year
Plants vs. Zombies 2 PopCap Games Electronic Arts
Candy Box! aniwey aniwey
Peggle 2 PopCap Games Electronic Arts
Rayman Fiesta Run Ubisoft Casablanca Ubisoft
Ridiculous Fishing Vlambeer Vlambeer
2014
(18th)[e] 		Transistor Supergiant Games Supergiant Games [36][37]
Hohokum Honeyslug Sony Computer Entertainment
Monument Valley Ustwo Ustwo
The Banner Saga Stoic Versus Evil
Threes Sirvo Sirvo
2015
(19th)[e] 		Rocket League Psyonix Psyonix [38][39]
Galak-Z: The Dimensional 17-Bit 17-Bit
Her Story Sam Barlow Sam Barlow
Kerbal Space Program Squad Squad
Undertale Toby Fox Toby Fox
2016
(20th)[e] 		Inside Playdead Playdead [40][41]
1979 Revolution: Black Friday iNK Stories iNK Stories
Firewatch Campo Santo Campo Santo
Superhot Superhot Team Superhot Team
That Dragon, Cancer Numinous Games Numinous Games
2017
(21st)[e] 		Snipperclips SFB Games Nintendo [42][43]
Everything David O'Reilly Double Fine Productions
Gorogoa Jason Roberts, Buried Signal Annapurna Interactive
Night in the Woods Infinite Fall, Secret Lab Finji
Pyre Supergiant Games Supergiant Games
2018
(22nd) 		Celeste Matt Makes Games Matt Makes Games [1][44]
Florence Mountains Annapurna Interactive
Into the Breach Subset Games Subset Games
Minit Jan Willem Nijman, Kitty Calis, Jukio Kallio, Dominik Johann Devolver Digital
Return of the Obra Dinn Lucas Pope 3909
2019
(23rd) 		Untitled Goose Game House House Panic [45][46]
A Short Hike Adam Robinson-Yu Adam Robinson-Yu
Disco Elysium ZA/UM ZA/UM
Sayonara Wild Hearts Simogo Annapurna Interactive
What the Golf? Triband Triband, The Label

2020s

[edit]
Year Game Developer(s) Publisher(s) Ref.
2020
(24th) 		Hades Supergiant Games Supergiant Games [47][48]
Coffee Talk Toge Productions Toge Productions, Chorus Worldwide
If Found... Dreamfeel Annapurna Interactive
Kentucky Route Zero Cardboard Computer
Noita Nolla Games Nolla Games
2021
(25th) 		Unpacking Witch Beam Humble Bundle [49][50]
Death's Door Acid Nerve Devolver Digital
Inscryption Daniel Mullins Games
Loop Hero Four Quarters
Sable Shedworks Raw Fury
2022
(26th) 		Tunic Isometricorps Games Finji [51][52][53]
Immortality Half Mermaid Productions Half Mermaid Productions
Neon White Angel Matrix Annapurna Interactive
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge Tribute Games Dotemu
Vampire Survivors poncle poncle
2023
(27th) 		Cocoon Geometric Interactive Annapurna Interactive [54][55][56][57]
Dredge Black Salt Games Team17
El Paso, Elsewhere Strange Scaffold Strange Scaffold
Thirsty Suitors Outerloop Games Annapurna Interactive
Venba Visai Games Visai Games

Multiple nominations and wins

[edit]

Developers and publishers

[edit]

PopCap Games has developed the most nominees. PopCap Games, Supergiant Games, and Thatgamecompany are the only developers that have won more than once. Annapurna Interactive, Microsoft and Sony Interactive Entertainment are tied for publishing the most finalists. Microsoft, Sony, and Supergiant Games are the only companies that have published the winners of this category more than once. Big Fish Games has developed and published the most finalists that have not won.

Developers
Developer Nominations Wins
Supergiant Games 4 3
PopCap Games 8 2
Thatgamecompany 4 2
Halfbrick Studios 2 1
Raptisoft 2 1
Big Fish Studios 6 0
Gamelab 3 0
Pogo.com 3 0
Lucas Pope 2 0
Publishers
Publisher Nominations Wins
Microsoft Game Studios 8 2
Sony Computer Entertainment 8 2
Supergiant Games 3 2
Annapurna Interactive 8 1
PopCap Games 7 1
Electronic Arts 6 1
Nintendo 3 1
Finji 2 1
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment 2 1
Big Fish Games 7 0
PlayFirst 5 0
Devolver Digital 4 0
Ubisoft 3 0
3909 2 0
Disney Interactive 2 0

Franchises

[edit]

Plants vs. Zombies is the only game that has been nominated for the same category more than once: Casual Game of the Year in 2010 for the PC release, and in 2011 for iOS devices and/or the Xbox 360. Journey is the only game that is a finalist for both Downloadable Game of the Year and Casual Game of the Year within the same year, winning for the latter.

Franchises
Franchise Nominations Wins
Plants vs. Zombies 3 1
Journey 2 1
Diner Dash 2 0
Drawn 2 0
Mystery Case Files 2 0
Peggle 2 0
Rayman 2 0

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Presented as Computer Downloadable Game of the Year.
  2. ^ a b c Presented as Downloadable Game of the Year.
  3. ^ a b c Presented as Casual Game of the Year.
  4. ^ iOS and Xbox Live Arcade versions.
  5. ^ a b c d Presented as the D.I.C.E. Sprite Award

References

[edit]
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