At the DICE Awards, Alan Wake 2 and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 receive more nominations than...

[midian182]

What just happened? The nominations for another game awards show have been announced, but this time Baldur's Gate 3 isn't the most-nominated title. The RPG doesn't even have the second-highest number of nominations. Leading the way at the DICE (Design Innovate Communicate Entertain) awards is Marvel's Spider-Man 2 with nine nominations, followed by Alan Wake 2, which is up for eight awards. Baldur's Gate 3, meanwhile, has seven nominations.

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) has announced the nominations for the 27th annual DICE awards – you can see the full list at the bottom of this page. There were 56 games nominated across 23 categories, with the coveted Game of the Year battle taking place between Baldur's Gate 3, Alan Wake 2, Cocoon, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

We're used to seeing Baldur's Gate 3 clean up at game awards ceremonies like the Golden Joysticks and Game Awards. While the seven nominations it received for the DICE Awards is a lot, it's still fewer than Spider-Man 2 and Alan Wake 2. Cocoon was next on the list with six nominations, followed by Legend of Zelda with five.

It might not have the most nominations, but it'll still be a surprise if Baldur's Gate 3 fails to win GOTY – though actor Timothée Chalamet's personal choice is Spider-Man 2.

There will likely be some controversy over the divisive Starfield being nominated in two categories: Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction and Role-Playing Game of the Year. Starfield did win the Most Innovative Gameplay category in the recent Steam Awards, but that was likely trolling on the part of voters; the DICE Awards are peer-juried.

Expect Alan Wake 2 to win the Original Music Composition award; fans of the insanely catchy Herald of Darkness will probably agree. The game is likely to be a favorite in the Achievement in Story category, too.

Elsewhere, Baldur's Gate 3 appears a certainty for RPG of the year, and it would be a surprise if Street Fighter 6 isn't voted the best fighting game.

The 27th DICE Awards show will be livestreamed on Thursday, February 15 from the Aria Resort in Las Vegas.

Full list of categories and nominations:

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

Outstanding Achievement in Animation

• Final Fantasy 16
• 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 16
• 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

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https://www.techspot.com/news/101487-marvel-spider-man-2-alan-wake-2-receive.html

 

[yRaz]

I love BG3 as much as the next guy but they've been winning awards left and right. For once there are actually some pretty great games out this year. Alan Wake 2 was a wild f***ing ride to say the least, tears of the kingdom was a great follow up to BOTW and The Finals is a ton of fun. It reminds me of the old school arena shooters. The biggest complaint I hear about The Finals basically comes down to the fact that it isn't Call of Duty which, I mean, good. If you want to play Cod then go play Cod.

 

[SirDigby]

I'm a big, big fan of Spiderman 2, I loved the first one and Miles Morales, I think it's a winning formula and it's just so damn fun to play, down to how even the traversal is an absolute joy where in most games its a chore - and they've innovated on that too from the previous games by including the 'Web wings' wingsuit and wind currents around the city - both are derivative of other game wingsuit/gliding mechanics and boosts but the way the whole thing pulls together is just pure enjoyment for me.

 

[havok585]

How can such a trash game like spiderman get more nominations than clearly GOTY BG3 ?

 

[toooooot]

I love BG3 as much as the next guy but they've been winning awards left and right. For once there are actually some pretty great games out this year. Alan Wake 2 was a wild f***ing ride to say the least, tears of the kingdom was a great follow up to BOTW and The Finals is a ton of fun. It reminds me of the old school arena shooters. The biggest complaint I hear about The Finals basically comes down to the fact that it isn't Call of Duty which, I mean, good. If you want to play Cod then go play Cod.

Any studio making a shooter dreams of making the next cod. Cod means a lot of money and possibility to repeat a similar game over and over again.

 

[lonetac]

Spider man is meh, its the same thing every year over and over. No interest.

BG3 deserves the awards, it pushed boundaries, gave something new and was implemented in a way that was massively successful.

You can be tired of BG3 winning but thats because it deserves to win. If you want to give participation awards out go for it but to think spider man is goty over bg3 means your opinion is really just not objective.

I know folks have different opinions sure, you can disagree with me but saying spider man should be goty is like saying madden or cod should be goty. Oh you mean just this years flavor of the same game that comes out every year? Enough with super hero bs already, its a saturated boring market.

 

[yRaz]

Any studio making a shooter dreams of making the next cod. Cod means a lot of money and possibility to repeat a similar game over and over again.

Cod makes money because it's basically the only video game that parents know so they buy it for their kids. I'm sure many other devs would want that but getting into the "dumb parents buying games for 12 year olds" market is a difficult one to get into.

 

[dirtyferret]

Clearly the deep state is rigging yet another election this time against BG3. The communist, fascist, socialist, capitalistic vermin that run the DICE awards are allowing illegal panelists to enter their academy and vote illegally (most likely by mail in ballet) against BG3. We need to build a wall to protect Baldurs Gate and drain the swamp outside the city. Of course if BG3 wins all the awards than I will accept those results and all is good.