Despite what cynical gamers might say, 2015 was filled to the brim with excellent video games. Just think about it, we got Metal Gear Solid V, Fallout 4, Bloodborne, and The Witcher 3, all in the same year. It’s a great time to be a gamer.

With all that being said, it’s time to celebrate the best titles from last year. Today, the Academy of Arts & Sciences announced all of the nominees for the 19th annual DICE Awards. The usual suspects make an appearance on several of these categories, with Rise of the Tomb Raider and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt leading the way with 8 nominations each.

The winners will be announced on Thursday, February 18 at the awards ceremony in Las Vegas. It was also announced that the late Nintendo president Satoru Iwata will be honored during the event with the Lifetime Achievement Award for all his legendary work in the industry.

For the most part, none of the nominations really came as a surprise, aside from Ori and the Blind Forest‘s nomination for Game of the Year, over the likes of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain and Batman: Arkham Knight. It’s nice to see a brutally difficult platformer get the recognition with the GOTY nod.

Here are all the nominations:

Game of the Year

• Bloodborne
• Fallout 4
• Ori and the Blind Forest
• Rise of the Tomb Raider
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction

• Fallout 4
• Life is Strange
• Rise of the Tomb Raider
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
• Undertale

Adventure Game of the Year

• Batman: Arkham Knight
• Life is Strange
• METAL GEAR SOLID V: The Phantom Pain
• Ori and the Blind Forest
• Rise of the Tomb Raider

Action Game of the Year 

• Destiny: The Taken King
• Helldivers
• Just Cause 3
• Star Wars Battlefront
• Splatoon

Mobile Game of the Year 

• Dominations
• Fallout Shelter
• Lara Croft GO
• PAC-MAN 256
• The Room Three

DICE Sprite Award

• Her Story
• Galak-Z
• Kerbal Space Program
• Rocket League
• Undertale

Outstanding Achievement in Animation

• Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
• Batman: Arkham Knight
• Ori and the Blind Forest
• Rise of the Tomb Raider
• The Order: 1886

Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction

• Lara Croft GO
• Ori and the Blind Forest
• Rise of the Tomb Raider
• The Order: 1886
• Star Wars Battlefront

Outstanding Achievement in Character

• Assassin’s Creed Syndicate — Evie Frye
• Her Story — Hannah Smith
• Life is Strange — Max
• Rise of the Tomb Raider — Lara Croft
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Geralt of Rivia

Outstanding Achievement in Oiriginal Music Composition

• Batman: Arkham Knight
• Everybody’s Gone To The Rapture
• Ori and the Blind Forest
• Starcraft II: Legacy Of The Void
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design

• Destiny: The Taken King
• Ori and the Blind Forest
• Rise of the Tomb Raider
• Star Wars Battlefront
• The Order: 1886

Outstanding Achievement in Story

• Fallout 4
• Her Story
• Tales from the Borderlands: A Telltale Game Series
• Rise of the Tomb Raider
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Outstanding Technical Achievement 

• Just Cause 3
• Rise of the Tomb Raider
• Star Wars Battlefront
• The Order: 1886
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Family Game of the Year 

• Guitar Hero Live
• Lego Dimensions
• Rock Band 4
• Super Mario Maker
• Tearaway Unfolded

Fighting Game of the Year

• Mortal Kombat X
• Dead or Alive 5 Last Round
• Rising Thunder

Racing Game of the Year 

• Forza Motorsport 6
• Need for Speed
• Project CARS

Role-Playing/Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year

• Bloodborne
• Fallout 4
• Pillars of Eternity
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
• Undertale

Sports Game of the Year

• FIFA 2016
• Madden NFL 2016
• MLB 15 The Show
• NBA 2K16
• Rocket League

Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year

• Cities: Skylines
• Fallout Shelter
• Grey Goo
• Heroes of the Storm
• Kerbal Space Program

Handheld Game of the Year

• Earth Defense Force 2: Invaders from Planet Space
• Helldivers
• Pokemon: Super Mystery Dungeon
• Yo-Kai Watch

Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay 

• Destiny: The Taken King
• Halo 5: Guardians
• Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
• Rocket League
• Splatoon

Outstanding Achievement in Game Design

• Fallout 4
• Her Story
• Lara Croft GO
• Massive Chalice
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

My only true gripe with the above choices is the Handheld Game of the Year category. How were both Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate and Persona 4: Dancing All Night excluded? It’s a shame.

What do you guys think about the nominees? Any category you don’t agree with? Who do you think will take the coveted GOTY award? Let us know in the comments below.

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HT: Gamespot

Image: Microsoft