• Guide

The D.I.C.E. Awards 2022 winners & finalists

The 25th annual D.I.C.E. Awards crowned recognized some excellent games of the previous year. Check out which games won here!

TJ Denzer

February 25, 2022 8:25 AM

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The 25th annual D.I.C.E. Awards show finally took place in Las Vegas, and the awards have been doled out. It was another opportunity to see some of our favorite games and the most outstanding gaming achievements of 2021 be recognized in one place. So between the likes of Deathloop, Ratchet & Clank, It Takes Two, and so much more, which games got the recognition they deserved? We’ve got that covered for you right here.

The D.I.C.E. Awards 2022 winners & finalists

The D.I.C.E. Awards 2022 took place on February 24, 2022, at the Mandalay Bay Casino and Resort in Las Vegas. Many a game received recognition in the event results, including Mortal Kombat director Ed Boon and Xbox lead Phil Spencer for outstanding achievements in the gaming industry. When all was said and done, though, only one of the nominees in each category could walk away with the awards. Here are the winners of the 25th annual D.I.C.E. Awards:

Game of the Year winner: It Takes Two

Nominees

• Deathloop
• Inscryption
• It Takes Two
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Returnal

Outstanding Achievement in Animation winner: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Nominees

• Call of Duty: Vanguard
• Deathloop
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Resident Evil Village

Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction winner: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Nominees

• Call of Duty: Vanguard
• Deathloop
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Resident Evil Village

Outstanding Achievement in Character winner: Resident Evil Village – Lady Dimetrescu

Nominees

• Deathloop – Colt Vahn
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits – Kena
• Life is Strange: True Colors – Alex Chen
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart – Rivet
• Resident Evil Village – Lady Dimitrescu

Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition winner: Returnal

Nominees

• Deathloop
• It Takes Two
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits
• Psychonauts 2
• Returnal

Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design winner: Returnal

Nominees

• Forza Horizon 5
• Halo Infinite
• It Takes Two
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Returnal

Outstanding Achievement in Story winner: Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy

Nominees

• Before Your Eyes
• Inscryption
• MARVEL's Guardians of the Galaxy
• Psychonauts 2
• The Forgotten City

Outstanding Technical Achievement winner: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Nominees

• Battlefield™ 2042
• Forza Horizon 5
• Moncage
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Returnal

Action Game of the Year winner: Halo Infinite

Nominees

• Deathloop
• Halo Infinite
• Metroid Dread
• Returnal
• The Ascent

Adventure Game of the Year winner: Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy

Nominees

• Death's Door
• It Takes Two
• MARVEL's Guardians of the Galaxy
• Psychonauts 2
• Resident Evil Village

Family Game of the Year winner: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Nominees

• Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Happy Home Paradise
• Cozy Grove
• Mario Party Superstars
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Warioware: Get it Together

Fighting Game of the Year winner: Guilty Gear -Strive-

Nominees

• GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE-
• Melty Blood: Type Lumina
• Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl

Racing Game of the Year winner: Forza Horizon 5

Nominees

• F1 2021
• Forza Horizon 5
• Hot Wheels Unleashed

Role-Playing Game of the Year winner: Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker

Nominees

• Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker
• Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous
• Shin Megami Tensei V
• Tales of Arise
• Wildermyth

Sports Game of the Year winner: Mario Golf: Super Rush

Nominees

• EA SPORTS FIFA 22
• Mario Golf: Super Rush
• NBA 2k22
• Riders Republic
• The Climb 2

Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year winner: Age of Empires IV

Nominees

• Age of Empires IV
• Gloomhaven
• Griftlands
• Inscryption
• Loop Hero

Immersive Reality Technical Achievement winner: Lone Echo II

Nominees

• Lone Echo II
• Puzzling Places
• Resident Evil 4 VR
• Song in the Smoke
• YUKI

Immersive Reality Game of the Year winner: Lone Echo II

Nominees

• Demeo
• I Expect You To Die 2
• Lone Echo II
• Resident Evil 4 VR
• Song in the Smoke

Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game winner: Unpacking

Nominees

• Death's Door
• Inscryption
• Loop Hero
• Sable
• Unpacking

Mobile Game of the Year winner: Pokémon UNITE

Nominees

• Behind the Frame
• Fantasian
• League of Legends: Wild Rift
• Moncage
• Pokémon UNITE

Online Game of the Year winner: Halo Infinite

Nominees

• Back 4 Blood
• Call of Duty: Vanguard
• Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker
• Halo Infinite
• Knockout City

Outstanding Achievement in Game Design winner: It Takes Two

Nominees

• Deathloop
• Inscryption
• It Takes Two
• Loop Hero
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction winner: Deathloop

Nominees

• Deathloop
• Inscryption
• It Takes Two
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• The Artful Escape

That covers the full list of winners at this year’s D.I.C.E. Awards. Be sure to check out the previous year’s award finalists and winners too!

TJ Denzer

Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on BlueSky @JohnnyChugs.