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DICE Awards 2022: How to Watch, All the Nominees, and What to Expect

The 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards are nearly here and, in 2022, the game awards show from the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) will be back in person at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas after going completely virtual last year.

This year, the peer-juried D.I.C.E. Awards will feature 59 nominated games competing in 23 categories, and Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart leads the way with nine nominations.

IGN is the official media partner of the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards and that means you'll be able to stream the entire event live right here with us. As usual, this watch guide will provide you with everything you need to know to watch the show, including when it starts, a list of places you can watch it with us, the full list of nominees, and what you can expect to see at the show.

The 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Start Time

The 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards will take place on Thursday, February 24, and will start at 8pm PT/11pm ET. If you’re tuning in from Australia or from the GMT timezone, that translates to Friday, February 25 at 4am GMT/2pm AEST.

Where to Watch the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards

If you’re interested in watching the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, we’ll be hosting the stream as the show's official media partner here and across our many channels on platforms like YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, Facebook, and more. Here’s the full list of places you can watch the show:

What to Expect at the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards

The 25th Anniversary D.I.C.E. Awards will take place in-person at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas and follows the week-long industry gathering at the 2022 D.I.C.E. Summit. The show will be co-hosted for the sixth year by IGN alum Jessica Chobot (Discovery's ExpeditionX) and Greg Miller (Kinda Funny) and IGN serves as the official media partner.

59 games released in 2021 have been nominated for the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart earned the most with nine nominations. Deathloop earned eight nominations, Inscryption and It Takes Two earned six, Returnal earned five, and Kena: Bridge of Spirits and Resident Evil Village earned four. Deathloop, Inscryption, It Takes Two, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, and Returnal are all up for the Game of the Year award.

In addition to games being honored, CEO of Microsoft Gaming will be this year's recipient of the AIAS Lifetime Achievement Award and Bethesda Game Studios' Todd Howard will present him with the award. NetherRealm Studios' CCO Ed Boon will also be honored as he was selected as the 25th member of the AIAS Hall of Fame. Xbox Game Studios' Matt Booty will present the 2022 Hall of Fame award to Boon.

The 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Categories and Nominees

Game of the Year

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

Outstanding Achievement in Animation

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

Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction

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

Outstanding Achievement in Character

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

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

Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design

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

Outstanding Achievement in Story

Before Your Eyes
Inscryption
Guardians of the Galaxy
Psychonauts 2
The Forgotten City

Outstanding Technical Achievement

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

Action Game of the Year

Deathloop
Halo Infinite
Metroid Dread
Returnal
The Ascent

Adventure Game of the Year

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

Family Game of the Year

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

Guilty Gear Strive
Melty Blood: Type Lumina
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl

Racing Game of the Year

F1 2021
Forza Horizon 5
Hot Wheels Unleashed

Role-Playing Game of the Year

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

Sports Game of the Year

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

Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year

Age of Empires IV
Gloomhaven
Griftlands
Inscryption
Loop Hero

Immersive Reality Technical Achievement

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

Immersive Reality Game of the Year

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

Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game

Death's Door
Inscryption
Loop Hero
Sable
Unpacking

Mobile Game of the Year

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

Online Game of the Year

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

Outstanding Achievement in Game Design

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

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction

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

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Posted in Uncategorized

DICE Awards 2022: How to Watch, All the Nominees, and What to Expect

The 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards are nearly here and, in 2022, the game awards show from the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) will be back in person at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas after going completely virtual last year.

This year, the peer-juried D.I.C.E. Awards will feature 59 nominated games competing in 23 categories, and Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart leads the way with nine nominations.

IGN is the official media partner of the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards and that means you'll be able to stream the entire event live right here with us. As usual, this watch guide will provide you with everything you need to know to watch the show, including when it starts, a list of places you can watch it with us, the full list of nominees, and what you can expect to see at the show.

The 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Start Time

The 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards will take place on Thursday, February 24, and will start at 8pm PT/11pm ET. If you’re tuning in from Australia or from the GMT timezone, that translates to Friday, February 25 at 4am GMT/2pm AEST.

Where to Watch the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards

If you’re interested in watching the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, we’ll be hosting the stream as the show's official media partner here and across our many channels on platforms like YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, Facebook, and more. Here’s the full list of places you can watch the show:

What to Expect at the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards

The 25th Anniversary D.I.C.E. Awards will take place in-person at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas and follows the week-long industry gathering at the 2022 D.I.C.E. Summit. The show will be co-hosted for the sixth year by IGN alum Jessica Chobot (Discovery's ExpeditionX) and Greg Miller (Kinda Funny) and IGN serves as the official media partner.

59 games released in 2021 have been nominated for the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart earned the most with nine nominations. Deathloop earned eight nominations, Inscryption and It Takes Two earned six, Returnal earned five, and Kena: Bridge of Spirits and Resident Evil Village earned four. Deathloop, Inscryption, It Takes Two, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, and Returnal are all up for the Game of the Year award.

In addition to games being honored, CEO of Microsoft Gaming will be this year's recipient of the AIAS Lifetime Achievement Award and Bethesda Game Studios' Todd Howard will present him with the award. NetherRealm Studios' CCO Ed Boon will also be honored as he was selected as the 25th member of the AIAS Hall of Fame. Xbox Game Studios' Matt Booty will present the 2022 Hall of Fame award to Boon.

The 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Categories and Nominees

Game of the Year

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

Outstanding Achievement in Animation

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

Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction

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

Outstanding Achievement in Character

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

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

Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design

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

Outstanding Achievement in Story

Before Your Eyes
Inscryption
Guardians of the Galaxy
Psychonauts 2
The Forgotten City

Outstanding Technical Achievement

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

Action Game of the Year

Deathloop
Halo Infinite
Metroid Dread
Returnal
The Ascent

Adventure Game of the Year

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

Family Game of the Year

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

Guilty Gear Strive
Melty Blood: Type Lumina
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl

Racing Game of the Year

F1 2021
Forza Horizon 5
Hot Wheels Unleashed

Role-Playing Game of the Year

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

Sports Game of the Year

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

Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year

Age of Empires IV
Gloomhaven
Griftlands
Inscryption
Loop Hero

Immersive Reality Technical Achievement

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

Immersive Reality Game of the Year

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

Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game

Death's Door
Inscryption
Loop Hero
Sable
Unpacking

Mobile Game of the Year

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

Online Game of the Year

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

Outstanding Achievement in Game Design

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

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction

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

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Posted in Uncategorized

Valve Details First Wave of Steam Deck Shipments Ahead of Friday Launch

If you want to know whether or not you are in the first wave of Steam Deck shipments, you won't have to wait much longer. Valve has announced new details regarding the Steam Deck's February 25 launch.

Beginning at 10am PT / 1pm ET that day, Valve will send out emails to reservation holders that are included in the first wave of shipments. (That's also when IGN will post our reviewer's impressions of the Steam Deck.) The emails will go out to the addresses that are associated with the Steam account used to place the $5 reservation for the portable gaming PC.

As Valve previously stated, reservation holders will have 72 hours to complete the purchase of the Steam Deck model they reserved. Failure to finalize the purchase within that three-day time window will result in the reservation being released to that individual and given to the next person in the queue, as noted in the blog post.

Valve also shared brief details on the official Steam Deck dock. While the accessory will not be available the same time the handheld is released, Valve says that plans to make the dock available "in late Spring."

The announcement comes a few days before the Steam Deck's February 25 release date. With the launch quickly approaching, the company has been sharing new information, such as announcing that iFixit was named one of the authorized sellers for replacement parts and launching a new tool to see which games in your Steam library will run on the device.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Posted in Uncategorized

Valve Details First Wave of Steam Deck Shipments Ahead of Friday Launch

If you want to know whether or not you are in the first wave of Steam Deck shipments, you won't have to wait much longer. Valve has announced new details regarding the Steam Deck's February 25 launch.

Beginning at 10am PT / 1pm ET that day, Valve will send out emails to reservation holders that are included in the first wave of shipments. (That's also when IGN will post our reviewer's impressions of the Steam Deck.) The emails will go out to the addresses that are associated with the Steam account used to place the $5 reservation for the portable gaming PC.

As Valve previously stated, reservation holders will have 72 hours to complete the purchase of the Steam Deck model they reserved. Failure to finalize the purchase within that three-day time window will result in the reservation being released to that individual and given to the next person in the queue, as noted in the blog post.

Valve also shared brief details on the official Steam Deck dock. While the accessory will not be available the same time the handheld is released, Valve says that plans to make the dock available "in late Spring."

The announcement comes a few days before the Steam Deck's February 25 release date. With the launch quickly approaching, the company has been sharing new information, such as announcing that iFixit was named one of the authorized sellers for replacement parts and launching a new tool to see which games in your Steam library will run on the device.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Posted in Uncategorized

“Leaders Who Fall Short of Basic Standards Must Go”: EA Exec Calls Out Toxic Game Industry Leaders

EA Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Laura Miele denounced games industry toxicity during her DICE 2022 keynote, calling for the removal of leaders who "fall short of basic standards."

"Let's face it, there have been some rough headlines," Miele said. "Stories about negligence and lawsuits, all stemming from leaders who failed to uphold standards we've come to expect."

While Miele didn't call out Activision Blizzard by name, nor CEO Bobby Kotick, both of whom have been at the center of a year of headlines and lawsuits concerning industry toxicity, she criticized industry leaders she says have benefited from "destructive behavior."

Activision Blizzard has enjoyed considerable success during Kotick's tenure, with Call of Duty becoming one of the largest franchises in the games industry. In that time, he has become one of the highest paid CEOs in the games industry, with reports emerging today that he stands to receive $22 million in stock if he is able to improve Activision Blizzard's culture.

But in what seemed to be pointed criticism of Activision Blizzard in general and Kotick in particular, Miele argued that no level of success matters in the face of toxic culture and CEOs that she says allow it to exist.

"Women have been harassed, bullied, marginalized, held back in their careers, paid less, and much, much less. These are real stories, real human beings, and this is going on in companies in our industry," Miele said.

She added, "Leaders who fall short of basic standards must go."

Miele's comments were part of a broader discussion of how the games industry can realize its full potential as the leader of modern entertainment. She talked at length about how games sit at the center of the modern social experience, arguing that leaders within the industry have a special responsibility in light of gaming's global importance.

However, the last year has been a reckoning for companies such as Activision Blizzard, which have faced government investigations and lawsuits concerning their toxic culture. Kotick has been at the center of many of these controversies as reports have emerged that he was well aware of these issues and opted to do nothing.

Activision Blizzard's behavior has been criticized by key platform holders throughout the industry, including its soon-to-be parent company, Xbox. Multiple industry leaders and publications have called for Kotick's resignation.

Miele joined these choruses of voices in arguing for the removal of leaders who enable toxic cultures, but she also said that it was a critical issue facing the industry at large.

"If companies can't figure this out and fix this burning issue, we don't get to move forward. We don't get to pass go," Miele said.

Blogroll Image Source: DICE 2022

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN