# D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Story

The D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Story is an award presented annually by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences during the D.I.C.E. Awards. This award is "presented to the individual or team whose work has furthered the interactive experience through the creation of a game world — whether an original creation, one adapted from existing material, or an extension of an existing property which best exemplifies the coalescence of setting, character, and plot". Creative/technical Academy members with expertise as a game designer or producer are qualified to vote for this award. It was first offered at the 2nd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, with its first winner being Pokémon Red and Blue.
The award's most recent winner is Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, developed by MachineGames and published by Bethesda Softworks.

## History

The award was originally presented as Outstanding Achievement in Character or Story Development, recognizing "the individual or team whose work has furthered the interactive experience through the creation of a memorable character or a memorable story within an interactive title." This was renamed to Outstanding Achievement in Story and Character Development for the 2006 Awards, and then simplified to Outstanding Achievement in Story Development for the 2008 Awards. The award was separated into Outstanding Achievement in Original Story and the Outstanding Achievement in Adapted Story for the 2009 Awards; Original Story for the "creation of an original game world", and Adapted Story for "a game based on previously existing material" which "can be an adaptation or an extension of existing licensed property or brand". The two categories were eventually merged back into one category at the 2011 Awards.
* Outstanding Achievement in Character or Story Development (1999–2005)
* Outstanding Achievement in Story and Character Development (2006–2007)
* Outstanding Achievement in Story Development (2008)
* Outstanding Achievement in Original Story (2009–2010)
* Outstanding Achievement in Adapted Story (2009–2010)
* Outstanding Achievement in Story (2011–present)

## Winners and nominees
### 1990s

Table key :
* Indicates the winner
| Year | Game | Developer(s) | Publisher(s) |
| 1998/1999 (2nd) | Pokémon Red and Blue | Game Freak | Nintendo |
| 1998/1999 (2nd) | Grim Fandango | LucasArts | LucasArts |
| 1998/1999 (2nd) | Half-Life | Valve | Sierra On-Line |
| 1998/1999 (2nd) | King's Quest: Mask of Eternity | Sierra On-Line | Sierra On-Line |
| 1998/1999 (2nd) | Metal Gear Solid | Konami | Konami |
| 1998/1999 (2nd) | Sanitarium | DreamForge Intertainment | ASC Games |
| 1998/1999 (2nd) | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | Nintendo EAD | Nintendo |
| 1998/1999 (2nd) | The X-Files Game | HyperBole Studios | Fox Interactive |
| 1999/2000 (3rd) | Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings | Ensemble Studios | Microsoft Games |
| 1999/2000 (3rd) | Thief: The Dark Project | Looking Glass Studios | Eidos Interactive |
| 1999/2000 (3rd) | Nox | Westwood Studios | Westwood Studios, Electronic Arts |
| 1999/2000 (3rd) | Omikron: The Nomad Soul | Quantic Dream | Eidos Interactive |
| 1999/2000 (3rd) | Planescape: Torment | Black Isle Studios | Interplay Entertainment |

### 2000s

| Year | Game | Developer(s) | Publisher(s) | Ref. |
| 2000 (4th) | Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn | BioWare | Interplay Entertainment | |
| 2000 (4th) | Final Fantasy IX | SquareSoft | Square Electronic Arts | |
| 2000 (4th) | Shenmue | Sega AM2 | Sega | |
| 2000 (4th) | Skies of Arcadia | Overworks | Sega | |
| 2001 (5th) | Ico | Japan Studio | Sony Computer Entertainment | [13][14] [15][16] |
| 2001 (5th) | Black & White | Lionhead Studios | Electronic Arts | [13][14] [15][16] |
| 2001 (5th) | Conker's Bad Fur Day | Rare | Rare | [13][14] [15][16] |
| 2001 (5th) | Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty | Konami | Konami | [13][14] [15][16] |
| 2001 (5th) | Myst III: Exile | Presto Studios | Ubisoft | [13][14] [15][16] |
| 2002 (6th) | Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem | Silicon Knights | Nintendo | |
| 2002 (6th) | Grand Theft Auto: Vice City | Rockstar North | Rockstar Games | |
| 2002 (6th) | Kingdom Hearts | SquareSoft | Square Electronic Arts | |
| 2002 (6th) | Syberia | Microids | The Adventure Company | |
| 2002 (6th) | The Mark of Kri | San Diego Studio | Sony Computer Entertainment | |
| 2003 (7th) | Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic | BioWare | LucasArts | [19][20] [21][22] |
| 2003 (7th) | Beyond Good & Evil | Ubisoft Pictures, Ubisoft Milan | Ubisoft | [19][20] [21][22] |
| 2003 (7th) | Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time | Ubisoft Montreal | Ubisoft | [19][20] [21][22] |
| 2003 (7th) | Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando | Insomniac Games | Sony Computer Entertainment | [19][20] [21][22] |
| 2003 (7th) | The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker | Nintendo EAD | Nintendo | [19][20] [21][22] |
| 2004 (8th) | Fable | Lionhead Studios | Microsoft Game Studios | |
| 2004 (8th) | Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone | Stormfront Studios | Atari | |
| 2004 (8th) | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas | Rockstar North | Rockstar Games | |
| 2004 (8th) | Half-Life 2 | Valve | Vivendi Universal Games | |
| 2004 (8th) | Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy | Midway Games | Midway Games | |
| 2005 (9th) | Call of Duty 2: Big Red One | Treyarch | Activision | |
| 2005 (9th) | Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood | Gearbox Software | Ubisoft | |
| 2005 (9th) | Gun | Neversoft | Activision | |
| 2005 (9th) | King Kong | Ubisoft Montpellier | Ubisoft | |
| 2005 (9th) | Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves | Sucker Punch Productions | Sony Computer Entertainment | |
| 2006 (10th) | The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess | Nintendo EAD | Nintendo | |
| 2006 (10th) | 24: The Game | Guerrilla Cambridge | 2K Games | |
| 2006 (10th) | Dreamfall: The Longest Journey | Funcom | Aspyr | |
| 2006 (10th) | Saints Row | Volition | THQ | |
| 2006 (10th) | Sam & Max Episode 1: Culture Shock | Telltale Games | Telltale Games | |
| 2007 (11th) | BioShock | 2K Boston, 2K Australia | 2K Games | |
| 2007 (11th) | Drawn to Life | 5th Cell | THQ | |
| 2007 (11th) | Mass Effect | BioWare | Microsoft Game Studios | |
| 2007 (11th) | The Darkness | Starbreeze Studios | 2K Games | |
| 2007 (11th) | Uncharted: Drake's Fortune | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment | |
| 2008 (12th) | Outstanding Achievement in Original Story | Outstanding Achievement in Original Story | Outstanding Achievement in Original Story | |
| 2008 (12th) | Fallout 3 | Bethesda Game Studios | Bethesda Softworks | |
| 2008 (12th) | Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway | Gearbox Software | Ubisoft | |
| 2008 (12th) | Fable II | Lionhead Studios | Microsoft Game Studios | |
| 2008 (12th) | Grand Theft Auto IV | Rockstar North | Rockstar Games | |
| 2008 (12th) | Professor Layton and the Curious Village | Level-5 | Nintendo | |
| 2008 (12th) | Outstanding Achievement in Adapted Story | Outstanding Achievement in Adapted Story | Outstanding Achievement in Adapted Story | |
| 2008 (12th) | Star Wars: The Force Unleashed | LucasArts | LucasArts | |
| 2008 (12th) | Lego Batman: The Videogame | Traveller's Tales | Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment | |
| 2008 (12th) | Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe | Midway Games | Midway Games | |
| 2008 (12th) | Naruto: The Broken Bond | Ubisoft Montreal | Ubisoft | |
| 2008 (12th) | 007: Quantum of Solace | Treyarch | Activision | |
| 2009 (13th) | Outstanding Achievement in Original Story | Outstanding Achievement in Original Story | Outstanding Achievement in Original Story | |
| 2009 (13th) | Uncharted 2: Among Thieves | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment | |
| 2009 (13th) | Assassin's Creed II | Ubisoft Montreal | Ubisoft | |
| 2009 (13th) | Brütal Legend | Double Fine Productions | Electronic Arts | |
| 2009 (13th) | Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box | Level-5 | Nintendo | |
| 2009 (13th) | Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time | Insomniac Games | Sony Computer Entertainment | |
| 2009 (13th) | Outstanding Achievement in Adapted Story | Outstanding Achievement in Adapted Story | Outstanding Achievement in Adapted Story | |
| 2009 (13th) | Batman: Arkham Asylum | Rocksteady Studios | Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment | |
| 2009 (13th) | Ghostbusters: The Video Game | Terminal Reality | Atari Interactive | |
| 2009 (13th) | Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 | Vicarious Visions | Activision | |

### 2010s

| Year | Game | Developer(s) | Publisher(s) |
| 2010 (14th) | Mass Effect 2 | BioWare | Electronic Arts |
| 2010 (14th) | Alan Wake | Remedy Entertainment | Microsoft Game Studios |
| 2010 (14th) | Enslaved: Odyssey to the West | Ninja Theory | Namco Bandai Games |
| 2010 (14th) | Heavy Rain | Quantic Dream | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2010 (14th) | Metro 2033 | 4A Games | THQ |
| 2011 (15th) | The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | Bethesda Game Studios | Bethesda Softworks |
| 2011 (15th) | Bastion | Supergiant Games | Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment |
| 2011 (15th) | L.A. Noire | Team Bondi | Rockstar Games |
| 2011 (15th) | Portal 2 | Valve | Valve |
| 2011 (15th) | Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2012 (16th) | The Walking Dead | Telltale Games | Telltale Games |
| 2012 (16th) | Dishonored | Arkane Studios | Bethesda Softworks |
| 2012 (16th) | Journey | Thatgamecompany | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2012 (16th) | Sleeping Dogs | United Front Games | Square Enix |
| 2012 (16th) | Spec Ops: The Line | Yager Development | 2K Games |
| 2013 (17th) | The Last of Us | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2013 (17th) | Beyond: Two Souls | Quantic Dream | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2013 (17th) | BioShock Infinite | Irrational Games | 2K Games |
| 2013 (17th) | The Novelist | Orthogonal Games | Orthogonal Games |
| 2013 (17th) | Tomb Raider | Crystal Dynamics | Square Enix Europe |
| 2014 (18th) | Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor | Monolith Productions | Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment |
| 2014 (18th) | South Park: The Stick of Truth | Obsidian Entertainment, South Park Digital Studios | Ubisoft |
| 2014 (18th) | The Wolf Among Us | Telltale Games | Telltale Games |
| 2014 (18th) | This War of Mine | 11 Bit Studios | 11 Bit Studios |
| 2014 (18th) | Valiant Hearts: The Great War | Ubisoft Montpellier | Ubisoft |
| 2015 (19th) | The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | CD Projekt Red | CD Projekt |
| 2015 (19th) | Fallout 4 | Bethesda Game Studios | Bethesda Softworks |
| 2015 (19th) | Her Story | Sam Barlow | Sam Barlow |
| 2015 (19th) | Rise of the Tomb Raider | Crystal Dynamics | Square Enix Europe |
| 2015 (19th) | Tales from the Borderlands | Telltale Games | Telltale Games |
| 2016 (20th) | Uncharted 4: A Thief's End | Naughty Dog | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2016 (20th) | Firewatch | Campo Santo | Campo Santo |
| 2016 (20th) | Inside | Playdead | Playdead |
| 2016 (20th) | Oxenfree | Night School Studio | Night School Studio |
| 2016 (20th) | That Dragon, Cancer | Numinous Games | Numinous Games |
| 2017 (21st) | Horizon Zero Dawn | Guerrilla Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2017 (21st) | Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice | Ninja Theory | Ninja Theory |
| 2017 (21st) | Night in the Woods | Infinite Fall, Secret Lab | Finji |
| 2017 (21st) | What Remains of Edith Finch | Giant Sparrow | Annapurna Interactive |
| 2017 (21st) | Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus | MachineGames | Bethesda Softworks |
| 2018 (22nd) | God of War | Santa Monica Studio | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2018 (22nd) | Assassin's Creed Odyssey | Ubisoft Quebec | Ubisoft |
| 2018 (22nd) | Florence | Mountains | Annapurna Interactive |
| 2018 (22nd) | Marvel's Spider-Man | Insomniac Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2018 (22nd) | Return of the Obra Dinn | Lucas Pope | 3909 |
| 2019 (23rd) | Disco Elysium | ZA/UM | ZA/UM |
| 2019 (23rd) | Control | Remedy Entertainment | 505 Games |
| 2019 (23rd) | Outer Wilds | Mobius Digital | Annapurna Interactive |
| 2019 (23rd) | Telling Lies | Sam Barlow, Furious Bee | Annapurna Interactive |
| 2019 (23rd) | The Outer Worlds | Obsidian Entertainment | Private Division |

### 2020s

| Year | Game | Developer(s) | Publisher(s) |
| 2020 (24th) | The Last of Us Part II | Naughty Dog | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2020 (24th) | 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim | Vanillaware | Sega |
| 2020 (24th) | Ghost of Tsushima | Sucker Punch Productions | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2020 (24th) | Hades | Supergiant Games | Supergiant Games |
| 2020 (24th) | Kentucky Route Zero | Cardboard Computer | Annapurna Interactive |
| 2021 (25th) | Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy | Eidos-Montréal | Square Enix Europe |
| 2021 (25th) | Before Your Eyes | GoodbyeWorld Games | Skybound Games |
| 2021 (25th) | Inscryption | Daniel Mullins Games | Devolver Digital |
| 2021 (25th) | Psychonauts 2 | Double Fine Productions | Xbox Game Studios |
| 2021 (25th) | The Forgotten City | Modern Storyteller | Dear Villagers |
| 2022 (26th) | God of War Ragnarök | Santa Monica Studio | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2022 (26th) | Elden Ring | FromSoftware | Bandai Namco Entertainment |
| 2022 (26th) | I Was a Teenage Exocolonist | Northway Games | Finji |
| 2022 (26th) | Immortality | Half Mermaid Productions | Half Mermaid Productions |
| 2022 (26th) | Norco | Geography of Robots | Raw Fury |
| 2023 (27th) | Baldur's Gate 3 | Larian Studios | Larian Studios |
| 2023 (27th) | Alan Wake 2 | Remedy Entertainment | Epic Games |
| 2023 (27th) | Dave the Diver | Mintrocket | Mintrocket |
| 2023 (27th) | Thirsty Suitors | Outerloop Games | Annapurna Interactive |
| 2023 (27th) | Venba | Visai Games | Visai Games |
| 2024 (28th) | Indiana Jones and the Great Circle | MachineGames | Bethesda Softworks |
| 2024 (28th) | 1000xResist | Sunset Visitor | Fellow Traveller Games |
| 2024 (28th) | Metaphor: ReFantazio | Studio Zero | Atlus |
| 2024 (28th) | Still Wakes the Deep | The Chinese Room | Secret Mode |
| 2024 (28th) | Thank Goodness You're Here! | Coal Supper | Panic Inc. |

## Multiple nominations and wins
### Developers and publishers

Sony has currently published the most nominees and winners, with its developer Naughty Dog having developed the most nominees and winners. Sony is also the only publisher to publish back-to-back winners. The only other developers to have developed more than one winner are BioWare, Bethesda Game Studios, and Sony's Santa Monica Studio. Ubisoft has published the most nominees without a single winner.
Developers :
| Developer | Nominations | Wins |
| Naughty Dog | 6 | 4 |
| BioWare | 4 | 3 |
| Bethesda Game Studios | 3 | 2 |
| Santa Monica Studio | 2 | 2 |
| Telltale Games | 4 | 1 |
| Lionhead Studios | 3 | 1 |
| Nintendo EAD | 3 | 1 |
| 2K Boston/Irrational Games | 2 | 1 |
| LucasArts | 2 | 1 |
| MachineGames | 2 | 1 |
| Treyarch | 2 | 1 |
| Insomniac Games | 3 | 0 |
| Quantic Dream | 3 | 0 |
| Remedy Entertainment | 3 | 0 |
| Rockstar North | 3 | 0 |
| Ubisoft Montreal | 3 | 0 |
| Ubisoft Pictures/Montpellier | 3 | 0 |
| Valve | 3 | 0 |
| Double Fine Productions | 2 | 0 |
| Gearbox Software | 2 | 0 |
| Konami | 2 | 0 |
| Level-5 | 2 | 0 |
| Midway Games | 2 | 0 |
| Ninja Theory | 2 | 0 |
| Obsidian Entertainment | 2 | 0 |
| Sam Barlow | 2 | 0 |
| SquareSoft | 2 | 0 |
| Sucker Punch Productions | 2 | 0 |
| Supergiant Games | 2 | 0 |
Publishers :
| Publisher | Nominations | Wins |
| Sony Computer/Interactive Entertainment | 19 | 8 |
| Nintendo | 7 | 3 |
| Bethesda Softworks | 6 | 3 |
| Microsoft/Xbox Game Studios | 6 | 2 |
| Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment | 4 | 2 |
| LucasArts | 3 | 2 |
| Electronic Arts | 6 | 1 |
| 2K Games | 5 | 1 |
| Eidos Interactive/Square Enix Europe | 5 | 1 |
| Activision | 4 | 1 |
| Telltale Games | 4 | 1 |
| Interplay Productions | 2 | 1 |
| Ubisoft | 11 | 0 |
| Annapurna Interactive | 6 | 0 |
| Rockstar Games | 4 | 0 |
| Sega | 3 | 0 |
| THQ | 3 | 0 |
| Atari | 2 | 0 |
| Bandai Namco Entertainment | 2 | 0 |
| Finji | 2 | 0 |
| Konami | 2 | 0 |
| Midway Games | 2 | 0 |
| Sierra On-Line | 2 | 0 |
| SquareSoft | 2 | 0 |
| Valve | 2 | 0 |

### Franchises

Uncharted is the most nominated franchise, and is one of five franchises to have won more than once; the other four being Baldur's Gate, God of War, The Last of Us, and Star Wars. Grand Theft Auto is the most nominated franchise that has never won.
Franchises :
| Franchises | Nominations | Wins |
| Uncharted | 4 | 2 |
| Baldur's Gate | 2 | 2 |
| God of War | 2 | 2 |
| Star Wars | 2 | 2 |
| The Last of Us | 2 | 2 |
| The Legend of Zelda | 3 | 1 |
| Batman | 2 | 1 |
| BioShock | 2 | 1 |
| Fable | 2 | 1 |
| Fallout | 2 | 1 |
| Mass Effect | 2 | 1 |
| Grand Theft Auto | 3 | 0 |
| Alan Wake | 2 | 0 |
| Assassin's Creed | 2 | 0 |
| Brothers in Arms | 2 | 0 |
| Half-Life | 2 | 0 |
| Metal Gear | 2 | 0 |
| Professor Layton | 2 | 0 |
| Ratchet & Clank | 2 | 0 |
| Tomb Raider | 2 | 0 |