# D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction

The D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction is an award presented annually by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences during the D.I.C.E. Awards. This recognizes "the individual or small group of individuals who are responsible for directing and driving an interactive game and its team through a combination of skills that include vision, management execution, and game design to create a cohesive experience. This award recognizes the role of the creative director and game director - in guiding all elements of a title and shaping the final outcome of a game". Creative/technical Academy members with expertise as a game designer or producer are qualified to vote for this award.
The award's most recent winner is Animal Well, developed by Shared Memory and published by Bigmode.

## Game Direction and Game of the Year

Since the award for Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction was first offered at the 12th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, most of the finalists for Game Direction were also finalists for Game of the Year. In addition, most award winners for Game Direction would also win Game of the Year. The winners for Game Direction that did not win Game of the Year were:
* Red Dead Redemption
* Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
* Inside
* Control
* Deathloop
* Animal Well
The only winners for Game of the Year that were not finalists for Game Direction were:
* Dragon Age: Inquisition
* Overwatch
* Astro Bot
2025 was the only year when none of the games nominated for Game Direction were finalists for Game of the Year.

## Winners and nominees

Table key :
* Indicates the winner

### 2000s

| Year | Game | Developer(s) | Publisher(s) |
| 2008 (12th) | LittleBigPlanet | Media Molecule | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2008 (12th) | Fallout 3 | Bethesda Game Studios | Bethesda Softworks |
| 2008 (12th) | Gears of War 2 | Epic Games | Microsoft Game Studios |
| 2008 (12th) | Left 4 Dead | Valve South | Valve |
| 2008 (12th) | Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots | Kojima Productions | Konami |
| 2009 (13th) | Uncharted 2: Among Thieves | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2009 (13th) | Assassin's Creed II | Ubisoft Montreal | Ubisoft |
| 2009 (13th) | Batman: Arkham Asylum | Rocksteady Studios | Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment |
| 2009 (13th) | Brütal Legend | Double Fine Productions | Electronic Arts |
| 2009 (13th) | Flower | Thatgamecompany | Sony Computer Entertainment |

### 2010s

| Year | Game | Developer(s) | Publisher(s) |
| 2010 (14th) | Red Dead Redemption | Rockstar San Diego | Rockstar Games |
| 2010 (14th) | Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood | Ubisoft Montreal | Ubisoft |
| 2010 (14th) | Enslaved: Odyssey to the West | Ninja Theory | Namco Bandai Games |
| 2010 (14th) | Limbo | Playdead | Playdead |
| 2010 (14th) | Mass Effect 2 | BioWare | Electronic Arts |
| 2011 (15th) | The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | Bethesda Game Studios | Bethesda Softworks |
| 2011 (15th) | Batman: Arkham City | Rocksteady Studios | 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) | Journey | Thatgamecompany | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2012 (16th) | Dishonored | Arkane Studios | Bethesda Softworks |
| 2012 (16th) | Far Cry 3 | Ubisoft Montreal | Ubisoft |
| 2012 (16th) | The Unfinished Swan | Giant Sparrow, Santa Monica Studio | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2012 (16th) | The Walking Dead | Telltale Games | Telltale Games |
| 2013 (17th) | The Last of Us | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2013 (17th) | Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons | Starbreeze Studios | 505 Games |
| 2013 (17th) | Grand Theft Auto V | Rockstar North | Rockstar Games |
| 2013 (17th) | Papers, Please | Lucas Pope | 3909 |
| 2013 (17th) | Tearaway | Media Molecule | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2014 (18th) | Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor | Monolith Productions | Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment |
| 2014 (18th) | Lumino City | State of Play Games | State of Play Games |
| 2014 (18th) | Monument Valley | ustwo | ustwo |
| 2014 (18th) | Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna) | Upper One Games | E-Line Media |
| 2014 (18th) | The Vanishing of Ethan Carter | The Astronauts | The Astronauts |
| 2015 (19th) | Fallout 4 | Bethesda Game Studios | Bethesda Softworks |
| 2015 (19th) | Life Is Strange | Don't Nod | Square Enix Europe |
| 2015 (19th) | Rise of the Tomb Raider | Crystal Dynamics | Square Enix Europe |
| 2015 (19th) | Undertale | Toby Fox | Toby Fox |
| 2015 (19th) | The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | CD Projekt Red | CD Projekt |
| 2016 (20th) | Inside | Playdead | Playdead |
| 2016 (20th) | 1979 Revolution: Black Friday | iNK Stories | iNK Stories |
| 2016 (20th) | Battlefield 1 | DICE | Electronic Arts |
| 2016 (20th) | The Last Guardian | Japan Studio | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2016 (20th) | Uncharted 4: A Thief's End | Naughty Dog | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2017 (21st) | The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | Nintendo EPD | Nintendo |
| 2017 (21st) | Gorogoa | Jason Roberts, Buried Signal | Annapurna Interactive |
| 2017 (21st) | Horizon Zero Dawn | Guerrilla Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2017 (21st) | Uncharted: The Lost Legacy | Naughty Dog | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2017 (21st) | What Remains of Edith Finch | Giant Sparrow | Annapurna Interactive |
| 2018 (22nd) | God of War | Santa Monica Studio | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2018 (22nd) | Florence | Mountains | Annapurna Interactive |
| 2018 (22nd) | Marvel's Spider-Man | Insomniac Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2018 (22nd) | Red Dead Redemption 2 | Rockstar Games | Rockstar Games |
| 2018 (22nd) | Return of the Obra Dinn | Lucas Pope | 3909 |
| 2019 (23rd) | Control | Remedy Entertainment | 505 Games |
| 2019 (23rd) | A Short Hike | Adam Robinson-Yu | Adam Robinson-Yu |
| 2019 (23rd) | Disco Elysium | ZA/UM | ZA/UM |
| 2019 (23rd) | Outer Wilds | Mobius Digital | Annapurna Interactive |
| 2019 (23rd) | Untitled Goose Game | House House | Panic Inc. |

### 2020s

| Year | Game | Developer(s) | Publisher(s) |
| 2020 (24th) | Hades | Supergiant Games | Supergiant Games |
| 2020 (24th) | Ghost of Tsushima | Sucker Punch Productions | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2020 (24th) | Half-Life: Alyx | Valve | Valve |
| 2020 (24th) | Kentucky Route Zero | Cardboard Computer | Annapurna Interactive |
| 2020 (24th) | The Last of Us Part II | Naughty Dog | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2021 (25th) | Deathloop | Arkane Studios | Bethesda Softworks |
| 2021 (25th) | Inscryption | Daniel Mullins Games | Devolver Digital |
| 2021 (25th) | It Takes Two | Hazelight Studios | Electronic Arts |
| 2021 (25th) | Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart | Insomniac Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2021 (25th) | The Artful Escape | Beethoven & Dinosaur | Annapurna Interactive |
| 2022 (26th) | Elden Ring | FromSoftware | Bandai Namco Entertainment |
| 2022 (26th) | God of War Ragnarök | Santa Monica Studio | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2022 (26th) | Horizon Forbidden West | Guerrilla Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2022 (26th) | Immortality | Half Mermaid Productions | Half Mermaid Productions |
| 2022 (26th) | Tunic | Isometricorps Games | Finji |
| 2023 (27th) | Baldur's Gate 3 | Larian Studios | Larian Studios |
| 2023 (27th) | Cocoon | Geometric Interactive | Annapurna Interactive |
| 2023 (27th) | Marvel's Spider-Man 2 | Insomniac Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2023 (27th) | Super Mario Bros. Wonder | Nintendo EPD | Nintendo |
| 2023 (27th) | The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom | Nintendo EPD | Nintendo |
| 2024 (28th) | Animal Well | Shared Memory | Bigmode |
| 2024 (28th) | 1000xResist | Sunset Visitor | Fellow Traveller Games |
| 2024 (28th) | Lorelei and the Laser Eyes | Simogo | Annapurna Interactive |
| 2024 (28th) | Riven | Cyan Worlds | Cyan Worlds |
| 2024 (28th) | Thank Goodness You're Here! | Coal Supper | Panic Inc. |

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

Sony has published the most nominees and the most winners, and is the only publisher with back-to-back wins. Sony's developer Naughty Dog has developed the most nominees, and is tied with Bethesda Game Studios for developing the most winners. Ubisoft Montreal and Insomniac Games are tied for developing the most nominees without a winner, while Annapurna Interactive has published the most nominees without a winner.
Developers :
| Developer | Nominations | Wins |
| Naughty Dog | 6 | 2 |
| Bethesda Game Studios | 3 | 2 |
| Nintendo EPD | 3 | 1 |
| Santa Monica Studio | 3 | 1 |
| Arkane Studios | 2 | 1 |
| Media Molecule | 2 | 1 |
| Playdead | 2 | 1 |
| Thatgamecompany | 2 | 1 |
| Insomniac Games | 3 | 0 |
| Ubisoft Montreal | 3 | 0 |
| Giant Sparrow | 2 | 0 |
| Guerrilla Games | 2 | 0 |
| Lucas Pope | 2 | 0 |
| Rocksteady Studios | 2 | 0 |
| Valve | 2 | 0 |
Publishers :
| Publisher | Nominations | Wins |
| Sony Computer/Interactive Entertainment | 20 | 5 |
| Bethesda Softworks | 5 | 3 |
| Rockstar Games | 4 | 1 |
| Nintendo | 3 | 1 |
| Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment | 3 | 1 |
| 505 Games | 2 | 1 |
| Bandai Namco Entertainment | 2 | 1 |
| Annapurna Interactive | 8 | 0 |
| Electronic Arts | 4 | 0 |
| Ubisoft | 3 | 0 |
| Valve | 3 | 0 |
| 3909 | 2 | 0 |
| Panic Inc. | 2 | 0 |
| Square Enix Europe | 2 | 0 |

### Franchises

Only ten franchises have been nominated more than once, with none being repeat winners. Uncharted has been the most nominated franchise in this category.
Franchises :
| Franchise | Nominations | Wins |
| Uncharted | 4 | 1 |
| Fallout | 2 | 1 |
| God of War | 2 | 1 |
| The Last of Us | 2 | 1 |
| The Legend of Zelda | 2 | 1 |
| Red Dead | 2 | 1 |
| Assassin's Creed | 2 | 0 |
| Batman: Arkham | 2 | 0 |
| Horizon | 2 | 0 |
| Marvel's Spider-Man | 2 | 0 |