# D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design

The D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design 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 represents the highest level of achievement in creating a unified audio experience. The quality of the individual sound effects, voice over, music, technology, and other audio elements will be considered in addition to the overall audio mix of the title". Creative/technical Academy members with expertise as a game designer, producer, audio designer, or musician are qualified to vote for this award.
The award's most recent winner is Helldivers 2, developed by Arrowhead Game Studios and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment.

## History

The award was initially presented as the Outstanding Achievement in Sound and Music for "the integration and use of sound and/or original music in an interactive title". The first winner was PaRappa the Rapper, which was developed by NanaOn-Sha and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. Sound and Music would be separated into their own categories for Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition and Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design during the 3rd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards. The award would be renamed to its current title at the 23rd Annual D.I.C.E. Awards.
* Outstanding Achievement in Sound and Music (1998–1999)
* Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design (2000–2019)
* Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design (2020–present)

## Winners and nominees
### 1990s

Table key :
* Indicates the winner
| Year | Game | Developer(s) | Publisher(s) |
| 1997/1998 (1st) | PaRappa the Rapper | NanaOn-Sha | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 1997/1998 (1st) | Fallout | Interplay Productions | Interplay Productions |
| 1997/1998 (1st) | Interstate '76 | Activision | Activision |
| 1997/1998 (1st) | Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee | Oddworld Inhabitants | GT Interactive |
| 1997/1998 (1st) | Outlaws | LucasArts | LucasArts |
| 1997/1998 (1st) | Star Trek: Starfleet Academy | Interplay Productions | Interplay Productions |
| 1998/1999 (2nd) | Road Rash 3D | Electronic Arts | Electronic Arts |
| 1998/1999 (2nd) | Grim Fandango | LucasArts | LucasArts |
| 1998/1999 (2nd) | Heart of Darkness | Amazing Studio | Interplay Productions |
| 1998/1999 (2nd) | Wild 9 | Shiny Entertainment | Interplay Productions |
| 1999/2000 (3rd) | Medal of Honor | DreamWorks Interactive | Electronic Arts |
| 1999/2000 (3rd) | NFL 2K | Visual Concepts | Sega |
| 1999/2000 (3rd) | Thief: The Dark Project | Looking Glass Studios | Eidos Interactive |

### 2000s

| Year | Game | Developer(s) | Publisher(s) | Ref. |
| 2000 (4th) | Medal of Honor: Underground | DreamWorks Interactive | Electronic Arts | |
| 2000 (4th) | Deus Ex | Ion Storm | Eidos Interactive | |
| 2000 (4th) | Jet Grind Radio | Smilebit | Sega | |
| 2000 (4th) | The Longest Journey | Funcom | IQ Media, Empire Interactive, Tri Synergy | |
| 2001 (5th) | Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty | Konami | Konami | [14][15] [16][17] |
| 2001 (5th) | Frequency | Harmonix | Sony Computer Entertainment | [14][15] [16][17] |
| 2001 (5th) | Ico | Japan Studio | Sony Computer Entertainment | [14][15] [16][17] |
| 2001 (5th) | Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon | Red Storm Entertainment | Ubisoft | [14][15] [16][17] |
| 2002 (6th) | Medal of Honor: Frontline | EA Los Angeles | Electronic Arts | |
| 2002 (6th) | Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem | Silicon Knights | Nintendo | |
| 2002 (6th) | Grand Theft Auto: Vice City | Rockstar North | Rockstar Games | |
| 2002 (6th) | Metroid Prime | Retro Studios | Nintendo | |
| 2002 (6th) | No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy in H.A.R.M.'s Way | Monolith Productions | Sierra Entertainment | |
| 2002 (6th) | The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | Stormfront Studios | Electronic Arts | |
| 2002 (6th) | Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell | Ubisoft Montreal | Ubisoft | |
| 2003 (7th) | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | EA Redwood Shores | Electronic Arts | [19][20] [21][22] |
| 2003 (7th) | Amplitude | Harmonix | Sony Computer Entertainment | [19][20] [21][22] |
| 2003 (7th) | Beyond Good & Evil | Ubisoft Pictures | Ubisoft | [19][20] [21][22] |
| 2003 (7th) | Call of Duty | Infinity Ward | Activision | [19][20] [21][22] |
| 2003 (7th) | Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield | Red Storm Entertainment | Ubisoft | [19][20] [21][22] |
| 2004 (8th) | Halo 2 | Bungie | Microsoft Game Studios | |
| 2004 (8th) | Doom 3 | id Software | Activision | |
| 2004 (8th) | Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal | Insomniac Games | Sony Computer Entertainment | |
| 2004 (8th) | Rome: Total War | Creative Assembly | Activision | |
| 2004 (8th) | Sly 2: Band of Thieves | Sucker Punch Productions | Sony Computer Entertainment | |
| 2005 (9th) | God of War | Santa Monica Studio | Sony Computer Entertainment | |
| 2005 (9th) | Condemned: Criminal Origins | Monolith Productions | Sega | |
| 2005 (9th) | F.E.A.R. (First Encounter Assault Recon) | Monolith Productions | Vivendi Universal Games, Sierra Entertainment | |
| 2005 (9th) | King Kong | Ubisoft Montpellier | Ubisoft | |
| 2005 (9th) | Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory | Ubisoft Montreal | Ubisoft | |
| 2006 (10th) | Call of Duty 3 | Treyarch | Activision | |
| 2006 (10th) | Company of Heroes | Relic Entertainment | THQ | |
| 2006 (10th) | The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion | Bethesda Game Studios | 2K Games | |
| 2006 (10th) | Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter | Ubisoft Paris, Red Storm Entertainment | Ubisoft | |
| 2006 (10th) | Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent | Ubisoft Shanghai | Ubisoft | |
| 2007 (11th) | BioShock | 2K Boston, 2K Australia | 2K Games | |
| 2007 (11th) | Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare | Infinity Ward | Activision | |
| 2007 (11th) | Need for Speed: ProStreet | EA Black Box | Electronic Arts | |
| 2007 (11th) | Skate | EA Black Box | Electronic Arts | |
| 2007 (11th) | Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 | Ubisoft Paris, Red Storm Entertainment | Ubisoft | |
| 2008 (12th) | Dead Space | EA Redwood Shores | Electronic Arts | |
| 2008 (12th) | Gears of War 2 | Epic Games | Microsoft Game Studios | |
| 2008 (12th) | LittleBigPlanet | Media Molecule | Sony Computer Entertainment | |
| 2008 (12th) | Prince of Persia | Ubisoft Montreal | Ubisoft | |
| 2008 (12th) | Wipeout HD | Studio Liverpool | Sony Computer Entertainment | |
| 2009 (13th) | Uncharted 2: Among Thieves | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment | |
| 2009 (13th) | Assassin's Creed II | Ubisoft Montreal | Ubisoft | |
| 2009 (13th) | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 | Infinity Ward | Activision | |
| 2009 (13th) | Flower | Thatgamecompany | Sony Computer Entertainment | |
| 2009 (13th) | Skate 2 | EA Black Box | Electronic Arts | |

### 2010s

| Year | Game | Developer(s) | Publisher(s) |
| 2010 (14th) | Limbo | Playdead | Playdead |
| 2010 (14th) | Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood | Ubisoft Montreal | Ubisoft |
| 2010 (14th) | Battlefield: Bad Company 2 | DICE | Electronic Arts |
| 2010 (14th) | Medal of Honor | Danger Close Games, DICE | Electronic Arts |
| 2010 (14th) | Red Dead Redemption | Rockstar San Diego | Rockstar Games |
| 2011 (15th) | Battlefield 3 | DICE | Electronic Arts |
| 2011 (15th) | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 | Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games | Activision |
| 2011 (15th) | L.A. Noire | Team Bondi | Rockstar Games |
| 2011 (15th) | Need for Speed: The Run | EA Black Box | Electronic Arts |
| 2011 (15th) | Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2012 (16th) | Journey | Thatgamecompany | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2012 (16th) | Assassin's Creed III | Ubisoft Montreal | Ubisoft |
| 2012 (16th) | Diablo III | Blizzard Entertainment | Blizzard Entertainment |
| 2012 (16th) | Medal of Honor: Warfighter | Danger Close Games | Electronic Arts |
| 2012 (16th) | Syndicate | Starbreeze Studios | Electronic Arts |
| 2013 (17th) | The Last of Us | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2013 (17th) | Battlefield 4 | DICE | Electronic Arts |
| 2013 (17th) | BioShock Infinite | Irrational Games | 2K Games |
| 2013 (17th) | God of War: Ascension | Santa Monica Studio | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2013 (17th) | Grand Theft Auto V | Rockstar North | Rockstar Games |
| 2014 (18th) | Destiny | Bungie | Activision |
| 2014 (18th) | Assassin's Creed Unity | Ubisoft Montreal | Ubisoft |
| 2014 (18th) | Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare | Sledgehammer Games | Activision |
| 2014 (18th) | Far Cry 4 | Ubisoft Montreal | Ubisoft |
| 2014 (18th) | Valiant Hearts: The Great War | Ubisoft Montpellier | Ubisoft |
| 2015 (19th) | Star Wars Battlefront | DICE | Electronic Arts |
| 2015 (19th) | Destiny: The Taken King | Bungie | Activision |
| 2015 (19th) | Ori and the Blind Forest | Moon Studios | Microsoft Studios |
| 2015 (19th) | Rise of the Tomb Raider | Crystal Dynamics | Square Enix Europe |
| 2015 (19th) | The Order: 1886 | Ready at Dawn | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2016 (20th) | Battlefield 1 | DICE | Electronic Arts |
| 2016 (20th) | Inside | Playdead | Playdead |
| 2016 (20th) | Quantum Break | Remedy Entertainment | Microsoft Studios |
| 2016 (20th) | The Last Guardian | Japan Studio, GenDesign | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2016 (20th) | Uncharted 4: A Thief's End | Naughty Dog | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2017 (21st) | Super Mario Odyssey | Nintendo EPD | Nintendo |
| 2017 (21st) | Destiny 2 | Bungie | Activision |
| 2017 (21st) | Injustice 2 | NetherRealm Studios | Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment |
| 2017 (21st) | Star Wars Battlefront II | DICE | Electronic Arts |
| 2017 (21st) | Uncharted: The Lost Legacy | Naughty Dog | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2018 (22nd) | God of War | Santa Monica Studio | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2018 (22nd) | Battlefield V | DICE | Electronic Arts |
| 2018 (22nd) | Detroit: Become Human | Quantic Dream | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2018 (22nd) | Marvel's Spider-Man | Insomniac Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2018 (22nd) | Moss | Polyarc | Polyarc |
| 2019 (23rd) | Death Stranding | Kojima Productions | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2019 (23rd) | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare | Infinity Ward | Activision |
| 2019 (23rd) | Mortal Kombat 11 | NetherRealm Studios | Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment |
| 2019 (23rd) | Resident Evil 2 | Capcom | Capcom |
| 2019 (23rd) | Sayonara Wild Hearts | Simogo | Annapurna Interactive |

### 2020s

| Year | Game | Developer(s) | Publisher(s) |
| 2020 (24th) | Ghost of Tsushima | Sucker Punch Productions | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2020 (24th) | Dreams | Media Molecule | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2020 (24th) | The Last of Us Part II | Naughty Dog | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2020 (24th) | Ori and the Will of the Wisps | Moon Studios | Xbox Game Studios |
| 2020 (24th) | Sackboy: A Big Adventure | Sumo Digital | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2021 (25th) | Returnal | Housemarque | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2021 (25th) | Forza Horizon 5 | Playground Games | Xbox Game Studios |
| 2021 (25th) | Halo Infinite | 343 Industries | Xbox Game Studios |
| 2021 (25th) | It Takes Two | Hazelight Studios | Electronic Arts |
| 2021 (25th) | Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart | Insomniac Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2022 (26th) | God of War Ragnarök | Santa Monica Studio | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2022 (26th) | A Plague Tale: Requiem | Asobo Studios | Focus Entertainment |
| 2022 (26th) | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II | Infinity Ward | Activision |
| 2022 (26th) | Gotham Knights | WB Games Montréal | Warner Bros. Games |
| 2022 (26th) | Somerville | Jumpship | Jumpship |
| 2023 (27th) | Marvel's Spider-Man 2 | Insomniac Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2023 (27th) | Alan Wake 2 | Remedy Entertainment | Epic Games |
| 2023 (27th) | Cocoon | Geometric Interactive | Annapurna Interactive |
| 2023 (27th) | Hi-Fi Rush | Tango Gameworks | Bethesda Softworks |
| 2023 (27th) | Star Wars Jedi: Survivor | Respawn Entertainment | Electronic Arts |
| 2024 (28th) | Helldivers 2 | Arrowhead Game Studios | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2024 (28th) | Frostpunk 2 | 11 Bit Studios | 11 Bit Studios |
| 2024 (28th) | Monument Valley 3 | ustwo | Netflix Games |
| 2024 (28th) | Senua's Saga: Hellblade II | Ninja Theory | Xbox Game Studios |
| 2024 (28th) | Still Wakes the Deep | The Chinese Room | Secret Mode |

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

Sony has published the most nominees, as well as the most winners in this category. Sony has the longest publisher-winning streak in this category, having won the award for seven straight years (2019 to 2025). Sony also has the record for publishing the most nominees in a single year, with four nods at the 24th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards.
Electronic Arts developer DICE and Ubisoft Montreal have developed the most nominees, with DICE and Sony's Santa Monica Studio having developed the most winners in the category. DICE and DreamWorks Interactive are the only developers with back-to-back wins for the award. Ubisoft has published the most nominees without having a single winner, while Ubisoft Montreal has developed the most nominees without a winner as well. Ubisoft Montreal is also one of the few studios that have developed more than one nominee for a single year; the other studios are Interplay Productions, Monolith Productions, and EA Black Box.
Developers :
| Developer | Nominations | Wins |
| DICE | 8 | 3 |
| Santa Monica Studio | 4 | 3 |
| Naughty Dog | 6 | 2 |
| DreamWorks Interactive/EA Los Angeles/Danger Close Games | 5 | 2 |
| Bungie | 4 | 2 |
| EA Redwood Shores | 2 | 2 |
| Insomniac Games | 4 | 1 |
| 2K Boston/Irrational Games | 2 | 1 |
| Playdead | 2 | 1 |
| Sucker Punch Productions | 2 | 1 |
| Thatgamecompany | 2 | 1 |
| Ubisoft Montreal | 8 | 0 |
| Infinity Ward | 6 | 0 |
| EA Black Box | 4 | 0 |
| Red Storm Entertainment | 4 | 0 |
| Monolith Productions | 3 | 0 |
| Ubisoft Pictures/Montpellier | 3 | 0 |
| Interplay Productions | 2 | 0 |
| Harmonix | 2 | 0 |
| Japan Studio | 2 | 0 |
| LucasArts | 2 | 0 |
| Media Molecule | 2 | 0 |
| Moon Studios | 2 | 0 |
| NetherRealm Studios | 2 | 0 |
| Remedy Entertainment | 2 | 0 |
| Rockstar North | 2 | 0 |
| Sledgehammer Games | 2 | 0 |
| Ubisoft Paris | 2 | 0 |
Publishers :
| Publisher | Nominations | Wins |
| Sony Computer/Interactive Entertainment | 32 | 12 |
| Electronic Arts | 23 | 9 |
| Activision | 14 | 2 |
| Microsoft/Xbox Game Studios | 8 | 1 |
| 2K Games | 3 | 1 |
| Nintendo | 3 | 1 |
| Playdead | 2 | 1 |
| Ubisoft | 15 | 0 |
| Interplay Productions | 4 | 0 |
| Eidos Interactive/Square Enix Europe | 3 | 0 |
| Rockstar Games | 3 | 0 |
| Sega | 3 | 0 |
| Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment/Warner Bros. Games | 3 | 0 |
| Annapurna Interactive | 2 | 0 |
| LucasArts | 2 | 0 |

### Franchises

The most nominated franchise has been Call of Duty, while God of War and Medal of Honor have been the most award-winning franchises. Battlefield is the only other franchise to have won more than once. The Tom Clancy franchise has the most nominations without winning a single award, and is the only franchise with more than one nominee in one year.
Franchises :
| Franchises | Nominations | Wins |
| Medal of Honor | 5 | 3 |
| God of War | 4 | 3 |
| Battlefield | 5 | 2 |
| Call of Duty | 8 | 1 |
| Uncharted | 4 | 1 |
| Destiny | 3 | 1 |
| Star Wars | 3 | 1 |
| BioShock | 2 | 1 |
| Halo | 2 | 1 |
| Marvel's Spider-Man | 2 | 1 |
| The Last of Us | 2 | 1 |
| The Lord of the Rings | 2 | 1 |
| Tom Clancy's | 7 | 0 |
| Assassin's Creed | 4 | 0 |
| Frequency | 2 | 0 |
| Grand Theft Auto | 2 | 0 |
| LittleBigPlanet | 2 | 0 |
| Need for Speed | 2 | 0 |
| Ori | 2 | 0 |
| Ratchet & Clank | 2 | 0 |
| Skate | 2 | 0 |