# 8th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards

The 8th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards was the 8th edition of the Interactive Achievement Awards, an annual awards event that honored the best games in the video game industry during 2004. The awards were arranged by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) and were held at the Green Valley Ranch Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 1, 2005 (2005-02-01). It was also held as part of the Academy's 2005 D.I.C.E. Summit. It was hosted by Kurt Scholler and Cory Rouse, and featured presenters including Lorne Lanning, Tommy Tallarico, Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk, Stan Lee, Sid Meier, Jack Tretton, and Doug Lowenstein.
The award for "Online Gameplay" had been reintroduced as a craft award instead of a genre award. This year's finalists were listed for "Wireless Game of the Year" along with the computer award for "Children's Game of the Year".
Half-Life 2 received the most nominations and won the most awards, including "Game of the Year". As a publisher, Vivendi Universal Games won the most awards, while Nintendo and Sony Computer Entertainment received the most nominations. Nintendo also tied with Electronic Arts for having the most nominated games while Nintendo had the most award-winning games. The Mario franchise had two award-winning titles with Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door for "Console Role-Playing Game of the Year" and Super Mario 64 DS for "Wireless Game of the Year". This would be the final year of separate genre awards for console and computer.
Trip Hawkins, founder of Electronic Arts, was inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame.

## Winners and Nominees

Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger (‡).
Game of the Year
Half-Life 2 — Valve, Vivendi Universal Games‡
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas — Rockstar North
Halo 2 — Bungie, Microsoft Game Studios
Katamari Damacy — Namco
World of Warcraft — Blizzard Entertainment, Vivendi Universal Games :
| Console Game of the Year Halo 2 — Bungie, Microsoft Game Studios‡ Burnout 3: Takedown — Criterion Games, Electronic Arts Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas — Rockstar North Katamari Damacy — Namco Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal — Insomniac Games, Sony Computer Entertainment | Computer Game of the Year Half-Life 2 — Valve, Vivendi Universal Games‡ City of Heroes — Cryptic Studios, NCSoft Doom 3 — id Software, Activision Sid Meier's Pirates! — Firaxis Games, Atari World of Warcraft — Blizzard Entertainment, Vivendi Universal Games |

### Innovation Awards

| Outstanding Innovation in Computer Gaming Half-Life 2 — Valve, Vivendi Universal Games‡ City of Heroes — Cryptic Studios, NCSoft Doom 3 — id Software, Activision Rome: Total War — Creative Assembly, Activision The Sims 2 — Maxis, Electronic Arts | Outstanding Innovation in Console Gaming Katamari Damacy — Namco‡ Donkey Konga — Namco, Nintendo EyeToy: AntiGrav — Harmonix, Sony Computer Entertainment Fable — Lionhead Studios, Microsoft Game Studios Halo 2 — Bungie, Microsoft Game Studios |

### Craft Awards

| Outstanding Achievement in Game Design Katamari Damacy — Namco‡ City of Heroes — Cryptic Studios, NCSoft Fable — Lionhead Studios, Microsoft Game Studios Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas — Rockstar North Half-Life 2 — Valve, Vivendi Universal Games | Outstanding Achievement in Character or Story Development Fable — Lionhead Studios, Microsoft Game Studios‡ Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone — Stormfront Studios, Atari Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas — Rockstar North Half-Life 2 — Valve, Vivendi Universal Games Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy — Midway Games |
| Outstanding Achievement in Animation Half-Life 2 — Valve, Vivendi Universal Games‡ Jak 3 — Naughty Dog, Sony Computer Entertainment Prince of Persia: Warrior Within — Ubisoft Montreal Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal — Insomniac Games, Sony Computer Entertainment Sly 2: Band of Thieves — Sucker Punch Productions, Sony Computer Entertainment | Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction Half-Life 2 — Valve, Vivendi Universal Games‡ Doom 3 — id Software, Activision Metroid Prime 2: Echoes — Retro Studios, Nintendo Prince of Persia: Warrior Within — Ubisoft Montreal Sly 2: Band of Thieves — Sucker Punch Productions, Sony Computer Entertainment |
| Outstanding Character Performance - Male Robert Guillaume as Dr. Eli Vance (Half-Life 2) — Valve, Vivendi Universal Games‡ Daniel Riordan as Rannek (Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone) — Stormfront Studios, Atari David Hayter as Naked Snake (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater) — Konami Cary Elwes as The Bard (The Bard's Tale) — inXile Entertainment Vin Diesel as Riddick (The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay) — Starbreeze Studios, Vivendi Universal Games | Outstanding Character Performance - Female Judi Dench as M (GoldenEye: Rogue Agent) — EA Los Angeles‡ Vanessa Marshall as Zhai (Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone) — Stormfront Studios, Atari Linda Currie (Zoo Tycoon 2) — Blue Fang Games, Microsoft Game Studios |
| Outstanding Achievement in Soundtrack Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas — Rockstar North‡ Donkey Konga — Namco, Nintendo Need for Speed: Underground 2 — EA Black Box Tony Hawk's Underground 2 — Neversoft, Activision | Outstanding Achievement in Original Musical Composition Fable — Lionhead Studios, Microsoft Game Studios‡ Katamari Damacy — Namco Killzone — Guerrilla Games, Sony Computer Entertainment NBA Ballers — Midway Games Rome: Total War — Creative Assembly, Activision |
| Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design Halo 2 — Bungie, Microsoft Game Studios‡ Doom 3 — id Software, Activision Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal — Insomniac Games, Sony Computer Entertainment Rome: Total War — Creative Assembly, Activision Sly 2: Band of Thieves — Sucker Punch Productions, Sony Computer Entertainment | Outstanding Achievement in Gameplay Engineering Half-Life 2 — Valve, Vivendi Universal Games‡ Donkey Konga — Namco, Nintendo EyeToy: AntiGrav — Harmonix, Sony Computer Entertainment Fable — Lionhead Studios, Microsoft Game Studios Spider-Man 2 — Treyarch, Activision |
| Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay Halo 2 — Bungie, Microsoft Game Studios‡ Rome: Total War — Creative Assembly, Activision Unreal Tournament 2004 — Epic Games, Digital Extremes, Atari Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War — Relic Entertainment, THQ | Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering Half-Life 2 — Valve, Vivendi Universal Games‡ Doom 3 — id Software, Activision Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone — Stormfront Studios, Atari Metroid Prime 2: Echoes — Retro Studios, Nintendo Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal — Insomniac Games, Sony Computer Entertainment |

### Genre Awards
#### Console

| Console Platform Action/Adventure Game of the Year Prince of Persia: Warrior Within — Ubisoft Montreal‡ Jak 3 — Naughty Dog, Sony Computer Entertainment Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal — Insomniac Games, Sony Computer Entertainment | Console Action/Adventure Game of the Year Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas — Rockstar North‡ Full Spectrum Warrior — Pandemic Studios, THQ Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater — Konami Pikmin 2 — Nintendo EAD Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy — Midway Games Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow — Ubisoft |
| Console Action Sports Game of the Year Tony Hawk's Underground 2 — Neversoft, Activision‡ Mario Power Tennis — Camelot Software Planning, Nintendo NBA Ballers — Midway Games NFL Street 2 — EA Tiburon | Console First-Person Action Game of the Year Halo 2 — Bungie, Microsoft Game Studios‡ GoldenEye: Rogue Agent — EA Los Angeles Killzone — Guerrilla Games, Sony Computer Entertainment Metroid Prime 2: Echoes — Retro Studios, Nintendo The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay — Starbreeze Studios, Vivendi Universal Games |
| Console Children's Title of the Year Sly 2: Band of Thieves — Sucker Punch Productions, Sony Computer Entertainment‡ Backyard Baseball 2005 — Humongous Entertainment, Atari Mario Party 6 — Hudson Soft, Nintendo Pokémon Colosseum — Genius Sonority, Nintendo Shrek 2 — Luxoflux, Activision | Fighting Game of the Year Mortal Kombat: Deception — Midway Games‡ Def Jam: Fight for NY — AKI Corporation, EA Canada Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3 — Dimps, Bandai, Atari |
| Console Family Game of the Year Donkey Konga — Namco, Nintendo‡ EyeToy: AntiGrav — Harmonix, Sony Computer Entertainment Karaoke Revolution Volume 3 — Harmonix, Konami WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Games! — Nintendo R&D1 | Racing Game of the Year Burnout 3: Takedown — Criterion Games, Electronic Arts‡ Rallisport Challenge 2 — DICE, Microsoft Game Studios |
| Console Role-Playing Game of the Year Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door — Intelligent Systems, Nintendo‡ Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles — Square Enix, Nintendo Tales of Symphonia — Namco Tales Studio The Bard's Tale — inXile Entertainment X-Men Legends — Raven Software, Activision | Console Sports Simulation Game of the Year ESPN NFL 2K5 — Visual Concepts, Sega‡ ESPN NHL 2K5 — Kush Games, Sega Madden NFL 2005 — EA Tiburon World Soccer Winning Eleven 7 International — Konami |

#### Handheld

| Wireless Game of the Year Super Mario 64 DS — Nintendo EAD‡ Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen — Game Freak, Nintendo | Handheld Game of the Year Metroid: Zero Mission — Nintendo R&D1‡ Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories — Square Enix Super Mario 64 DS — Nintendo EAD |

#### Computer

| Computer Action/Adventure Game of the Year Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow — Ubisoft‡ Full Spectrum Warrior — Pandemic Studios, THQ Myst IV: Revelation — Ubisoft Montreal The Suffering — Surreal Software, Midway Games | Computer Children's Game of the Year Backyard Skateboarding — Humongous Entertainment, Atari‡ |
| Downloadable Game of the Year The Incredibles: Escape from Nomanisan Island — Backbone Entertainment, Disney Interactive‡ Diner Dash — Gamelab, PlayFirst Mahjong Garden To Go — Pogo.com, Electronic Arts Shroomz - Quest for Puppy — The Planet, Gametrust Inc. | Computer Family Game of the Year Zoo Tycoon 2 — Blue Fang Games, Microsoft Game Studios‡ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban — KnowWonder, EA UK Scrabble Online — Boston Animation, Atari |
| Computer First-Person Action Game of the Year Half-Life 2 — Valve, Vivendi Universal Games‡ Doom 3 — id Software, Activision Joint Operations: Typhoon Rising — NovaLogic Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault — EA Los Angeles Unreal Tournament 2004 — Epic Games, Digital Extremes, Atari | Computer Role-Playing Game of the Year Neverwinter Nights: Kingmaker — BioWare, Atari‡ Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines — Troika Games, Activision |
| Simulation Game of the Year The Sims 2 — Maxis, Electronic Arts‡ Pacific Fighters — 1C:Maddox Games, Ubisoft RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 — Frontier Developments, Atari | Computer Sports Game of the Year Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005 — EA Redwood Shores‡ |
| Strategy Game of the Year Rome: Total War — Creative Assembly, Activision‡ The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth — EA Los Angeles Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War — Relic Entertainment, THQ ||

#### Online Awards
### Hall of Fame Award

* Trip Hawkins

### Multiple nominations and awards
#### Multiple Nominations

Games that received multiple nominations :
| Nominations | Game |
| 11 | Half-Life 2 |
| 6 | Doom 3 |
| 6 | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas |
| 6 | Halo 2 |
| 5 | Fable |
| 5 | Katamari Damacy |
| 5 | Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal |
| 5 | Rome: Total War |
| 4 | City of Heroes |
| 4 | Donkey Konga |
| 4 | Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone |
| 4 | Sly 2: Band of Thieves |
| 3 | EyeToy: AntiGrav |
| 3 | Metroid Prime 2: Echoes |
| 3 | Prince of Persia: Warrior Within |
| 3 | World of Warcraft |
| 2 | Burnout 3: Takedown |
| 2 | GoldenEye: Rogue Agent |
| 2 | Full Spectrum Warrior |
| 2 | Jak 3 |
| 2 | Killzone |
| 2 | Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater |
| 2 | NBA Ballers |
| 2 | Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy |
| 2 | Super Mario 64 DS |
| 2 | The Bard's Tale |
| 2 | The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay |
| 2 | The Sims 2 |
| 2 | Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow |
| 2 | Tony Hawk's Underground 2 |
| 2 | Unreal Tournament 2004 |
| 2 | Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War |
| 2 | Zoo Tycoon 2 |
Nominations by company :
| Nominations | Games | Company |
| 18 | 12 | Nintendo |
| 18 | 7 | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 17 | 7 | Activision |
| 16 | 3 | Vivendi Universal Games |
| 15 | 12 | Electronic Arts |
| 14 | 4 | Microsoft Game Studios |
| 13 | 8 | Atari |
| 11 | 1 | Valve |
| 10 | 3 | Namco |
| 7 | 4 | Ubisoft |
| 6 | 4 | Midway Games |
| 6 | 1 | Bungie |
| 6 | 1 | id Software |
| 6 | 1 | Rockstar North |
| 5 | 1 | Lionhead Studios |
| 5 | 1 | Creative Assembly |
| 5 | 1 | Insomniac Games |
| 4 | 3 | Konami |
| 4 | 2 | THQ |
| 4 | 2 | Harmonix |
| 4 | 1 | Cryptic Studios |
| 4 | 1 | NCSoft |
| 4 | 1 | Stormfront Studios |
| 4 | 1 | Sucker Punch Productions |
| 3 | 1 | Square Enix |
| 3 | 1 | Blizzard Entertainment |
| 3 | 1 | Retro Studios |
| 2 | 2 | Humongous Entertainment |
| 2 | 1 | Blue Fang Games |
| 2 | 1 | Criterion Games |
| 2 | 1 | Digital Extremes |
| 2 | 1 | Epic Games |
| 2 | 1 | Guerrilla Games |
| 2 | 1 | inXile Entertainment |
| 2 | 1 | Maxis |
| 2 | 1 | Naughty Dog |
| 2 | 1 | Neversoft |
| 2 | 1 | Pandemic Studios |
| 2 | 1 | Relic Entertainment |
| 2 | 1 | Starbreeze Studios |

#### Multiple awards

Games that received multiple awards :
| Awards | Game |
| 9 | Half-Life 2 |
| 4 | Halo 2 |
| 2 | Fable |
| 2 | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas |
| 2 | Katamari Damacy |
Awards by company :
| Awards | Games | Company |
| 10 | 2 | Vivendi Universal Games |
| 9 | 1 | Valve |
| 7 | 3 | Microsoft Game Studios |
| 4 | 4 | Nintendo |
| 3 | 3 | Electronic Arts |
| 3 | 2 | Namco |
| 2 | 2 | Activision |
| 2 | 2 | Atari |
| 2 | 2 | Ubisoft |
| 2 | 1 | Rockstar North |