# 13th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards

The 13th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards was the 13th edition of the Interactive Achievement Awards, an annual awards event that honored the best games in the video game industry during 2009. The awards were arranged by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS), and were held at the Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 18, 2010 (2010-02-18). It was also held as part of the Academy's 2010 D.I.C.E. Summit, and was hosted by stand-up comedian Jay Mohr.
This was the first year that "Console Game of the Year" and "Computer Game of the Year" were not offered. "Handheld Game of the Year" and "Cellular Game of the Year" were merged into the "Portable Game of the Year" award category. Additionally, an award for "Outstanding Achievement in Portable Game Design" was offered. "Role-Playing Game of the Year" and "Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year" were merged into one category. "Social Network Game of the Year" was also offered.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves received the most nominations and won the most awards, including "Game of the Year". Sony Computer Entertainment received the most nominations and won the most awards as a publisher, with Naughty Dog as the most nominated and award-winning developer. Electronic Arts had the most nominated and award-winning games.
Mark Cerny, known for Crash Bandicoot and Spyro, was inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame. Doug Lowenstein, founder of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), received the "Lifetime Achievement Award". David Crane, co-founder of Activision, was the recipient of the "Pioneer Award".

## Winners and Nominees

Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger (‡).

### Game of the Year Awards

Game of the Year
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves — Naughty Dog, Sony Computer Entertainment‡
Assassin's Creed II — Ubisoft Montreal
Batman: Arkham Asylum — Rocksteady Studios, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 — Infinity Ward, Activision
Dragon Age: Origins — BioWare, Electronic Arts :
| Portable Game of the Year Scribblenauts — 5th Cell, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment‡ LittleBigPlanet — SCE Studio Cambridge Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story — AlphaDream, Nintendo Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box — Level-5, Nintendo The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks — Nintendo EAD | Outstanding Innovation in Gaming Scribblenauts — 5th Cell, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment‡ Demon's Souls — FromSoftware, Atlus FarmVille — Zynga Flower — Thatgamecompany, Sony Computer Entertainment Uncharted 2: Among Thieves — Naughty Dog, Sony Computer Entertainment |

### Craft Awards

| Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction Uncharted 2: Among Thieves — Naughty Dog, Sony Computer Entertainment‡ Assassin's Creed II — Ubisoft Montreal Batman: Arkham Asylum — Rocksteady Studios, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Brütal Legend — Double Fine Productions, Electronic Arts Flower — Thatgamecompany, Sony Computer Entertainment | Outstanding Achievement in Game Design Batman: Arkham Asylum — Rocksteady Studios, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment‡ Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 — Infinity Ward, Activision Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story — AlphaDream, Nintendo Plants vs. Zombies — PopCap Games Uncharted 2: Among Thieves — Naughty Dog, Sony Computer Entertainment |
| Outstanding Achievement in Portable Game Design Scribblenauts — 5th Cell, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment‡ Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure — EA Tiburon LittleBigPlanet — SCE Studio Cambridge LocoRoco 2 — SCE Japan Studio Patapon 2 — SCE Japan Studio | Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 — Infinity Ward, Activision‡ Borderlands — Gearbox Software, 2K Games FarmVille — Zynga Left 4 Dead 2 — Valve Uncharted 2: Among Thieves — Naughty Dog, Sony Computer Entertainment |
| Outstanding Achievement in Gameplay Engineering Uncharted 2: Among Thieves — Naughty Dog, Sony Computer Entertainment‡ Assassin's Creed II — Ubisoft Montreal Forza Motorsport 3 — Turn 10 Studios, Microsoft Game Studios Left 4 Dead 2 — Valve New Super Mario Bros. Wii — Nintendo EAD | Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering Uncharted 2: Among Thieves — Naughty Dog, Sony Computer Entertainment‡ Assassin's Creed II — Ubisoft Montreal Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 — Infinity Ward, Activision Killzone 2 — Guerrilla Games, Sony Computer Entertainment Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time — Insomniac Games, Sony Computer Entertainment |
| Outstanding Achievement in Animation Uncharted 2: Among Thieves — Naughty Dog, Sony Computer Entertainment‡ Assassin's Creed II — Ubisoft Montreal Batman: Arkham Asylum — Rocksteady Studios, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 — Infinity Ward, Activision Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time — Insomniac Games, Sony Computer Entertainment | Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction Uncharted 2: Among Thieves — Naughty Dog, Sony Computer Entertainment‡ Assassin's Creed II — Ubisoft Montreal Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 — Infinity Ward, Activision Machinarium — Amanita Design Resident Evil 5 — Capcom |
| Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance Mark Hamill as The Joker (Batman: Arkham Asylum) — Rocksteady Studios, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment‡ Jack Black as Eddie Riggs (Brütal Legend) — Double Fine Productions, Electronic Arts Karen Dyer as Sheva Alomar (Resident Evil 5) — Capcom Claudia Black as Chloe Frazer (Uncharted 2: Among Thieves) — Naughty Dog, Sony Computer Entertainment Nolan North as Nathan Drake (Uncharted 2: Among Thieves) — Naughty Dog, Sony Computer Entertainment | Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition Uncharted 2: Among Thieves — Naughty Dog, Sony Computer Entertainment‡ Assassin's Creed II — Ubisoft Montreal Batman: Arkham Asylum — Rocksteady Studios, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 — Infinity Ward, Activision Flower — Thatgamecompany, Sony Computer Entertainment |
| Outstanding Achievement in Soundtrack Brütal Legend — Double Fine Productions, Electronic Arts‡ DJ Hero — FreeStyleGames, Activision Skate 2 — EA Black Box The Beatles: Rock Band — Harmonix, MTV Games | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design Uncharted 2: Among Thieves — Naughty Dog, Sony Computer Entertainment‡ Assassin's Creed II — Ubisoft Montreal Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 — Infinity Ward, Activision Flower — Thatgamecompany, Sony Computer Entertainment Skate 2 — EA Black Box |
| Outstanding Achievement in Original Story Uncharted 2: Among Thieves — Naughty Dog, Sony Computer Entertainment‡ Assassin's Creed II — Ubisoft Montreal Brütal Legend — Double Fine Productions, Electronic Arts Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box — Level-5, Nintendo Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time — Insomniac Games, Sony Computer Entertainment | Outstanding Achievement in Adapted Story Batman: Arkham Asylum — Rocksteady Studios, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment‡ Ghostbusters: The Video Game — Terminal Reality, Atari Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 — Vicarious Visions, Activision |

### Genre Awards

| Action Game of the Year Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 — Infinity Ward, Activision‡ Left 4 Dead 2 — Valve Prototype — Radical Entertainment, Activision Red Faction: Guerrilla — Volition, THQ Shadow Complex — Chair Entertainment, Microsoft Game Studios | Adventure Game of the Year Uncharted 2: Among Thieves — Naughty Dog, Sony Computer Entertainment‡ Assassin's Creed II — Ubisoft Montreal Batman: Arkham Asylum — Rocksteady Studios, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment New Super Mario Bros. Wii — Nintendo EAD Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time — Insomniac Games, Sony Computer Entertainment |
| Casual Game of the Year Flower — Thatgamecompany, Sony Computer Entertainment‡ Drawn: The Painted Tower — Big Fish Studios Flight Control — Firemint Plants vs. Zombies — PopCap Games Scribblenauts — 5th Cell, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment | Family Game of the Year The Beatles: Rock Band — Harmonix, MTV Games‡ Guitar Hero 5 — Neversoft, Activision Lego Rock Band — Harmonix, TT Fusion, MTV Games, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Wii Fit Plus — Nintendo EAD Wii Sports Resort — Nintendo EAD |
| Fighting Game of the Year Street Fighter IV — Dimps, Capcom‡ Fight Night Round 4 — EA Canada Punch-Out! — Next Level Games, Nintendo Tekken 6 — Namco Bandai Games UFC 2009 Undisputed — Yuke's, THQ | Role-Playing/Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year Dragon Age: Origins — BioWare, Electronic Arts‡ Borderlands — Gearbox Software, 2K Games Champions Online — Cryptic Studios, Atari Demon's Souls — FromSoftware, Atlus Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story — AlphaDream, Nintendo |
| Racing Game of the Year Forza Motorsport 3 — Turn 10 Studios, Microsoft Game Studios‡ Colin McRae: Dirt 2 — Codemasters Need for Speed: Shift — Slightly Mad Studios, Electronic Arts | Social Networking Game of the Year FarmVille — Zynga‡ Bejeweled Blitz — PopCap Games, Electronic Arts Farm Town — Codebell Restaurant City — Playfish, Electronic Arts |
| Sports Game of the Year FIFA 10 — EA Canada‡ MLB 09: The Show — SCE San Diego NBA 2K10 — Visual Concepts, 2K Games NHL 10 — EA Canada Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 — EA Tiburon | Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year Brütal Legend — Double Fine Productions, Electronic Arts‡ Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon — Intelligent Systems, Nintendo Halo Wars — Ensemble Studios, Microsoft Game Studios The Sims 3 — Maxis, Electronic Arts Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II — Relic Entertainment, THQ |

### Special Awards
#### Hall of Fame

* Bruce Shelley

#### Lifetime Achievement

* Douglas Lowenstein

#### Pioneer

* David Crane

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

Games that received multiple nominations :
| Nominations | Game |
| 15 | Uncharted 2: Among Thieves |
| 10 | Assassin's Creed II |
| 9 | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 |
| 8 | Batman: Arkham Asylum |
| 5 | Brütal Legend |
| 5 | Flower |
| 4 | Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time |
| 4 | Scribblenauts |
| 3 | FarmVille |
| 3 | Left 4 Dead 2 |
| 3 | Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story |
| 2 | Borderlands |
| 2 | Demon's Souls |
| 2 | Dragon Age: Origins |
| 2 | Forza Motorsport 3 |
| 2 | LittleBigPlanet |
| 2 | New Super Mario Bros. Wii |
| 2 | Plants vs. Zombies |
| 2 | Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box |
| 2 | Resident Evil 5 |
| 2 | Skate 2 |
| 2 | The Beatles: Rock Band |
Nominations by company :
| Nominations | Games | Company |
| 30 | 8 | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 18 | 12 | Electronic Arts |
| 15 | 1 | Naughty Dog |
| 13 | 5 | Activision |
| 13 | 3 | Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment |
| 12 | 8 | Nintendo |
| 10 | 1 | Ubisoft |
| 9 | 1 | Infinity Ward |
| 8 | 1 | Rocksteady Studios |
| 5 | 1 | Double Fine Productions |
| 5 | 1 | Thatgamecompany |
| 4 | 3 | Microsoft Game Studios |
| 4 | 1 | 5th Cell |
| 4 | 1 | Insomniac Games |
| 3 | 3 | THQ |
| 3 | 2 | 2K Games |
| 3 | 2 | Capcom |
| 3 | 2 | Harmonix |
| 3 | 2 | MTV Games |
| 3 | 2 | PopCap Games |
| 3 | 1 | AlphaDream |
| 3 | 1 | Valve |
| 3 | 1 | Zynga |
| 2 | 2 | Atari |
| 2 | 1 | Atlus |
| 2 | 1 | BioWare |
| 2 | 1 | FromSoftware |
| 2 | 1 | Gearbox Software |
| 2 | 1 | Level-5 |
| 2 | 1 | Turn 10 Studios |

#### Multiple awards

Games that received multiple awards :
| Awards | Game |
| 10 | Uncharted 2: Among Thieves |
| 3 | Batman: Arkham Asylum |
| 3 | Scribblenauts |
| 2 | Brütal Legend |
| 2 | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 |
Awards by company :
| Awards | Games | Company |
| 11 | 2 | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 10 | 1 | Naughty Dog |
| 6 | 2 | Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment |
| 4 | 3 | Electronic Arts |
| 3 | 1 | 5th Cell |
| 3 | 1 | Rocksteady Studios |
| 2 | 1 | Activision |
| 2 | 1 | Infinity Ward |