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

The D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Character 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 memorable character within an interactive title. Outstanding character takes into consideration the marriage of voice acting and performance (motion capture work), character design and execution, and writing". All creative/technical members of the Academy are qualified to vote in this category, regardless of their field of expertise. There were originally separate awards for female and male characters, but eventually merged into one category at the 11th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards in 2008.
The award's most recent winner is for Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones (portrayed by Troy Baker, directed by Jerk Gustafsson, written by Tommy Tordsson Björk, and executive produced by Todd Howard), from Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, developed by MachineGames and published by Bethesda Softworks.

## History

There used to be separate awards presented for a female character performance and a male character performance. Over the years it would go back and forth between Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance and Outstanding Character Performance, before being simplified to just Outstanding Achievement in Character in 2015.
* Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance - Female (2004, 2007)
* Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance - Male (2004, 2007)
* Outstanding Character Performance - Female (2005–2006)
* Outstanding Character Performance - Male (2005–2006)
* Outstanding Character Performance (2008–2009, 2011, 2014)
* Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance (2010, 2012)
* Outstanding Character Performance - Male or Female (2013)
* Outstanding Achievement in Character (2015–present)

## Winners and nominees

Table key :
* Indicates the winner

### 2000s

| Year | Game, Actor/Actress, Role | Developer(s) | Publisher(s) | Ref. |
| 2003 (7th) | Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance - Female | Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance - Female | Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance - Female | [7][8] [9][10] |
| 2003 (7th) | Jada Pinkett Smith as Niobe (Enter the Matrix) | Shiny Entertainment | Atari | [7][8] [9][10] |
| 2003 (7th) | Tara Strong as Rikku (Final Fantasy X-2) | SquareSoft | Square Enix | [7][8] [9][10] |
| 2003 (7th) | Christina Milian as Angel (Def Jam Vendetta) | AKI Corporation, EA Canada | Electronic Arts | [7][8] [9][10] |
| 2003 (7th) | Anna Garduño as Keira (Jak II) | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment | [7][8] [9][10] |
| 2003 (7th) | Anna Edwards as Yasmin (The Getaway) | Team Soho | Sony Computer Entertainment | [7][8] [9][10] |
| [7][8] [9][10] |||
| 2003 (7th) | Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King) | EA Redwood Shores | Electronic Arts | [7][8] [9][10] |
| 2003 (7th) | Method Man (Def Jam Vendetta) | AKI Corporation, EA Canada | Electronic Arts | [7][8] [9][10] |
| 2003 (7th) | James McCaffrey as Max Payne (Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne) | Remedy Entertainment | Rockstar Games | [7][8] [9][10] |
| 2003 (7th) | Michael Ironside as Sam Fisher (Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell) | Ubisoft Montreal | Ubisoft | [7][8] [9][10] |
| 2003 (7th) | Snoop Dogg (True Crime: Streets of LA) | Luxoflux | Activision | [7][8] [9][10] |
| 2004 (8th) | Outstanding Character Performance - Female | Outstanding Character Performance - Female | Outstanding Character Performance - Female | |
| 2004 (8th) | Judi Dench as M (GoldenEye: Rogue Agent) | EA Los Angeles | Electronic Arts | |
| 2004 (8th) | Vanessa Marshall as Zhai (Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone) | Stormfront Studios | Atari | |
| 2004 (8th) | Linda Currie (Zoo Tycoon 2) | Blue Fang Games | Microsoft Game Studios | |
| 2004 (8th) | Robert Guillaume as Dr. Eli Vance (Half-Life 2) | Valve | Vivendi Universal Games | |
| 2004 (8th) | Daniel Riordan as Rannek (Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone) | Stormfront Studios | Atari | |
| 2004 (8th) | David Hayter as Naked Snake (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater) | Konami | Konami | |
| 2004 (8th) | Cary Elwes as The Bard (The Bard's Tale) | inXile Entertainment | inXile Entertainment | |
| 2004 (8th) | Vin Diesel as Riddick (The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay) | Starbreeze Studios | Vivendi Universal Games | |
| 2005 (9th) | Outstanding Character Performance - Female | Outstanding Character Performance - Female | Outstanding Character Performance - Female | |
| 2005 (9th) | Jade Empire | BioWare | Microsoft Game Studios | |
| 2005 (9th) | Gun | Neversoft | Activision | |
| 2005 (9th) | Need for Speed: Most Wanted | EA Canada, EA Black Box | Electronic Arts | |
| 2005 (9th) | Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones | Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Casablanca | Ubisoft | |
| 2005 (9th) | Outstanding Character Performance - Male | Outstanding Character Performance - Male | Outstanding Character Performance - Male | |
| 2005 (9th) | God of War | Santa Monica Studio | Sony Computer Entertainment | |
| 2005 (9th) | Gun | Neversoft | Activision | |
| 2005 (9th) | Jade Empire | BioWare | Microsoft Game Studios | |
| 2005 (9th) | Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath | Oddworld Inhabitants | Electronic Arts | |
| 2005 (9th) | Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory | Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Milan | Ubisoft | |
| 2006 (10th) | Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance - Female | Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance - Female | Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance - Female | |
| 2006 (10th) | Louise Ridgeway as Leafos (Viva Piñata) | Rare | Microsoft Game Studios | |
| 2006 (10th) | Maine Anders as Christy Martin (Bully) | Rockstar Vancouver | Rockstar Games | |
| 2006 (10th) | Brenda Strong as Mary Alice Young (Desperate Housewives: The Game) | Liquid Entertainment | Buena Vista Games | |
| 2006 (10th) | Tia Carrere as Lin (Saints Row) | Volition | THQ | |
| 2006 (10th) | Lynda Carter (The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion) | Bethesda Game Studios | Bethesda Softworks, 2K Games | |
| 2006 (10th) | John DiMaggio as Marcus Fenix (Gears of War) | Epic Games | Microsoft Game Studios | |
| 2006 (10th) | Gerry Rosenthal as Jimmy Hopkins (Bully) | Rockstar Vancouver | Rockstar Games | |
| 2006 (10th) | Max Casella as Daxter (Daxter) | Ready at Dawn | Sony Computer Entertainment | |
| 2006 (10th) | Lego Han Solo (Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy) | Traveller's Tales | LucasArts | |
| 2006 (10th) | Michael Ironside as Sam Fisher (Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent) | Ubisoft Shanghai | Ubisoft | |
| 2007 (11th) | Portal | Valve | Valve, Electronic Arts | [5][6] [21][22] |
| 2007 (11th) | BioShock | 2K Boston, 2K Australia | 2K Games | [5][6] [21][22] |
| 2007 (11th) | Heavenly Sword | Ninja Theory | Sony Computer Entertainment | [5][6] [21][22] |
| 2007 (11th) | Mass Effect | BioWare | Microsoft Game Studios | [5][6] [21][22] |
| 2007 (11th) | Uncharted: Drake's Fortune | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment | [5][6] [21][22] |
| 2008 (12th) | Sackboy (LittleBigPlanet) | Media Molecule | Sony Computer Entertainment | |
| 2008 (12th) | Dom Santiago (Gears of War 2) | Epic Games | Microsoft Game Studios | |
| 2008 (12th) | Marcus Fenix (Gears of War 2) | Epic Games | Microsoft Game Studios | |
| 2008 (12th) | Old Snake (Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots) | Kojima Productions | Konami | |
| 2008 (12th) | Lara Croft (Tomb Raider: Underworld) | Crystal Dynamics | Eidos Interactive | |
| 2009 (13th) | Mark Hamill as The Joker (Batman: Arkham Asylum) | Rocksteady Studios | Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment | |
| 2009 (13th) | Jack Black as Eddie Riggs (Brütal Legend) | Double Fine Productions | Electronic Arts | |
| 2009 (13th) | Karen Dyer as Sheva Alomar (Resident Evil 5) | Capcom | Capcom | |
| 2009 (13th) | Claudia Black as Chloe Frazer (Uncharted 2: Among Thieves) | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment | |
| 2009 (13th) | Nolan North as Nathan Drake (Uncharted 2: Among Thieves) | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment | |

### 2010s

| Year | Game | Developer(s) | Publisher(s) |
| 2010 (14th) | Rob Wiethoff as John Marston (Red Dead Redemption) | Rockstar San Diego | Rockstar Games |
| 2010 (14th) | Andy Serkis as Monkey (Enslaved: Odyssey to the West) | Ninja Theory | Namco Bandai Games |
| 2010 (14th) | Terrence C. Carson as Kratos (God of War III) | Santa Monica Studio | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2010 (14th) | Mark Meer as Male Commander Shepard (Mass Effect 2) | BioWare | Electronic Arts |
| 2010 (14th) | Neil Kaplan as Tychus Findlay (StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty) | Blizzard Entertainment | Blizzard Entertainment |
| 2011 (15th) | Wheatley (Portal 2) | Valve | Valve |
| 2011 (15th) | Adam Jensen (Deus Ex: Human Revolution) | Eidos-Montréal | Square Enix Europe |
| 2011 (15th) | Cole Phelps (L.A. Noire) | Team Bondi | Rockstar Games |
| 2011 (15th) | Nathan Drake (Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception) | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2011 (15th) | Victor Sullivan (Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception) | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2012 (16th) | Lee Everett (The Walking Dead) | Telltale Games | Telltale Games |
| 2012 (16th) | Tiny Tina (Borderlands 2) | Gearbox Software | 2K Games |
| 2012 (16th) | Vaas Montenegro (Far Cry 3) | Ubisoft Montreal | Ubisoft |
| 2012 (16th) | Cortana (Halo 4) | 343 Industries | Microsoft Studios |
| 2012 (16th) | Female Commander Shepard (Mass Effect 3) | BioWare | Electronic Arts |
| 2013 (17th) | Ellie (The Last of Us) | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2013 (17th) | Trevor Philips (Grand Theft Auto V) | Rockstar North | Rockstar Games |
| 2013 (17th) | Marius Titus (Ryse: Son of Rome) | Paradox Development Studios | Paradox Interactive |
| 2013 (17th) | Joel (The Last of Us) | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2013 (17th) | Narrator (The Stanley Parable) | Galactic Café | Galactic Café |
| 2014 (18th) | Talion (Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor) | Monolith Productions | Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment |
| 2014 (18th) | Jonathan Irons (Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare) | Sledgehammer Games | Activision |
| 2014 (18th) | Pagan Min (Far Cry 4) | Ubisoft Montreal | Ubisoft |
| 2014 (18th) | Abigail "Fetch" Walker (Infamous First Light) | Sucker Punch Productions | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2014 (18th) | Deslin Rowe (Infamous Second Son) | Sucker Punch Productions | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2015 (19th) | Lara Croft (Rise of the Tomb Raider) | Crystal Dynamics | Square Enix Europe |
| 2015 (19th) | Evie Frye (Assassin's Creed Syndicate) | Ubisoft Quebec | Ubisoft |
| 2015 (19th) | Hannah Smith (Her Story) | Sam Barlow | Sam Barlow |
| 2015 (19th) | Max Caulfield (Life Is Strange) | Don't Nod | Square Enix Europe |
| 2015 (19th) | Geralt of Rivia (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt) | CD Projekt Red | CD Projekt |
| 2016 (20th) | Trico (The Last Guardian) | Japan Studio, GenDesign | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2016 (20th) | Nick Reyes (Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare) | Infinity Ward | Activision |
| 2016 (20th) | Delilah (Firewatch) | Campo Santo | Campo Santo |
| 2016 (20th) | Henry (Firewatch) | Campo Santo | Campo Santo |
| 2016 (20th) | Nathan Drake (Uncharted 4: A Thief's End) | Naughty Dog | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2017 (21st) | Senua (Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice) | Ninja Theory | Ninja Theory |
| 2017 (21st) | Bayek (Assassin's Creed Origins) | Ubisoft Montreal | Ubisoft |
| 2017 (21st) | Aloy (Horizon Zero Dawn) | Guerrilla Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2017 (21st) | Iden Versio (Star Wars Battlefront II) | DICE, Motive Studios, Criterion Games | Electronic Arts |
| 2017 (21st) | Chloe Frazer (Uncharted: The Lost Legacy) | Naughty Dog | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2018 (22nd) | Kratos (God of War) | Santa Monica Studio | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2018 (22nd) | Kassandra (Assassin's Creed Odyssey) | Ubisoft Quebec | Ubisoft |
| 2018 (22nd) | Atreus (God of War) | Santa Monica Studio | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2018 (22nd) | Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Marvel's Spider-Man) | Insomniac Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2018 (22nd) | Arthur Morgan (Red Dead Redemption 2) | Rockstar Games | Rockstar Games |
| 2019 (23rd) | The Goose (Untitled Goose Game) | House House | Panic Inc. |
| 2019 (23rd) | Jesse Faden (Control) | Remedy Entertainment | 505 Games |
| 2019 (23rd) | Cliff Unger (Death Stranding) | Kojima Productions | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2019 (23rd) | Sam Porter Bridges (Death Stranding) | Kojima Productions | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2019 (23rd) | Greez (Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order) | Respawn Entertainment | Electronic Arts |

### 2020s

| Year | Game | Developer(s) | Publisher(s) |
| 2020 (24th) | Miles Morales (Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales) | Insomniac Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2020 (24th) | Eivor Varinsdottir (Assassin's Creed Valhalla) | Ubisoft Montreal | Ubisoft |
| 2020 (24th) | Zagreus (Hades) | Supergiant Games | Supergiant Games |
| 2020 (24th) | Abby (The Last of Us Part II) | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2020 (24th) | Ellie (The Last of Us Part II) | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2021 (25th) | Lady Dimitrescu (Resident Evil Village) | Capcom | Capcom |
| 2021 (25th) | Colt Vahn (Deathloop) | Arkane Studios | Bethesda Softworks |
| 2021 (25th) | Kena (Kena: Bridge of Spirits) | Ember Lab | Ember Lab |
| 2021 (25th) | Alex Chen (Life Is Strange: True Colors) | Deck Nine | Square Enix Europe |
| 2021 (25th) | Rivet (Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart) | Insomniac Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2022 (26th) | Kratos (God of War Ragnarök) | Santa Monica Studio | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2022 (26th) | Alejandro Vargas (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II) | Infinity Ward | Activision |
| 2022 (26th) | Atreus (God of War Ragnarök) | Santa Monica Studio | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2022 (26th) | Aloy (Horizon Forbidden West) | Guerrilla Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2022 (26th) | Guybrush Threepwood (Return to Monkey Island) | Terrible Toybox | Devolver Digital |
| 2023 (27th) | Miles Morales (Marvel's Spider-Man 2) | Insomniac Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2023 (27th) | Saga Anderson (Alan Wake 2) | Remedy Entertainment | Epic Games |
| 2023 (27th) | Astarion (Baldur's Gate 3) | Larian Studios | Larian Studios |
| 2023 (27th) | Karlach (Baldur's Gate 3) | Larian Studios | Larian Studios |
| 2023 (27th) | Jala (Thirsty Suitors) | Outerloop Games | Annapurna Interactive |
| 2024 (28th) | Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones (Indiana Jones and the Great Circle) | MachineGames | Bethesda Softworks |
| 2024 (28th) | Watcher (1000xResist) | Sunset Visitor | Fellow Traveller Games |
| 2024 (28th) | Yuffie Kisaragi (Final Fantasy VII Rebirth) | Square Enix | Square Enix |
| 2024 (28th) | Indika (Indika) | Odd-Meter | 11 Bit Studios |
| 2024 (28th) | Senua (Senua's Saga: Hellblade II) | Ninja Theory | Xbox Game Studios |

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

Sony has published the most nominees and the most winners. Sony's subsidiary Naughty Dog has developed the most nominees. Valve and Sony's Santa Monica Studio are tied for developing the most winners. Electronic Arts and Microsoft Game Studios are the only publishers with back-to-back wins. Electronic Arts has published back-to-back winners for a Male Character in 2004 and 2005, while Microsoft has published back-to-back winners for a Female Character in 2006 and 2007. Electronic Arts and Microsoft have published both winners for a Female Character and a Male Character in 2005 and 2007, respectively. Ubisoft has published the most nominees without publishing a single winner, and its subsidiary Ubisoft Montreal has developed the most nominees without developing a single winner.
Developers :
| Developer | Nominations | Wins |
| Santa Monica Studio | 5 | 3 |
| Valve | 3 | 3 |
| Insomniac Games | 4 | 2 |
| Naughty Dog | 12 | 1 |
| BioWare | 5 | 1 |
| Ninja Theory | 4 | 1 |
| Epic Games | 3 | 1 |
| Capcom | 2 | 1 |
| Crystal Dynamics | 2 | 1 |
| SquareSoft/Square Enix | 2 | 1 |
| Ubisoft Montreal | 7 | 0 |
| EA Canada | 3 | 0 |
| Kojima Productions | 3 | 0 |
| Remedy Entertainment | 3 | 0 |
| AKI Corporation | 2 | 0 |
| Campo Santo | 2 | 0 |
| Guerrilla Games | 2 | 0 |
| Infinity Ward | 2 | 0 |
| Larian Studios | 2 | 0 |
| Neversoft | 2 | 0 |
| Rockstar Vancouver | 2 | 0 |
| Stormfront Studios | 2 | 0 |
| Sucker Punch Productions | 2 | 0 |
| Ubisoft Quebec | 2 | 0 |
Publishers :
| Publisher | Nominations | Wins |
| Sony Computer/Interactive Entertainment | 32 | 8 |
| Electronic Arts | 13 | 3 |
| Microsoft/Xbox Game Studios | 10 | 3 |
| Valve | 3 | 3 |
| Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment | 2 | 2 |
| Rockstar Games | 7 | 1 |
| Eidos Interactive/Square Enix Europe | 5 | 1 |
| Bethesda Softworks | 3 | 1 |
| Capcom | 2 | 1 |
| Square Enix | 2 | 1 |
| Ubisoft | 10 | 0 |
| Activision | 6 | 0 |
| 2K Games | 3 | 0 |
| Atari | 3 | 0 |
| Campo Santo | 2 | 0 |
| Konami | 2 | 0 |
| Larian Studios | 2 | 0 |

### Franchises and Characters

Uncharted has received the most nominations in this category, but has never won. The God of War, Marvel's Spider-Man, and Portal franchises are the only franchises to have won more than once, with God of War being the most award-winning franchise. There have been numerous games that have two finalists in the same year:
* Def Jam Vendetta (2004)
* Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone (2005)
* Gun (2006)
* Jade Empire (2006)
* Bully (2007)
* Gears of War 2 (2009)
* Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2010)
* Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (2012)
* The Last of Us (2014)
* Firewatch (2017)
* God of War (2019)
* Death Stranding (2020)
* The Last of Us Part II (2021)
* God of War Ragnarök (2023)
* Baldur's Gate 3 (2024)
Uncharted, The Last of Us, and God of War are the only franchises to have multiple nominated characters within a single game more than once. Infamous is the only franchise to receive nominations for more than one game in a single year. Portal is the only franchise that has won with more than one character (GLaDOS and Wheatley). God of War is the only franchise with the same pair of characters nominated concurrently in multiple games (Kratos and Atreus).
Kratos and Nathan Drake are the most nominated characters in this category. Kratos and Miles Morales are the only characters with more than one win. Commander Shepard is the only character that have both the male and female versions named as a finalist.
Franchises :
| Franchise | Nominations | Wins |
| God of War | 6 | 3 |
| Marvel's Spider-Man | 3 | 2 |
| Portal | 2 | 2 |
| The Last of Us | 4 | 1 |
| Gears of War | 3 | 1 |
| Final Fantasy | 2 | 1 |
| Hellblade | 2 | 1 |
| Red Dead | 2 | 1 |
| Resident Evil | 2 | 1 |
| Tomb Raider | 2 | 1 |
| Uncharted | 7 | 0 |
| Assassin's Creed | 4 | 0 |
| Call of Duty | 3 | 0 |
| Mass Effect | 3 | 0 |
| Star Wars | 3 | 0 |
| Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell | 3 | 0 |
| Baldur's Gate | 2 | 0 |
| Def Jam | 2 | 0 |
| Death Stranding | 2 | 0 |
| Far Cry | 2 | 0 |
| Firewatch | 2 | 0 |
| Forgotten Realms | 2 | 0 |
| Horizon | 2 | 0 |
| Infamous | 2 | 0 |
| Jak & Daxter | 2 | 0 |
| Life Is Strange | 2 | 0 |
| Metal Gear | 2 | 0 |
Characters :
| Character | Nominations | Wins |
| Kratos | 3 | 2 |
| Miles Morales | 2 | 2 |
| Ellie | 2 | 1 |
| Lara Croft | 2 | 1 |
| Marcus Fenix | 2 | 1 |
| Senua | 2 | 1 |
| Nathan Drake | 3 | 0 |
| Aloy | 2 | 0 |
| Atreus | 2 | 0 |
| Chloe Frazer | 2 | 0 |
| Commander Shepard | 2 | 0 |
| Sam Fisher | 2 | 0 |