9th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards

On February 9th, D.I.C.E. Summit's Interactive Achievement Awards 9th annual ceremony took place. Held at "The Joint" in the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV the awards were hosted by Jay Mohr. The big winner of the 2006 IAAs was God of War. Nominated in a dozen categories God of War snagged seven awards including game of the year. Winning in five out of seven categories, Guitar Hero came in with the second largest amount of awards won.

This year David Jaffe, the main man behind God of War, criticised the Academy for trying to hard to be "cool" and not focusing on the games. Others leveled criticism against the Academy's rules governing criteria for nomination. These rules state that all developers must be a member of the Academy before their game can be nominated. This left Capcom's critical and commercial smash hit Resident Evil 4 and Majesco's critically loved Psychonauts without any nominations.

## Finalists

* **Game of the Year: God of War (SCEA Santa Monica, SCEA)**
	+ other nominees:
	Call of Duty 2 (Infinity Ward, Activision)
	Guitar Hero (Harmonix, Red Octane)
	 Nintendogs (Nintendo EAD, Nintendo)
	 Shadow of the Colossus (SCEA, SCEA)

* **PC Game of the Year: Battlefield 2 (Digital Illusions, Electronic Arts)**
	+ other nominees:
	Age of Empires III (Ensemble Studios, Microsoft)
	 F.E.A.R. (Monolith Productions, Vivendi Universal Games)
	 Sid Meier's Civilization IV (Firaxis Games, 2K Games)
	 The Movies (Lionhead Studios, Activision)

* **Console Game of the Year: God of War (SCEA Santa Monica, SCEA)**
	+ other nominees:
	Call of Duty 2 (Infinity Ward, Activision)
	 Guitar Hero (Harmonix, Red Octane)
	 Nintendogs (Nintendo EAD, Nintendo)
	 Shadow of the Colossus (SCEA, SCEA)

* **Outstanding Innovation in Gaming: Guitar Hero (Harmonix, Red Octane)**
	+ other nominees:
	God of War (SCEA Santa Monica, SCEA)
	Nintendogs (Nintendo EAD, Nintendo)
	Shadow of the Colossus (SCEA, SCEA)
	The Movies (Lionhead Studios, Activision)

* **Outstanding Achievement: Animation: God of War (SCEA Santa Monica, SCEA)**
	+ other nominees:
	Oddworld Stranger's Wrath (Oddworld Inhabitants, Electronic Arts)
	 Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones (Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft)
	 Rise of the Kasai (Bottlerocket Entertainment, SCEA)
	 Shadow of the Colossus (SCEA, SCEA)

* **Outstanding Achievement: Art Direction: Shadow of the Colossus (SCEA, SCEA)**
	+ other nominees:
	God of War (SCEA Santa Monica, SCEA)
	 Jade Empire (Bioware Corp., Microsoft)
	 Peter Jackson's King Kong (Ubisoft Montpellier, Ubisoft)
	 Ultimate Spider-Man (Treyarch, Activision)

* **Outstanding Achievement: Soundtrack: Guitar Hero (Harmonix Music Systems, Red Octane)**
	+ other nominees:
	Burnout Revenge (Criterion Games, Electronic Arts)
	 SSX On Tour (EA Canada, Electronic Arts)
	 The Warriors (Rockstar Toronto, Rockstar Games)
	 Wipeout Pure (Studio Liverpool, SCEA)

* **Outstanding Achievement: Original Music Composition: God of War (SCEA Santa Monica, SCEA)**
	+ other nominees:
	Gun (Neversoft Entertainment, Activision)
	Jade Empire (Bioware Corp., Microsoft)
	 Kameo: Elements of Power (RARE, Microsoft)
	Rise of the Kasai (Bottlerocket Entertainment, SCEA)

* **Outstanding Achievement: Sound Design: God of War (SCEA Santa Monica, SCEA)**
	+ other nominees:
	Condemned: Criminal Origins (Monolith Productions, Sega)
	 F.E.A.R. (Monolith Productions, Vivendi Universal Games)
	 Peter Jackson's King Kong (Ubisoft Montpellier, Ubisoft)
	 Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory (Ubisoft, Ubisoft)

* **Outstanding Character Performance: Male: God of War (SCEA Santa Monica, SCEA)**
	+ other nominees:
	Gun (Neversoft Entertainment, Activision)
	 Jade Empire (Bioware Corp., Microsoft)
	 Oddworld Stranger's Wrath (Oddworld Inhabitants, Electronic Arts)
	 Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory (Ubisoft, Ubisoft)

* **Outstanding Character Performance: Female: Jade Empire (Bioware Corp., Microsoft)**
	+ other nominees:
	Gun (Neversoft Entertainment, Activision)
	 Need for Speed: Most Wanted (Electronic Arts Vancouver, Electronic Arts)
	 Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones (Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft)

* **Outstanding Achievement: Story and Character Development: Call of Duty 2: Big Red One (Treyarch, Activision)**
	+ other nominees:
	Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood (Gearbox Software, Ubisoft)
	 Gun (Neversoft Entertainment, Activision)
	Peter Jackson's King Kong (Ubisoft Montpellier, Ubisoft)
	 Sly Cooper 3: Honor Among Thieves (Sucker Punch Productions, SCEA)

* **Outstanding Achievement: Gameplay Engineering (Tie): Nintendogs (Nintendo EAD, Nintendo) & Guitar Hero (Harmonix Music Systems, Red Octane)**
	+ other nominees:
	God of War (SCEA Santa Monica, SCEA)
	 Lumines (Q Entertainment, Ubisoft)
	 Zoo Tycoon 2: Endangered Species (Blue Fang Games, Microsoft)

* **Outstanding Achievement: Online Gameplay: Battlefield 2 (Digital Illusions, Electronic Arts)**
	+ other nominees:
	Age of Empires III (Ensemble Studios, Microsoft)
	Call of Duty 2 (Infinity Ward, Activision)
	 Mario Kart DS (Nintendo EAD, Nintendo)
	 Project Gotham Racing 3 (Bizarre Creations, Microsoft)

* **Outstanding Achievement: Visual Engineering: Shadow of the Colossus (SCEA, SCEA)**
	+ other nominees:
	Call of Duty 2 (Infinity Ward, Activision)
	F.E.A.R. (Monolith Productions, Vivendi Universal Games)
	God of War (SCEA Santa Monica, SCEA)
	Kameo: Elements of Power (RARE, Microsoft)

* **Outstanding Achievement: Game Design: Guitar Hero (Harmonix Music Systems, Red Octane)**
	+ other nominees:
	God of War (SCEA Santa Monica, SCEA)
	 Nintendogs (Nintendo EAD, Nintendo)
	Peter Jackson's King Kong (Ubisoft Montpellier, Ubisoft)
	 Shadow of the Colossus (SCEA, SCEA)

* **Sports Game of the Year: SSX On Tour (EA Canada, Electronic Arts)**
	+ other nominees:
	MLB 2006 (SCEA, SCEA)
	 MLB 2K5: WS Edition (Visual Concepts, 2K Games)
	 NBA 2K6 (Visual Concepts, 2K Games)
	 Super Mario Strikers (Next Level Games, Nintendo)

* **Strategy Game of the Year: Civilization IV (Firaxis Games, 2K Games)**
	+ other nominees:
	Age of Empires III (Ensemble Studios, Microsoft)
	 Empire Earth II (Mad Doc Software, Vivendi Universal Games)

* **First-Person Action Game of the Year: Battlefield 2 (Digital Illusions, Electronic Arts)**
	+ other nominees:
	Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 (Gearbox Software, Ubisoft)
	Call of Duty 2 (Infinity Ward, Activision)
	Condemned: Criminal Origins (Monolith Productions, Sega)
	F.E.A.R. (Monolith Productions, Vivendi Universal Games)

* **Fighting Game of the Year: Soul Caliber 3 (Namco, Namco)**
	+ other nominees:
	Fight Night Round 2 (EA Chicago, Electronic Arts)
	Tekken 5 (Namco, Namco)
	WWE Smackdown vs RAW (Yuke's Co. Ltd., THQ)

* **Racing Game of the Year: Need for Speed: Most Wanted (EA Vancouver, Electronic Arts)**
	+ other nominees:
	Forza Motorsport (Microsoft Game Studios, Microsoft)
	Mario Kart DS (Nintendo EAD, Nintendo)
	Project Gotham Racing 3 (Bizarre Creations, Microsoft)
	Burnout Revenge (Criterion Games, Electronic Arts)

* **RPG of the Year: Jade Empire (Bioware Corp., Microsoft**
	+ other nominees:
	Dragon Quest VIII (Level 5, Square Enix)
	Dungeon Siege II (Gas Powered Games, Microsoft)
	Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance (Intelligent Systems, Nintendo)
	Radiata Stories (Tri-Ace Inc., Square Enix)

* **Children's Game of the Year: We Love Katamari (Namco, Namco)**
	+ other nominees:
	Chicken Little (Avalanche Software, Buena Vista Games)
	Madagascar (Toys for Bob, Activision)
	Sly Cooper 3: Honor Among Thieves (Sucker Punch Productions, SCEA)
	Tak 3: Great Juju Challenge (Avalanche Software, THQ)

* **Action-Adventure Game of the Year: God of War (SCEA Santa Monica, SCEA)**
	+ other nominees
	Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones (Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft)
	Shadow of the Colossus (SCEA, SCEA)
	The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction (Radical Entertainment, Vivendi Universal Games)
	Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory (Ubisoft, Ubisoft)

* **Handheld Game of the Year: Nintendogs (Nintendo EAD, Nintendo)**
	+ other nominees:
	Burnout Legends (EA UK Fusion, Electronic Arts)
	Grand Theft Auto: Liberty Stories (Rockstar Leeds, Rockstar Games)
	Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (Capcom, Nintendo)
	Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time (Alpha Dream, Nintendo)

* **Massively Multiplayer/Persistent World Game of the Year (Tie): City of Villains (Cryptic Studios, NCSoft) & Guild Wars (ArenaNet, NCSoft)**
	+ other nominees:
	Final Fantasy XI: The Vana'diel Collection (Square Enix, Square Enix)
	Lineage II: The Chaotic Principle (NCSoft, NCSoft)

Need for Speed: Most Wanted box art
* **Family Game of the Year: Guitar Hero (Harmonix Music Systems, Red Octane)**
	+ other nominees:
	Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix (Konami, Nintendo)
	LEGO Star Wars (Traveller's Tales, TT Games)

* **Simulation Game of the Year: The Movies (Lionhead Studios, Activision)**
	+ other nominees:
	Animal Crossing (Nintendo EAD, Nintendo)
	Silent Hunter III (Ubisoft Romania, Ubisoft)

* **Downloadable Game of the Year: Wik and the Fable of Souls (Reflexive Entertainment, Microsoft)**
	+ other nominees:
	Chuzzle (PopCap, PopCap)
	Egg vs. Chicken (GameLab, PlayFirst)
	Oasis (Mind Control Software, PlayFirst)
	Tradewinds Legends (Sandlot Games, Sandlot Games)

* **Cellular Game of the Year: Ancient Empires II (Glu Mobile, Glu Mobile)**
	+ other nominees:
	Mile High Pinball (Bonus.com, Nokia)
	Skipping Stone (Gamevil, I-Play)
	One (Digital Legends, Nokia)
	High Seize (Red Lynx, Nokia)

## External links

* David Jaffe's criticism of the IAAs
* Joystiq criticises the Academy's nomination system
* Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences 9th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards webpage

## References

* Next Generation - God of War Scoops Seven Awards