12th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards

The 12th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards was the 12th edition of the Interactive Achievement Awards, an annual awards event that honored the best games in the video game industry during 2008. 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 20, 2009 (2009-02-20). It was also held as part of the Academy's 2009 D.I.C.E. Summit, and was hosted by stand-up comedian Jay Mohr.

The award for "Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction" was introduced this year. Even though the award for "Outstanding Achievement in Game Design" was not listed in the rules & procedures for the 12th annual awards, there were still finalists named for the category. Separate awards for "Outstanding Achievement in Story" were offered for original material and adapted material. "Downloadable Game of the Year" was not offered this year. Finalists were named for "Fighting Game of the Year" and "Casual Game of the Year" this year.

Gears of War 2 and LittleBigPlanet were tied for the most nominations, with the latter winning the most awards, including "Overall Game of the Year". Sony Computer Entertainment was the most award-winning publisher. Electronic Arts had the most nominated and award-winning games. Spore won "Outstanding Achievement in Gameplay Engineering", while the mobile spin-off Spore Origins won "Cellular Game of the Year".

Bruce Shelley, creator of Age of Empires, 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 Awards

Overall Game of the Year LittleBigPlanet — Media Molecule, Sony Computer Entertainment‡ Fallout 3 — Bethesda Game Studios, Bethesda Softworks Grand Theft Auto IV — Rockstar North, Rockstar Games Left 4 Dead — Valve South, Valve Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots — Kojima Productions, Konami
Console Game of the Year LittleBigPlanet — Media Molecule, Sony Computer Entertainment‡ Fallout 3 — Bethesda Game Studios Gears of War 2 — Epic Games, Microsoft Game Studios Grand Theft Auto IV — Rockstar North Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots — Kojima Productions, Konami	Computer Game of the Year Left 4 Dead — Valve South‡ Fallout 3 — Bethesda Game Studios Mass Effect — BioWare, Microsoft Game Studios Spore — Maxis, Electronic Arts World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King — Blizzard Entertainment
Hand-Held Game of the Year God of War: Chains of Olympus — Ready at Dawn, Sony Computer Entertainment‡ Advance Wars: Days of Ruin — Intelligent Systems, Nintendo Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia — Konami Patapon — SCE Japan Studio Professor Layton and the Curious Village — Level-5, Nintendo	Outstanding Innovation in Gaming LittleBigPlanet — Media Molecule, Sony Computer Entertainment‡ Braid — Number None, Microsoft Game Studios Left 4 Dead — Valve South Spore — Maxis, Electronic Arts Wii Fit — Nintendo EAD

Craft Awards

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction LittleBigPlanet — Media Molecule, Sony Computer Entertainment‡ Fallout 3 — Bethesda Game Studios Gears of War 2 — Epic Games, Microsoft Game Studios Left 4 Dead — Valve South Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots — Kojima Productions, Konami	Outstanding Achievement in Game Design World of Goo — 2D Boy, Nintendo‡ Fable II — Lionhead Studios, Microsoft Game Studios Fallout 3 — Bethesda Game Studios Gears of War 2 — Epic Games, Microsoft Game Studios Left 4 Dead — Valve South
Outstanding Achievement in Animation Prince of Persia — Ubisoft Montreal‡ Castle Crashers — The Behemoth, Microsoft Game Studios Gears of War 2 — Epic Games, Microsoft Game Studios Left 4 Dead — Valve South Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots — Kojima Productions, Konami	Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction LittleBigPlanet — Media Molecule, Sony Computer Entertainment‡ Dead Space — EA Redwood Shores Fable II — Lionhead Studios, Microsoft Game Studios Mirror's Edge — DICE, Electronic Arts Prince of Persia — Ubisoft Montreal
Outstanding Character Performance Sackboy *(LittleBigPlanet)* — Media Molecule, Sony Computer Entertainment‡ Dom Santiago (Gears of War 2) — Epic Games, Microsoft Game Studios Marcus Fenix (Gears of War 2) — Epic Games, Microsoft Game Studios Old Snake (Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots) — Kojima Productions, Konami Lara Croft (Tomb Raider: Underworld) — Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Interactive	Outstanding Achievement in Gameplay Engineering Spore — Maxis, Electronic Arts‡ Fable II — Lionhead Studios, Microsoft Game Studios Fallout 3 — Bethesda Game Studios Left 4 Dead — Valve South Tom Clancy's EndWar — Ubisoft Shanghai
Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay Left 4 Dead — Valve South‡ Call of Duty: World at War — Treyarch, Activision Gears of War 2 — Epic Games, Microsoft Game Studios NHL 09 — EA Canada Rock Band 2 — Harmonix, MTV Games	Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots — Kojima Productions, Konami‡ de Blob — Blue Tongue Entertainment, THQ Dead Space — EA Redwood Shores Fable II — Lionhead Studios, Microsoft Game Studios World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King — Blizzard Entertainment
Outstanding Achievement in Soundtrack Rock Band 2 — Harmonix, MTV Games‡ Guitar Hero World Tour — Neversoft, Activision LittleBigPlanet — Media Molecule, Sony Computer Entertainment MotorStorm: Pacific Rift — Evolution Studios, Sony Computer Entertainment SingStar PS3 Vol. 1 — SCE London Studio	Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design Dead Space — EA Redwood Shores‡ Gears of War 2 — Epic Games, Microsoft Game Studios LittleBigPlanet — Media Molecule, Sony Computer Entertainment Prince of Persia — Ubisoft Montreal Wipeout HD — SCE Studio Liverpool
Outstanding Achievement in Original Story Fallout 3 — Bethesda Game Studios‡ Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway — Gearbox Software, Ubisoft Fable II — Lionhead Studios, Microsoft Game Studios Grand Theft Auto IV — Rockstar North Professor Layton and the Curious Village — Level-5, Nintendo	Outstanding Achievement in Adapted Story Star Wars: The Force Unleashed — LucasArts‡ Lego Batman: The Videogame — Traveller's Tales, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe — Midway Games Naruto: The Broken Bond — Ubisoft Montreal 007: Quantum of Solace — Treyarch, Activision
Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering LittleBigPlanet — Media Molecule, Sony Computer Entertainment‡ Gears of War 2 — Epic Games, Microsoft Game Studios Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots — Kojima Productions, Konami Resistance 2 — Insomniac Games, Sony Computer Entertainment Tomb Raider: Underworld — Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Interactive

Genre Awards

Action Game of the Year Dead Space — EA Redwood Shores‡ Call of Duty: World at War — Treyarch, Activision Far Cry 2 — Ubisoft Montreal Gears of War 2 — Epic Games, Microsoft Game Studios Grand Theft Auto IV — Rockstar North	Adventure Game of the Year Mirror's Edge — DICE, Electronic Arts‡ Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia — Konami God of War: Chains of Olympus — Ready at Dawn, Sony Computer Entertainment Naruto: The Broken Bond — Ubisoft Montreal Prince of Persia — Ubisoft Montreal
Casual Game of the Year Braid — Number None, Microsoft Game Studios‡ Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst — Big Fish Studios Patapon — SCE Japan Studio Professor Layton and the Curious Village — Level-5, Nintendo World of Goo — 2D Boy, Nintendo	Cellular Game of the Year Spore Origins — Babaroga, Tricky Software, Electronic Arts‡ Reset Generation — RedLynx, Nokia Trism — Demiforce
Family Game of the Year LittleBigPlanet — Media Molecule, Sony Computer Entertainment‡ Boom Blox — EA Los Angeles Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party — Ubisoft Paris Rock Band 2 — Harmonix, MTV Games Wii Fit — Nintendo EAD	Fighting Game of the Year Super Smash Bros. Brawl — Sora Ltd., Nintendo‡ Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe — Midway Games Soulcalibur IV — Project Soul, Namco Bandai Games Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix — Backbone Entertainment, Capcom WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 — Yuke's, THQ
Massive Multiplayer Game of the Year World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King — Blizzard Entertainment‡ Eve Online: Quantum Rise — CCP Games Pirates of the Burning Sea — Flying Lab Software, Sony Online Entertainment PMOG — GameLayers Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning — Mythic Entertainment, Electronic Arts	Racing Game of the Year Burnout Paradise — Criterion Games, Electronic Arts‡ GRID — Codemasters Mario Kart Wii — Nintendo EAD MotorStorm: Pacific Rift — Evolution Studios, Sony Computer Entertainment Pure — Black Rock Studio, Disney Interactive Studios
Role-Playing Game of the Year Fallout 3 — Bethesda Game Studios‡ Fable II — Lionhead Studios, Microsoft Game Studios Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time — Chunsoft, Nintendo Tales of Vesperia — Namco Tales Studio, Namco Bandai Games	Sports Game of the Year NHL 09 — EA Canada‡ FIFA 09 — EA Canada Madden NFL 09 — EA Tiburon MLB 08: The Show — SCE San Diego NBA 2K9 — Visual Concepts, 2K Games
Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 — EA Los Angeles‡ Advance Wars: Days of Ruin — Intelligent Systems, Nintendo Civilization Revolution — Firaxis Games, 2K Games Sins of a Solar Empire — Ironclad Games, Stardock Tom Clancy's EndWar — Ubisoft Shanghai

Special Awards

Hall of Fame

Bruce Shelley

Multiple nominations and awards

Multiple Nominations

Games that received multiple nominations
Nominations	Game
10	Gears of War 2
10	LittleBigPlanet
8	Fallout 3
8	Left 4 Dead
7	Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
6	Fable II
4	Dead Space
	Grand Theft Auto IV
	Prince of Persia
3	Professor Layton and the Curious Village
	Rock Band 2
	Spore
	World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
2	Advance Wars: Days of Ruin
	Braid
	Call of Duty: World at War
	Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
	God of War: Chains of Olympus
	Mirror's Edge
	Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
	MotorStorm: Pacific Rift
	Naruto: The Broken Bond
	NHL 09
	Patapon
	Tom Clancy's EndWar
	Tomb Raider: Underworld
	Wii Fit
	World of Goo

Nominations by company
Nominations	Games	Company
21	9	Sony Computer Entertainment
20	5	Microsoft Game Studios
18	11	Electronic Arts
12	7	Nintendo
11	6	Ubisoft
10	1	Epic Games
10	1	Media Molecule
9	2	Konami
8	1	Bethesda Game Studios
8		Valve South
7		Kojima Productions
6		Lionhead Studios
4	3	Activision
4	1	Rockstar North
3	2	Treyarch
	1	Blizzard Entertainment
		Harmonix
		Maxis
		MTV Games
		Level-5
2	2	2K Games
		Namco Bandai Games
		THQ
	1	2D Boy
		Crystal Dynamics
		DICE
		Eidos Interactive
		Evolution Studios
		Intelligent Systems
		Midway Games
		Number None
		Ready at Dawn

Multiple awards

Games that received multiple awards
Awards	Game
8	LittleBigPlanet
2	Dead Space
	Fallout 3
	Left 4 Dead

Awards by company
Awards	Games	Company
9	2	Sony Computer Entertainment
8	7	Electronic Arts
8	1	Media Molecule
2	2	Nintendo
	1	Bethesda Game Studios
	1	Valve South

External links

Official website

References

"2009 D.I.C.E. Summit". GamesIndustry.biz. Game Network Limited. February 5, 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
"12th ANNUAL INTERACTIVE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS RULES AND PROCEDURES" (PDF). Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 3, 2008. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
^ "Little Big Planet wins big at D.I.C.E." GameSpot. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
"Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Special Awards". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
Bramwell, Tom (February 23, 2009). "LittleBigPlanet cleans up at the AIAS awards". Eurogamer. Gamer Network Limited. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
Totilo, Stephen. "Winners List For 12th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards". MTV. Viacom International. Archived from the original on February 2, 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.

v t e D.I.C.E. Awards
Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Game of the Year Mobile Online Independent Game Immersive Reality (Technical Achievement)
Craft Awards	Game Direction Game Design Animation Art Direction Character Original Music Composition Audio Design Story Technical
Genre Awards	Action Adventure Family Fighting Racing Role-Playing Sports Strategy/Simulation
Ceremonies	1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Related	Cybermania '94

v t e D.I.C.E. Awards' Game of the Year
GoldenEye 007 (1997/1998) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998/1999) The Sims (1999/2000) Diablo II (2000) Halo: Combat Evolved (2001) Battlefield 1942 (2002) Call of Duty (2003) Half-Life 2 (2004) God of War (2005) Gears of War (2006) Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007) LittleBigPlanet (2008) Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009) Mass Effect 2 (2010) The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011) Journey (2012) The Last of Us (2013) Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014) Fallout 4 (2015) Overwatch (2016) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017) God of War (2018) Untitled Goose Game (2019) Hades (2020) It Takes Two (2021) Elden Ring (2022) Baldur's Gate 3 (2023)

D.I.C.E. Awards' Game of the Year

GoldenEye 007 (1997/1998)
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998/1999)
The Sims (1999/2000)
Diablo II (2000)
Halo: Combat Evolved (2001)
Battlefield 1942 (2002)
Call of Duty (2003)
Half-Life 2 (2004)
God of War (2005)
Gears of War (2006)
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)
LittleBigPlanet (2008)
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009)
Mass Effect 2 (2010)
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011)
Journey (2012)
The Last of Us (2013)
Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014)
Fallout 4 (2015)
Overwatch (2016)
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017)
God of War (2018)
Untitled Goose Game (2019)
Hades (2020)
It Takes Two (2021)
Elden Ring (2022)
Baldur's Gate 3 (2023)

Portal:

Video games

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