The 28th D.I.C.E. Awards: Astro Bot Leads with Game of the Year

The 28th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards took place on February 13, 2025, at the Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, recognizing the top video games of 2024. Organized by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS), the event featured 60 games competing across 23 categories, including the coveted Game of the Year.

Astro Bot emerged as the night’s biggest winner, securing five major awards including:

1. Game of the Year
2. Outstanding Achievement in Animation
3. Outstanding Technical Achievement
4. Family Game of the Year
5. Outstanding Achievement in Game Design

Astro Bot surpassed competition from Balatro, Black Myth: Wukong, Helldivers 2, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle to claim the Game of the Year title. The game has now accumulated over 112 Game of the Year awards, including the prestigious The Game Awards (TGA) 2024.

Another standout performer of the night was Helldivers 2 which secured four awards including:

1. Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition
2. Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design
3. Action Game of the Year
4. Online Game of the Year

Both Balatro and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle earned three awards each. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle claimed Outstanding Achievement in Story and Adventure Game of the Year, while Balatro secured Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game among its victories. Balatro earlier won the same awards at TGA while received the GOTY at the first Indie Game Awards.

The ceremony also honored two industry veterans. The former Executive Vice President of Operations for Nintendo of America, Don James, received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his corporate contributions and support of the Starlight Children’s Foundation. Additionally, Insomniac Games founder and retiring president Ted Price was inducted into the Hall of Fame, recognizing his three-decade leadership and advocacy for video game creators’ First Amendment rights.

Here are the complete winners across all categories from the 28th D.I.C.E. Awards:

Game of the Year

• WINNER: Astro Bot
• Balatro
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Helldivers 2
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Outstanding Achievement in Animation

• WINNER: Astro Bot
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH
• Neva
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction

• WINNER: Black Myth: Wukong
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• LEGO Horizon Adventures
• The Plucky Squire
• Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

Outstanding Achievement in Character

• WINNER: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle – Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones
• 1000xRESIST – Watcher
• FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH – Yuffie Kisaragi
• INDIKA – Indika
• Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II – Senua

Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition

• WINNER: Helldivers 2
• Astro Bot
• Monument Valley 3
• Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
• Star Wars Outlaws

Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design

• WINNER: Helldivers 2
• Frostpunk 2
• Monument Valley 3
• Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
• Still Wakes the Deep

Outstanding Achievement in Story

• WINNER: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• 1000xRESIST
• Metaphor: ReFantazio
• Still Wakes the Deep
• Thank Goodness You’re Here!

Outstanding Technical Achievement

• WINNER: Astro Bot
• Batman: Arkham Shadow
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Action Game of the Year

• WINNER: Helldivers 2
• Batman: Arkham Shadow
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• Stellar Blade

Adventure Game of the Year

• WINNER: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• 1000xRESIST
• ANIMAL WELL
• The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
• Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

Family Game of the Year

• WINNER: Astro Bot
• Cat Quest III
• Little Kitty, Big City
• The Plucky Squire
• Super Mario Party Jamboree

Fighting Game of the Year

• WINNER: TEKKEN 8
• Blazing Strike
• DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO
• Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns
• UNDERDOGS

Racing Game of the Year

• WINNER: F1® 24
• MotoGP™24
• NIGHT-RUNNERS™ PROLOGUE

Role-Playing Game of the Year

• WINNER: Metaphor: ReFantazio
• FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH
• Dragon Age: The Veilguard
• ELDEN RING: Shadow of the Erdtree
• Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Sports Game of the Year

• WINNER: MLB The Show 24
• EA SPORTS College Football 25
• EA SPORTS FC 25
• NBA 2K25

Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year

• WINNER: Balatro
• Caves of Qud
• Frostpunk 2
• Tactical Breach Wizards
• Satisfactory

Immersive Reality Technical Achievement

• WINNER: Starship Home
• Alien: Rogue Incursion
• Batman: Arkham Shadow
• Skydance’s BEHEMOTH
• UNDERDOGS

Immersive Reality Game of the Year

• WINNER: Batman: Arkham Shadow
• Alien: Rogue Incursion
• Escaping Wonderland
• Skydance’s BEHEMOTH
• UNDERDOGS

Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game

• WINNER: Balatro
• ANIMAL WELL
• Grunn
• INDIKA
• Mouthwashing

Mobile Game of the Year

• WINNER: Balatro
• Halls of Torment
• Monument Valley 3
• Paper Trail
• Wuthering Waves

Online Game of the Year

• WINNER: Helldivers 2
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred
• Marvel Rivals
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Outstanding Achievement in Game Design

• WINNER: Astro Bot
• ANIMAL WELL
• Balatro
• Helldivers 2
• UFO 50

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction

• WINNER: ANIMAL WELL
• 1000xRESIST
• Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
• Riven
• Thank Goodness You’re Here!

Last year, at the 27th D.I.C.E. Awards, Baldur’s Gate 3 took the Game the Year award trophy while Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 led the event with the most nominations, totaling nine, and the most wins with six.