Submissions Now Open For 17th D.I.C.E. Awards

“The nominees are…”

Those words are typically associated with the Oscars or the Grammys, but the world of video games has its own event for them to be said: the D.I.C.E. Awards. Handed out by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, the awards are going into their 17th year of recognizing the best that gaming has to offer. Nominations are now open, and will remain so through 5:00 pm PST on December 2.

There are 25 different categories in all, including platform-oriented awards like Mobile Game of the Year and Web Based Game of the Year, genre specific ones like Adventure Game of the Year, and technical awards such as Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design. But the big one is Game of the Year, and previous winners include everything from indie successes like “Journey” (2012) to the video game equivalents of summer blockbusters like “Mass Effect 2” (2010).

Whereas most nominees need to see wide release within the calendar year to be eligible for consideration, this year’s event sees a significant change to the award for Online Game of the Year, throwing it open to games released in years past. This allows stalwarts like “EVE Online,” for instance, to be nominated if people think they deserve to be in the mix for their continuing success at giving players great gaming experiences that take place while online.

Only members of the Academy can make offical nominations, but since there are over 20,000 of them spread among companies of all sizes throughout the industry, plenty of games can get a nod. Finalists are selected using peer-review panels, and the winners are voted on by all members.

The winners are announced live at the D.I.C.E. awards ceremony. The 2014 show will take place on February 6, 2014 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Las Vegas.