Overwatch Wins Game of the Year at DICE Awards 2017
By Weston Albert 25 February 2017
Overwatch has come out on top, earning the title of Game of the Year from the 2017 DICE Awards. The DICE Awards took place in Las Vegas on Thursday night, and Overwatch was nominated in six categories.
Besides Game of the Year, Blizzard’s first-person hero shooter also nabbed Outstanding Achievement in Game Design, Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay, and Action Game of the Year. The game tied for most awards of the show with Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, which led the nominations in ten categories.
The Game of the Year award is arguably the biggest title a game can earn in the industry, and this is the second major one that Overwatch has earned. The first was from the Game Awards in December, which aside from the DICE Awards, is becoming as close to the Oscars that the gaming industry has. The game has also won Game of the Year from numerous high profile publications, and even took top honors in Game Rant’s Top 10 Games of the Year.
Check out the full list of DICE Awards 2017 winners below:
Game of the Year
- Battlefield 1
- Inside
- Overwatch
- Pokemon Go
- Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction
- 1979 Revolution: Black Friday
- Battlefield 1
- Inside
- The Last Guardian
- Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
Outstanding Achievement in Game Design
- I Expect You to Die
- Inside
- Overwatch
- Owlboy
- Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay
- Battlefield 1
- Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
- Overwatch
- Titanfall 2
- The Division
Handheld Game of the Year
- Dragon Quest Builders
- Fire Emblem Fates
- Kirby: Planet Robobot
- Pokemon Sun and Moon
- Severed
Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year
- The Banner Saga 2
- Deus Ex Go
- Fire Emblem Fates
- Civilization VI
- XCOM 2
Sports Game of the Year
- FIFA 17
- Madden NFL 17
- MLB The Show 16
- NBA 2K17
- Steep
RPG/Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year
- Dark Souls III
- Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
- Hyper Light Drifter
- The Division
- World of Warcraft: Legion
Racing Game of the Year
- Forza Horizon 3
- Driveclub VR
Fighting Game of the Year
- EA Sports UFC 2
- Guilty Gear Xrd – Revelator
- Killer Instinct Season 3
- Pokken Tournament
- Street Fighter V
Family Game of the Year
- Dragon Quest Builders
- Lego Star Wars The Force Awakens
- Ratchet & Clank
- Rock Band Rivals
- Super Mario Maker 3DS
Immersive Reality Game of the Year
- SUPERHOT VR
- Eagle Flight
- I Expect You To Die
- The Lab
- Job Simulator
Outstanding Technical Achievement
- Battlefield 1
- No Man’s Sky
- Overwatch
- Titanfall 2
- Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
Outstanding Achievement in Story
- Firewatch
- Inside
- Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
- Oxenfree
- That Dragon, Cancer
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design
- Battlefield 1
- Inside
- The Last Guardian
- Quantum Break
- Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition
- Doom
- Abzu
- Battlefield 1
- The Last Guardian
- Titanfall 2
Outstanding Achievement in Character
- Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare – Reyes
- Firewatch – Delilah
- Firewatch – Henry
- The Last Guardian – Trico
- Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End – Nathan Drake
Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction
- Battlefield 1
- Firewatch
- Inside
- The Last Guardian
- Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
Outstanding Achievement in Animation
- Inside
- The Last Guardian
- Overwatch
- Street Fighter V
- Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
D.I.C.E. Sprite Award
- 1979 Revolution: Black Friday
- Firewatch
- Inside
- Superhot
- That Dragon, Cancer
Adventure Game of the Year
- Firewatch
- Inside
- King’s Quest: The Complete Collection
- The Last Guardian
- Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
Action Game of the Year
- Battlefield 1
- Doom
- Gears of War 4
- Overwatch
- Titanfall 2
Mobile Game of the Year
- Clash Royale
- Crashlands
- Gardenscapes – New Acres
- Pokemon Go
- Reigns
Immersive Reality Technical Achievement
- Eagle Flight
- I Expect You To Die
- Job Simulator
- Tilt Brush
- SUPERHOT VR
Overwatch clearly captured the attention of many gamers in 2016, soaring past 25 million registered players as well as becoming the most profitable paid PC game of the year. Blizzard continued to support their hero shooter throughout the year with multiple live events and new free characters, and there appears no signs of slowing in that department.
In addition to all the awards and praise from critics and gamers alike, Overwatch is continuing to establish and solidify itself in the gaming landscape, becoming a popular eSport game and the most watched new game on Twitch last year. As Blizzard continues to build up the Overwatch eSports League and as the developer starts teasing its 24th hero, it appears that the game is moving into 2017 strong.
Overwatch is out now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
