And the nominees are: http://www.interactive.org/images/pdfs/18th-Annual-DICE-Finalists.pdf

ctrl+f Bayonetta

ctrl+f Destiny

Who did Activision have to pay off to get Destiny on Game of the Year. In the technical categories it certainly deserves to be in those (barring innovation).

What is the point of the DICE awards? Seems like an industry circle jerk.

@flasaltine: circle-jerk can be applied to any industry award, like the Oscars.

Sadly a lot of games industry stuff is this.

@flasaltine: I seem to recall listening to Jeff or Patrick saying something similar, but I forget if or when he said it. (If anyone remembers, let me know.)

Then again the info blurb in the Giant Bomb wiki for the awards contains:

"the D.I.C.E. Awards, formerly known as the Interactive Achievement Awards, are regarded as the most prestigious awards in the gaming industry"

I mean I know pretty much every award show is at least somewhat shady but I'm not even sure these people are even trying anymore.

@flasaltine: Its an industry developer conference and these are developers nominating and voting on their peers. Not sure who all qualifies as a vote.B

Also, Shadow of Mordor and inFamous are adventure games...

ctrl+f Talos

ctrl+f Isaac

@beachthunder:

Some other gems:

- The "Outstanding Character" category.

- Outstanding Achievement in Story: Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

@hassun: Yea. Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay is kinda funny too.

Innovation in Gaming has one that strikes me as odd as well. Because one of those games do nothing innovative.

Then in GOTY Dragon Age: Inquisition seems shoe-horned in there. The rest of the games are nominated at least 6 times a piece. Inquisition just has one for Best RPG/MMO. Which is sorta amusing because it kinda feels like an MMO.

Yikes. Those are some weird nominations. Single-player RPGs mixed with MMOs? Destiny for innovation? "Sprite" award? I'm surprised they didn't throw Call of Duty into the Adventure category as well.

Not to mention the Outstanding Character category seems like a total joke.

Thanks, video games. You cool are really are!

*Jumps off cliff*

I wish everyone could have heard the loud fart I let out in response to reading that.

why can't these be hosted by ADC