Clair Obscur Expedition 33 and Ghost of Yōtei Dominate 2026 DICE Awards Nominations
- Yash Choudhary
- 18 hours ago
- 3 min read
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) has just announced the nominees for the 29th Annual DICE Awards, and this year's competition is looking intense! Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Ghost of Yōtei are leading the pack with eight nominations each, standing out among a bunch of highly praised games.
The DICE Awards will happen on February 12, 2026, in Las Vegas, kicking off at 8 PM PT. You can catch the event live online, with Greg Miller from Kinda Funny Games and media personality Stella Chung back as co-hosts.
Top-Nominated Games at the 2026 DICE Awards
Right on the heels of the leaders, Arc Raiders and Dispatch snagged six nominations each, while Blue Prince grabbed five. The much-awaited sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, also made a splash with four nominations in various technical and creative categories.
As per AIAS, nominees are picked by panels of seasoned developers and industry pros. The winners are decided through secret voting by the Academy’s 30,000+ members, making the DICE Awards a top honor in the gaming world.
Full List of 2026 DICE Awards Nominees
Outstanding Achievement in Animation
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Ghost of Yōtei
Monster Hunter Wilds
South of Midnight
The Midnight Walk
Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Dispatch
Ghost of Yōtei
The Midnight Walk
Outstanding Achievement in Character
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Esquie
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Maelle
Dispatch – Courtney / Invisigal
Dispatch – Robert Robertson III / Mecha Man
Ghost of Yōtei – Atsu
Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Ghost of Yōtei
Herdling
Mario Kart World
Sword of the Sea
Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design
Arc Raiders
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Ghost of Yōtei
Lumines Arise
Split Fiction
Outstanding Achievement in Story
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Consume Me
despelote
South of Midnight
The Drifter
Outstanding Technical Achievement
Arc Raiders
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Donkey Kong Bananza
DOOM: The Dark Ages
Action Game of the Year
Absolum
Arc Raiders
DOOM: The Dark Ages
Hades II
Ninja Gaiden 4
Adventure Game of the Year
Blue Prince
Dispatch
Donkey Kong Bananza
Ghost of Yōtei
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Family Game of the Year
LEGO® Party!
LEGO® Voyagers
Lumines Arise
MARVEL Cosmic Invasion
POPUCOM
Fighting Game of the Year
2XKO
Capcom Fighting Collection 2
FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves
Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection
WWE 2K25
Racing Game of the Year
EA SPORTS F1® 25
Kirby Air Riders
Mario Kart World
Wheel World
Role-Playing Game of the Year
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Monster Hunter Wilds
The Outer Worlds 2
Sports Game of the Year
EA SPORTS FC™ 26
PGA Tour 2K25
MLB® The Show™ 25
NBA 2K26
Rematch
Strategy / Simulation Game of the Year
The Alters
Drop Duchy
Europa Universalis V
The King Is Watching
StarVaders
Immersive Reality Technical Achievement
Ghost Town
Hotel Infinity
Marvel’s Deadpool VR
Star Wars: Beyond Victory – A Mixed Reality Playset
Unloop
Immersive Reality Game of the Year
Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked
Ghost Town
Marvel’s Deadpool VR
The Midnight Walk
Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow
Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game
Baby Steps
Blue Prince
Consume Me
despelote
Dispatch
Mobile Game of the Year
Persona5: The Phantom X
Umamusume: Pretty Derby
WHAT THE CLASH?
Where Winds Meet
Online Game of the Year
Arc Raiders
Battlefield 6
Mario Kart World
Marvel Rivals
Split Fiction
Outstanding Achievement in Game Design
Arc Raiders
Blue Prince
Hades II
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Öoo
Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction
Blue Prince
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Ghost of Yōtei
Hades II
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Game of the Year
Arc Raiders
Blue Prince
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Dispatch
Ghost of Yōtei
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