DICE Awards 2026 Nominees: Clair Obscur & Ghost of Yōtei Lead with 8 Nominations Each

By Michael Fisher • News • Jan 9, 2026
DICE Awards 2026 Nominees: Clair Obscur & Ghost of Yōtei Lead with 8 Nominations Each

The 29th annual DICE awards have announced their nominees, and while it would be no surprise if the awards turn into another massive night for Clair Obsur: Expedition 33, based on how other awards have gone, the game is tied with Ghost of Yōtei with eight nominations. Others widely nominated include Arc Raiders and Dispatch with six, and Blue Prince with five.

Perhaps the most shocking nomination is fan favorite Hollow Knight: Silksong, who was a five-time nominee during The Game Awards 2025, received only one nomination at the DICE awards, for Adventure Game of the Year.

The big difference between the DICE Awards and The Game Awards is that the DICE awards are structured similarly to the Oscars, with awards handed out by the industry body the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. In eight of the last 11 years, the two award shows have agreed on Game of the Year.

The DICE Awards will be live streamed at 8pm PST on February 12th by IGN. Kinda Funny Games founder Greg Miller and media personality Stella Chung return to co-host the event with awards in 23 different categories honoring the best games in 2025.

The full list of DICE Award nominees for 2026 are listed below.

Game of the Year

  • Arc Raiders

  • Blue Prince

  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

  • Dispatch

  • Ghost of Yōtei

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 2

  • 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 2

  • 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

  • Persona 5: 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 2

  • Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

  • Öoo

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction

  • Blue Prince

  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

  • Ghost of Yōtei

  • Hades 2

  • Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

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