Clair Obscur and Ghost of Yotei Lead the 2026 DICE Awards Nominations
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Ghost of Yotei lead the 2026 DICE Awards with eight nominations each, while industry peers prepare to vote on the year's best games.
The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences has officially revealed the nominees for the 29th annual DICE Awards, setting up another major showdown for awards season. Sandfall Interactive's breakout RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and the highly anticipated Ghost of Yotei lead the pack with eight nominations each, including the coveted Game of the Year category. They are closely followed by Arc Raiders and Dispatch with six nods apiece, while Blue Prince rounds out the frontrunners with five. As reported by Polygon, the peer-voted nature of the DICE Awards gives these nods a distinct weight since the winners are decided directly by fellow industry professionals rather than public votes or media critics.
While the top spots went to familiar heavy hitters, the ballot also brought a few surprises and notable snubs. Hollow Knight: Silksong dominated community discussions and racked up multiple nods at last year's Game Awards, but it managed only a single nomination from the Academy for Adventure Game of the Year. Meanwhile, titles like Despelote and Sword of the Sea secured spots across various categories, proving that the Academy values creative risks and diverse genre representation alongside major blockbuster releases.
For players tracking the pulse of the industry, the DICE ceremony offers a reliable look at what developers themselves respect most about the previous year of gaming. The winners will be revealed during a livestream hosted by Greg Miller and Stella Chung on February 12, broadcast via IGN. Whether the peer-voted Academy aligns with mainstream community favorites or carves out its own distinct path, the event remains a key checkpoint on the calendar for anyone invested in where game design is heading next.
Tags: DICE Awards, Clair Obscur, Ghost of Yotei, Gaming Industry, Awards Season
Original article: Polygon