It'southward that time of the yr again. The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences today announced the nominees for the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, which will be hosted by Jessica Chobot and Greg Miller. With 59 games nominated beyond 23 different categories, it's fix to exist a difficult-fought fight, with the winners appear at the live-streamed awards anniversary on Feb 24.

Image via AIAS

The Game of the Year category in particular looks like information technology will be a catchy choice, with dearest titles Deathloop, It Takes Two, Inscryption, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, and Returnal all vying for the top position. Many of those titles are also upwardly for other categories, with Ratchet & Clank scoring an impressive nine nominations (including Outstanding Achievement in Animation, Outstanding Technical Achievement, and Family Game of the Year). The others aren't far backside though, with Deathloop nabbing eight nominations and It Takes Two with six.

It'due south not all massive names — categories like Outstanding Achievement in Story and Function-Playing Game of the Year see entrants from smaller studios, including Before Your Eyes, The Forgotten City, and Wildermyth. When even Game of the Twelvemonth features a smaller championship like Inscryption as a nominee, it definitely feels like the D.I.C.E. Awards could be anyone's game this year.