Diablo II named
Game of the Year.
LOS ANGELES, March 22, 2001--The Academy of Interactive Arts
and Sciences (AIAS), the professional Academy of the $6+ billion interactive entertainment
software industry, today announced the recipients of its 4th annual Interactive
Achievement Awards. The Awards were presented at a gala event held in San Jose at
Polly Estherıs on March 22, the week of Game Developers Conference. Diablo II
(PC), developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment, garnered three Awards, including
the top honor of overall Game of the Year 2001 and Computer Game of the Year. SSX
(Play Station 2), developed and published by Electronic Arts, was awarded a total of
five awards, including Console Game of the Year, and Final Fantasy IX (Play
Station), developed by Square Co. Ltd. and published by Square Electronic Arts, took home
three awards.
The Academy presented Interactive Achievement Awards in 27 craft, console, computer and
online categories. The Academy also honored John Carmack, founder, owner and
technical director of id Software, inducting him into the Academy Hall of Fame. In
keeping with Academy tradition, Hironobu Sakaguchi, last yearıs Hall of Fame inductee and
creator and executive producer of the Final Fantasy series, returned to make the
presentation.
The wry British humorist Martin Lewis hosted the 4th Annual Interactive Achievement
Awards. This was Lewis' second appearance at the awards and his first time as host.
A humorist, TV & radio host, actor, columnist, writer and producer, Lewis started in
the entertainment industry producing talent such as Monty Python, Peter Cook, Billy
Connolly and Rowan Atkinson. In recent years Lewis has become a noted comedic performer in
his own right. He is frequently seen offering his satirical commentaries on CNN, Fox News,
MSNBC and on shows such as Politically Incorrect. He was a regular guest-host of
Robin Leach's live, late-night TV talk show and has hosted his own radio show in L.A. Last
year he hosted the prestigious Hollywood Reporter Key Art Awards (for movie marketing.) He
is also a frequent columnist for Time.com - the website of Time Magazine.
Also on hand for the award event were an all-star lineup of gaming industry guest
presenters. "The Academy is very proud that the scheduled guest presenters for
this yearıs Interactive Achievement Awards are drawn exclusively from the interactive
entertainment industry, a first in the history of the Academyıs award program," said
Academy President Paul Provenzano.
FOURTH ANNUAL INTERACTIVE
ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS RECIPIENTS
I. CRAFT AWARDS
Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction
Final Fantasy IX (Play Station)
Square Co., Ltd./Square Electronic Arts L.L.C.
Outstanding Achievement in Animation
Final Fantasy IX (Play Station)
Square Co., Ltd./Square Electronic Arts L.L.C.
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design
Medal of Honor: Underground (Play Station)
DreamWorks Interactive/Electronic Arts
Outstanding Achievement in Musical Composition
Medal of Honor: Underground (Play Station)
DreamWorks Interactive/Electronic Arts
Outstanding Achievement in Game Design
Zelda: Majoraıs Mask (Nintendo 64)
Nintendo Co. Ltd./Nintendo of America
Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering
SSX (Play Station 2)
Electronic Arts/Electronic Arts
Outstanding Achievement in Game Play Engineering
SSX (Play Station 2)
Electronic Arts/Electronic Arts
Outstanding Achievement in Character or Story Development
Baldurıs Gate II (PC)
Bioware/Interplay
II. CONSOLE
Action/Adventure Game of the Year
Zelda: Majoraıs Mask (Nintendo 64)
Nintendo Co. Ltd./Nintendo of America
Role Playing Game of the Year
Final Fantasy IX (Play Station)
Square Co., Ltd./Square Electronic Arts L.L.C.
Fighting Game of the Year
Dead or Alive 2 (Dreamcast)
Tecmo/Tecmo
Racing Game of the Year
SSX (Play Station 2)
Electronic Arts/Electronic Arts
Family Title of the Year
Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64)
Nintendo Co. Ltd./Nintendo of America
Sports Game of the Year
SSX (Play Station 2)
Electronic Arts/Electronic Arts
Innovation in Console Gaming
Shenmue (Dreamcast)
AM2/Sega of America
Console Game of the Year
SSX (Play Station 2)
Electronic Arts/Electronic Arts
III. ONLINE
Online Gameplay of the Year
MechWarrior 4
Microsoft/Microsoft
Massive Multiplayer/Persistent World Game of the Year
EverQuest: Ruins of Kunark
Verant Interactive/SCEA
IV. PERSONAL COMPUTER
Family Title of the Year
Return of the Incredible Machine: Contraptions
Dynamix/Sierra On-Line
Action/Adventure Game of the Year
Deus Ex
Ion Storm/Eidos Interactive
Role Playing Game of the Year
Diablo II
Blizzard Entertainment/Blizzard Entertainment
Simulation Game of the Year
MechWarrior 4
Microsoft/ Microsoft
Sports Game of the Year (TIE)
FIFA 2001
EA Canada/Electronic Arts
Motocross Madness
Rainbow Studios/Microsoft
Strategy Game of the Year
Age of Kings II: The Conquerors
Ensemble Studios/Microsoft
Innovation in Computer Gaming
Deus Ex
Ion Storm/Eidos Interactive
Computer Game of the Year
Diablo II
Blizzard Entertainment/Blizzard Entertainment
V. GAME OF THE YEAR
Game of the Year
Diablo II (PC)
Blizzard Entertainment/Blizzard Entertainment
Peer panel review boards made up of individual Academy
members with specific expertise in each of the categories were established to determine
the finalists for each of the awards (with the exception of Game of the Year, Computer
Game of the Year, Console Game of the Year, and Innovation in Computer and Console Gaming,
which were determined by a board level review panel drawing from the total set of
nominations). Each peer panel member reviewed each submission in his or her category
and then met in person, on-line, or by telephone conference call to consider the nominees
with their respective review boards. Final balloting, overseen and certified by
PricewaterhouseCoopers, took place online by a vote of eligible AIAS members.
Membership in AIAS is open to all qualified individuals working in the interactive
software entertainment industry. The Academy is supported by many of the industry's
leading companies and counts among its board of directors representatives from DreamWorks
Interactive, Electronic Arts, Ensemble Studios, Infogrames, Insomniac Games, Interactive
Digital Software Association, Lionhead Studios, Microsoft, Nintendo of America, Sega of
America, Sony Computer Entertainment America, and Simutronics Corp.
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