The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) has announced the recipients of its 4th annual Interactive Achievement Awards. The Awards were presented at a gala event held in San Jose at Polly Esther’s on March 22. 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 also honored John Carmack, founder, owner and technical director of id Software, inducting him into the Academy Hall of Fame. Carmack is the creator of DOOM, which popularized the first-person shooter genre in gaming. Below is a complete list of winners in all five divisions. The credits represent the developer followed by the publisher.



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: MAJORA’S 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

BALDUR’S GATE II (PC)

Bioware/Interplay



CONSOLE



Action/Adventure Game of the Year

ZELDA: MAJORA’S 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



ONLINE



Online Gameplay of the Year

MECHWARRIOR 4 (PC)

Microsoft/Microsoft



Massive Multiplayer/Persistent World Game of the Year

EVERQUEST: RUINS OF KUNARK (PC)

Verant Interactive/SCEA



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