Academy Of Interactive Arts & Sciences Announces Awards
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 Esthers 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: MAJORAS 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
BALDURS GATE II (PC)
Bioware/Interplay
CONSOLE
Action/Adventure Game of the Year
ZELDA: MAJORAS 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
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
GAME OF THE YEAR
Game of the Year
DIABLO II (PC)
Blizzard Entertainment/Blizzard Entertainment