Can you believe it's been nearly a decade since the 21st DICE Awards? Looking back from 2026, that 2018 ceremony feels like a true watershed moment. I remember the buzz when the nominees were announced, and the sheer dominance of one title was impossible to ignore. Horizon Zero Dawn stormed the field with a staggering 10 nominations! It was a testament to Guerrilla Games' incredible pivot from first-person shooters to a breathtaking open-world RPG. But let's not forget, that year was stacked with titans. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, a game that would redefine exploration for a generation, was hot on its heels with six nods. And then you had the audacious, hand-drawn wonder of Cuphead, the intense narrative punch of Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, and the cinematic thrill of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, each earning five nominations. What a time to be a gamer, right?
The Unforgettable Game of the Year Battle
The Game of the Year category was a perfect snapshot of 2017's diversity. We had:
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Horizon Zero Dawn: A lush, post-apocalyptic world with robot dinosaurs.
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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: Pure, unadulterated freedom in Hyrule.
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Super Mario Odyssey: Joyful, inventive platforming across unforgettable kingdoms.
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Cuphead: A punishing, beautiful love letter to 1930s animation.
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PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds: The game that ignited the global battle royale craze.
Talk about an impossible choice! Each game represented a pinnacle in its genre. It wasn't just about which game was "best"; it was a debate about what we valued most in our interactive experiences. Was it groundbreaking open-world design? Pure artistic expression? Revolutionary multiplayer? The fact that PUBG, a scrappy early-access phenomenon, stood alongside these polished masterpieces showed how the industry's landscape was shifting beneath our feet.
Celebrating the Craft: From Characters to Sound
Beyond the top prize, the nominations highlighted the incredible craftsmanship across the board. The Outstanding Character category gave us some iconic heroes and complex protagonists:
| Character | Game | Why They Stood Out |
|---|---|---|
| Aloy | Horizon Zero Dawn | A curious, determined outcast uncovering a world-shattering mystery. |
| Senua | Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice | A harrowing and empathetic portrayal of psychosis. |
| Bayek | Assassin's Creed Origins | A powerful, grief-driven origin story for the Brotherhood. |
| Chloe Fraiser | Uncharted: The Lost Legacy | Proving she could effortlessly carry her own adventure. |
And the audio! My goodness, the audio. The Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design category was a masterclass. How could you choose between the haunting whispers in Senua's mind in Hellblade, the majestic, tribal-orchestral score of Horizon, the melancholic beauty of RiME, the crunchy retro-jazz of Cuphead, and the visceral, explosive warfare of Wolfenstein II? Each was a benchmark.
A Platform for Everyone
What I loved about the DICE nominations that year was how they celebrated games of all scopes. Sure, the blockbusters were there, but so were the indies. Gorogoa and What Remains of Edith Finch were nominated for their incredible, innovative storytelling. Night in the Woods captured a specific slice of life with poignant writing. In the handheld and mobile spaces, games like Metroid: Samus Returns and Monument Valley 2 showed that profound experiences weren't confined to the TV screen. Even the burgeoning VR scene had a strong showing with Lone Echo and Robo Recall. Doesn't that reflect the true health of our medium—when a $200 million epic and a personal, puzzle-based indie can be honored side-by-side?
The Legacy of Those Nominations
So, why am I, in 2026, still talking about the 21st DICE Awards? Because that slate of nominees crystallized a turning point. Look at where those games and developers are now. The success of Horizon spawned a massive franchise. Breath of the Wild's DNA is in every open-world game that followed. Cuphead proved the viability of a specific, relentless artistic vision. Hellblade demonstrated that mature, difficult themes could be mainstream critical successes. And PUBG? It created an entire genre economy.
The ceremony itself on February 22, 2018, was a celebration of all this potential. While the winners took home the trophies (and oh, what a tense night that was!), the real story was the collective achievement. It was a year where technological prowess, artistic bravery, and pure fun coexisted beautifully on the nomination lists. As a player, it felt like validation. Our passion wasn't just for one type of game; it was for the boundless creativity of the entire field. When I look at the games of today in 2026, I can still see the echoes of that incredible 2017 lineup. It set a bar, a reminder of what's possible when talent and vision collide. Don't you think every awards season since has been measured, at least a little bit, against that legendary year?