Category: Video Games

DICE Awards 2025 Nominations Revealed With Astro Bot, Helldivers 2, and Indiana Jones in the Lead

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) has announced the nominees for the 28th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards and the list reveals Astro Bot, Helldivers 2, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle are leading the charge with six nominations each.

The 2025 D.I.C.E. Awards will take place on Thursday, February 13 at 11pm ET/8pm PT at the Aria Resort in Las Vegas and there will be 60 games from 2024 competing for awards in 23 categories. Astro Bot, Balatro, Black Myth: Wukong, Helldivers 2, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will all be up for the top honor of Game of the Year.

While we already revealed which games earned the most nominations, we’d also like to share Balatro and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II came in second with five nominations each, and 1000xResist, Animal Well, and Batman: Arkham Shadow came in third with four nominations each.

You can check out the full list of D.I.C.E. Awards 2025 nominees below, and you can also see how they compare to our IGN Awards from 2024 and how these nominees and winners are picked.

Outstanding Achievement in Animation

  • Astro Bot
  • Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
  • FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH
  • Neva
  • Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction

  • Black Myth: Wukong
  • Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
  • LEGO Horizon Adventures
  • The Plucky Squire
  • Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

Outstanding Achievement in Character

  • 1000xRESIST – Watcher
  • FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH – Yuffie Kisaragi
  • Indiana Jones and the Great Circle – Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones
  • INDIKA – Indika
  • Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II – Senua

Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition

  • Astro Bot
  • Helldivers 2
  • Monument Valley 3
  • Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
  • Star Wars Outlaws

Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design

  • Frostpunk 2
  • Helldivers 2
  • Monument Valley 3
  • Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
  • Still Wakes the Deep

Outstanding Achievement in Story

  • 1000xRESIST
  • Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
  • Metaphor: ReFantazio
  • Still Wakes the Deep
  • Thank Goodness You’re Here!

Outstanding Technical Achievement

  • Astro Bot
  • Batman: Arkham Shadow
  • Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
  • Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
  • Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Action Game of the Year

  • Batman: Arkham Shadow
  • Black Myth: Wukong
  • Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
  • Helldivers 2
  • Stellar Blade

Adventure Game of the Year

  • 1000xRESIST
  • ANIMAL WELL
  • Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
  • The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
  • Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

Family Game of the Year

  • Astro Bot
  • Cat Quest III
  • Little Kitty, Big City
  • The Plucky Squire
  • Super Mario Party Jamboree

Fighting Game of the Year

  • Blazing Strike
  • DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO
  • Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns
  • TEKKEN 8
  • UNDERDOGS

Racing Game of the Year

  • F1® 24
  • MotoGP™24
  • NIGHT-RUNNERS™ PROLOGUE

Role-Playing Game of the Year

  • FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH
  • Dragon Age: The Veilguard
  • ELDEN RING: Shadow of the Erdtree
  • Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
  • Metaphor: ReFantazio

Sports Game of the Year

  • EA SPORTS College Football 25
  • EA SPORTS FC 25
  • MLB The Show 24
  • NBA 2K25

Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year

  • Balatro
  • Caves of Qud
  • Frostpunk 2
  • Tactical Breach Wizards
  • Satisfactory

Immersive Reality Technical Achievement

  • Alien: Rogue Incursion
  • Batman: Arkham Shadow
  • Skydance’s BEHEMOTH
  • Starship Home
  • UNDERDOGS

Immersive Reality Game of the Year

  • Alien: Rogue Incursion
  • Batman: Arkham Shadow
  • Escaping Wonderland
  • Skydance’s BEHEMOTH
  • UNDERDOGS

Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game

  • ANIMAL WELL
  • Balatro
  • Grunn
  • INDIKA
  • Mouthwashing

Mobile Game of the Year

  • Balatro
  • Halls of Torment
  • Monument Valley 3
  • Paper Trail
  • Wuthering Waves

Online Game of the Year

  • Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
  • Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred
  • Helldivers 2
  • Marvel Rivals
  • Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Outstanding Achievement in Game Design

  • ANIMAL WELL
  • Astro Bot
  • Balatro
  • Helldivers 2
  • UFO 50

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction

  • 1000xRESIST
  • ANIMAL WELL
  • Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
  • Riven
  • Thank Goodness You’re Here!

Game of the Year

  • Astro Bot
  • Balatro
  • Black Myth: Wukong
  • Helldivers 2
  • Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

IGN is proud to be the official media partner of the D.I.C.E. Awards and we will be exclusively streaming the ceremony, which will be co-hosted by Greg Miller and Stella Chung.

If you want to know more about how these nominees were picked and how the winners are chosen, the AIAS has shared the following;

“The Academy’s 30K+ members, comprised of the interactive publishing and development communities, recognize excellence in 23 different interactive game categories in one of the highest forms of recognition in the industry, the AIAS wore, “Titles were played and evaluated by members of the Academy’s peer panels to determine final nominees. These panels, one for each award category, are comprised of the game industry’s most experienced and talented experts in their chosen fields. Winners are determined as part of a confidential voting process and will be revealed on the evening of the show. A list of all the peer panelists can be found here.”

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.

Half-Life Fans Are Doing a GTA 6 and Losing Their Minds Over Hidden Half-Life 3 Clues They Desperately Want to Be Real

Half-Life fans have waited years for Valve to do… something Half-Life 3 related. That’s nothing new. But recent weeks have seen a step up in the hunt for clues, with some believing Valve has already started an elaborate alternate reality game (ARG) that will lead to the dramatic confirmation that Half-Life 3 is finally on the way.

This next level obsession, which GTA 6 fans will find instantly familiar, was kickstarted by Mike Shapiro, the voice actor behind Half-Life’s mysterious G-Man. Late last year, in full G-Man mode, Shapiro published a cryptic tweet teasing some sort of news for 2025 alongside the tags #Valve, #Halflife, #GMan, and #2025. It was Shapiro’s first non-reply tweet since he congratulated Valve on the success of VR exclusive Half-Life: Alyx back in December 2020.

That was enough to send the rumor-mill into overdrive, but since then all sorts of wild theories have emerged within the Half-Life community. Some who have analyzed Shapiro’s tweet to within an inch of its life believe he has started an ARG for Half-Life 3, connecting the dots in such a way to lead them to the ultimate prize in video games.

Half-Life fans obsess about numbers. Valve, famously, can’t count to three. But can it count to 197? It turns out that Shapiro’s X/Twitter post contained images of the cover art of his new song, Best Long Dog. Buried within this image is the number 197. Bizarre!

Best Long Dog is three minutes and 17 seconds long, aka 197 seconds long, because of course it is. Oh, and it came out 197 days after his previous song, Magnetic North. Weird!

Here’s where the Half-Life community really steps up to the plate. Some fans theorize 197 is a reference to gold, or, more specifically, its stable isotope 197Au. This is Half-Life, after all! What’s gold got to do with anything? GoldSrc, pronounced “Gold Source,” is the original Half-Life engine. Eventually it was replaced by the Source engine, but the link is clear. Oh yeah, gold only has a single stable isotope, which means 197Au is the only gold isotope with no half-life.

The plot thickens. 197 appears three times in relation to Shapiro: in the cover art of his song, in the length of the song, and in the days after the release of his previous song. Three times! Could 197 hint at a date? Some think so. Perhaps it’s July 19?

Now we move on to fellow Valve game Counter-Strike 2, and what some believe to be hints at Half-Life 3 in the game. Remember we told you Shapiro’s song is called Best Long Dog? Valve renamed the Popdog hallway in map de_train to “Longdog.”

A few months ago, Valve updated a location in CS2 to be named “longdog”
byu/orthodonticjake inHalfLife

There’s a lot more to this apparent ARG, including even more numbers and people drawing lines in the snow. But the long and short of it is that Shapiro’s tweet, combied with changes to Counter-Strike 2, mysterious references to a dog and the number 197 are fuelling one of the most popcorn-worthy community obsessions since GTA 6 fans started analyzing phases of the moon.

Redditor emsollas summed up the sentiment. “I think we’re so starved with real information on our beloved HL3 (or even the notion of Episode 3) that we’re literally seeing signs where there are none,” they said.

“Yes Shapiro’s post is definitely leading, and there maybe something coming. But breaking down every bit of info and finding the 197 and trying to connect it is just… lunacy.”

Long dog in the clouds.
byu/BlueEnvelopeMedia inHalfLife

Officially, Half-Life 3 does not exist, despite the story ending on a cliffhanger with 2007’s Half-Life 2 Episode 2. In November, to mark Half-Life 2’s 20th anniversary, Valve opened up about its development in a documentary that revealed never-before-seen work-in-progress footage, a brand-new Ice Gun, and a raft of new concept art. You can see the gameplay segment from the documentary in the video below.

Among the details shown in the video, Episode 3 would have been set in the Arctic, and it would have focused on Alyx as a companion character. Aside from the Ice Gun, the footage shows a blob-like enemy that could split into multiple parts. According to the documentary, the team had completed a “collection of playable levels in no particular order” and expected to be able to release the game within a year or two.

Valve has plenty on its plate already, of course, including ongoing support of Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Steam itself, the Steam Deck, and new game Deadlock. Could it also be working on Half-Life 3 alongside all those other projects?

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Guide: 126 Games You Should Pick Up In The Nintendo Switch eShop Holiday Sale (Europe)

Every game we scored 9/10 or higher.

The eShop Holiday sale ends this Sunday in Europe, so here’s your last reminder to get spending! Until the next sale, anyway…

Nintendo has officially kicked off its Switch eShop Holiday Sale in Europe, bringing beefy discounts to thousands of games until 12th January 2024.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Hyper Light Breaker: Watch 2 New Boss Fight Gameplay Videos

Hyper Light Breaker, the upcoming roguelike prequel to Hyper Light Drifter, tasks you with trekking into the Overgrowth alone or with a friend in order to restore peace by defeating the Abyss King. Today we have two exclusive new gameplay videos to share with you. Both are boss fights.

The first, which you can watch above, pits you against Dro, described by the developers at Heart Machine as “a furious wolven warrior.” And the second, which you can watch below, showcases Exus, whom Heart Machine calls a “fierce gladiator.”

Hyper Light Breaker launches into Steam Early Access on Tuesday, January 14. Check out our first hands-on preview from 2023, and if you still want more, we previewed it again last year. Oh, and check back on Monday for one more exclusive gameplay video!

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s executive editor of previews and host of both IGN’s weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He’s a North Jersey guy, so it’s “Taylor ham,” not “pork roll.” Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

IGN UK Podcast 782: Squid Game and Jesse’s Shocking KCD2 Playstyle

Dale, Mat, and Jesse storm into 2025 with their opinions on Squid Game season 2 and discuss Jesse’s mad playstyle for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 at length. “What do these have in common?” I hear you yell. Mass murder… lots of mass murder.

We also have an increased amount of feedback this week, with some juicy questions about cardigans and goodie hunting. Remember to send us your thoughts about all the new games, TV shows, and films you’re enjoying or looking forward to: ign_ukfeedback@ign.com.

IGN UK Podcast 782: Squid Game and Jesse’s Shocking KCD2 Playstyle

Rally Point: Zephon demonstrates that good 4X faction design is really characterisation

Factions. Here are the factions: the aggressive conquest Klingon guys. The evil insectoid hive mind who build stuff and/or have loads of cheap soldiers. The researchers who are probably robots and you usually pick because they can be competitive at anything. The diplomacy/espionage ones (humans, or The Greys).

You know what I’m talking about. You may well have thought of a recent exception too, since we’ve had a fair few 4Xeses experimenting with some of the standard formulae these last few years. It’s been a while though since I read through every word of every faction’s description and wanted to play all of them. Zephon captured my interest immediately.

Read more

Black Myth: Wukong’s Physical Edition for PS5 Gets a First-Time Price Drop at Amazon

There’s no better way to kick off the new year than with some nice video game deals. Thankfully Amazon and Walmart are already offering up some great discounts, including a first-time price drop on the physical edition of Black Myth: Wukong for PlayStation 5 (see here at Amazon, see here at Walmart).

Normally this game runs for $64.99 but you can grab it today for $56.99 at both retailers. This physical edition is well worth picking up as well considering it comes with a digital deluxe upgrade with some extra items. Check out the deal and more information on the digital deluxe items included below.

Black Myth: Wukong for PS5 Down to $56.99

Alongside a physical disc with the base game, this copy also comes with a digital deluxe edition voucher code that’ll get you some cool items featured in the digital deluxe edition of the game. Those are:

  • Bronzecloud Staff
  • Folk Opera Mask
  • Folk Opera Almsgiving Armor
  • Folk Opera Leather Bracers
  • Folk Opera Buskins
  • Wind Chimes
  • Selected Digital Soundtrack

We had plenty of praise for Black Myth: Wukong in our review. IGN’s Mitchell Saltzman said that, “Combat is fantastic thanks to a great balance of careful resource management and lightning-fast, twitch-reaction gameplay that tested my skills as much as Elden Ring ever has, despite being a more traditional action game than FromSoftware’s style. Not only that, but there are a ton of exciting boss battles, a great variety of enemies, and the world they inhabit is an absolute treat for the eyes and ears.”

If you’re looking for even more physical game deals to take advantage of right now, look no further than Best Buy. Right now the retailer has a sale on Ubisoft games, so you can score discounts on the likes of Star Wars Outlaws, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and more.

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for January 13 to 17

Next Week on Xbox - January 10 Hero Image

Next Week on Xbox: New Games for January 13 to 17

Next Week on Xbox highlights all the games arriving soon on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, and Game Pass. Below are more details on these upcoming games, with links to their profiles for further information (release dates may change).


Beautiful Sakura: Surfing Club (Windows)

Beautiful Sakura: Surfing Club (Windows)

Cropware

☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★

Get it now

Beautiful Sakura: Surfing Club (Windows) – January 15

Going in with low expectations, Kaito couldn’t believe it when he hit it off with the new girl at school, Michiko. But just as the two were getting to know each other, Kaito discovered that his new crush has a twin sister, Yuuki, and he begins to question everything he’s feeling. When Kaito finally comes to his senses, he realized that it may be too late. Who does Kaito end up choosing?


Perfect Ninja Painter 3

Perfect Ninja Painter 3

SilenGames

☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★

Get it now

Perfect Ninja Painter 3 – January 15
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Perfect Ninja Painter 3 is a colorful puzzle platformer where players embark on a vibrant adventure with three ninja characters who must bring life and color to a world shrouded in gray. Armed with paintbrushes, the ninjas are tasked with coloring entire levels, solving puzzles, and overcoming obstacles that require a clever mix of creativity and strategy.


Runny Bunny - Console Edition

Runny Bunny – Console Edition

Eastasiasoft Limited

☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★

Get it now

Runny Bunny – Console Edition – January 15
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Get ready for a fast and furry twist on puzzle action in side-scrolling pixel art platforming style! Play as a frantic little bunny as you dash between floors, walls and ceilings collecting power dots and yummy carrots.


Sokorobot

Sokorobot

Afil Games

☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★

Get it now

Sokorobot – January 15
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

A captivating puzzle game where you control an ingenious robot clearing and creating paths to reach the button that unlocks the next level. Combining classic puzzle mechanics with a futuristic setting, Sokorobot challenges players to think ahead and execute plans to conquer the levels.


SYNDUALITY Echo of Ada Deluxe Edition Pre-Order

SYNDUALITY Echo of Ada Deluxe Edition Pre-Order

Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆
5
★★★★★

$69.99
Pre-order

Synduality Echo of Ada (Deluxe and Ultimate Edition Early Access) – January 15
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Taking place in the year 2222, years after a mysterious poisonous rain called The Tears of the New Moon wiped out most of humanity and birthed deformed creatures that now hunt the population. Amidst the calamity, humans are forced to build an underground haven to survive. Take on the role of a Drifter whose goal is to collect the rare resource known as AO Crystals. In your quest, you must collaborate with your artificial intelligence partner to face xenomorphic creatures known as Enders and survive the hazards on the surface.


Morkull Ragast's Rage

Morkull Ragast’s Rage

Selecta Play

☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★

$17.99
Pre-order

Morkul Ragast’s Rage – January 16
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

A 2D video game that combines platforming and action with a touch of exploration, control Morkull, God of Death and Darkness and Lord of the Ragast. His main mechanic – breaking the fourth wall, which allows him to communicate with you in a multitude of ways.


Professor Doctor Jetpack

Professor Doctor Jetpack

Roflcopter Ink GmbH

☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★

$9.99
Pre-order

Professor Doctor Jetpack – January 16
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Professor Doctor Jetpack is a physics based, pixel art, precision platformer, in which you embark on a dangerous journey to… control your jetpack. Join Albert Einstein’s digital remains on his whacky quest to save the world from hidden threats, like The Internet.


Vanity Fair: The Pursuit
Xbox Play Anywhere

Vanity Fair: The Pursuit

NiuGamer

☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★

$14.99
Pre-order

Vanity Fair: The Pursuit – January 16
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere

A fictional real-life interactive narrative with the theme of life “choices” and “survival in the entertainment industry”. The background of the story takes place between 2004 and 2024 in an imaginary world view. The gambling agreement you signed to realize your movie dream will be gradually involved in the whirlpool of “Vanity Fair”. When you are in a dilemma, what should you do?


Cherry Tower Series X|S

Cherry Tower Series X|S

Webnetic s. r. o.

☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★

Get it now

Cherry Tower – January 17
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

A charming 2D pixel platformer that will take you on a sweet adventure unlike any other! Join Cherry on her small adventure, climbing a tower to return home and maybe even more. Overcome obstacles and traps to achieve your goals.


DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS Digital Deluxe Edition

DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS Digital Deluxe Edition

KOEI TECMO AMERICA

☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★

$89.99
Pre-order

Dynasty Warriors: Origins (Digital Deluxe Edition Early Access) – January 13
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Become immersed in exhilarating battles as a nameless hero in the Three Kingdoms. Play upon tension-filled battlefields where you clash against massive armies stretching as far as the eye can see. Standard edition launches on January 17.


Hexa River

Hexa River

Omegga Interactive

☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★

Get it now

Hexa River – January 17
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Immerse yourself in the tranquil world of Hexa River, where your task is to bring life to the islands by guiding water through intricate puzzles. With a relaxing soundtrack and stunning low-poly visuals, each level offers a satisfying challenge that will keep you engaged as you ensure the crops grow lush and healthy.


Tales of Graces f Remastered Pre-Order

Tales of Graces f Remastered Pre-Order

Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★

$39.99
Pre-order

Tales of Graces f Remastered – January 17
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Tales of Graces f is back with a beautiful and easier-to-play version in this action RPG about adventure in fantasy worlds and overcoming obstacles through friendship and determination. The game also includes Lineage and Legacies, an after-story to the main scenario.

The post Next Week on Xbox: New Games for January 13 to 17 appeared first on Xbox Wire.