The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) has announced the winners of the 2026's best mobile games at the 29th annual D.I.C.E. Awards, held at the Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. This prestigious event honors studios and creators whose work pushes the boundaries of interactive storytelling, technical innovation, and player experience throughout the year.
The AIAS global membership of over 30,000 industry professionals selected this year's winners across 23 award categories spanning design, art, animation, audio, story, and technology. The awards recognized a broad spectrum of creative achievement, celebrating studios that have made significant contributions to the mobile game development landscape.
Sandfall Interactive's Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 emerged as the most celebrated title of the evening, earning five awards including Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction, Outstanding Achievement in Story, Role-Playing Game of the Year, Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction, and the night's top honor, Game of the Year. This achievement is a testament to the studio's dedication to crafting engaging mobile games that captivate players worldwide.
Other notable winners included Sucker Punch Productions for Ghost of Yōtei, which took home awards for Outstanding Achievement in Character, Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition, and Adventure Game of the Year. Kojima Productions was recognized for its technical mastery with Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, earning awards for Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design and Outstanding Technical Achievement.
"The games recognized at this year's D.I.C.E. Awards showcase the extraordinary range of talent and creativity that define our industry" said Meggan Scavio, President of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. "It's inspiring to see how these developers continue to elevate interactive entertainment through innovation, storytelling, and meaningful player experiences."
In addition to honoring the year's top games, the Academy also recognized an influential leader in the interactive entertainment industry. Evan Wells, former president and co-founder of Naughty Dog, was inducted into the AIAS Hall of Fame in recognition of his decades-long contributions to game development and leadership.
The ceremony brought together developers and industry professionals from around the world for an evening dedicated to celebrating creativity, collaboration, and innovation in interactive entertainment. The event was livestreamed by media partner IGN and hosted by returning co-hosts Greg Miller of Kinda Funny and Stella Chung, uniting the global games community in celebration.
Here is the complete list of winners from the 29th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards:
- Outstanding Achievement in Animation: South of Midnight
- Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Outstanding Achievement in Character: Ghost of Yōtei – Atsu
- Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition: Ghost of Yōtei
- Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design: Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Outstanding Achievement in Story: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Outstanding Technical Achievement: Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Action Game of the Year: Hades II
- Adventure Game of the Year: Ghost of Yōtei
- Family Game of the Year: LEGO Party!
- Fighting Game of the Year: Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection
- Racing Game of the Year: Mario Kart World
- Role-Playing Game of the Year: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Sports Game of the Year: Rematch
- Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year: The Alters
- Online Game of the Year: Arc Raiders
- Immersive Reality Technical Achievement: Hotel Infinity
- Immersive Reality Game of the Year: Ghost Town
- Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game: Blue Prince
- Mobile Game of the Year: Persona5: The Phantom X
- Outstanding Achievement in Game Design: Blue Prince
- Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Game of the Year: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33