The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences awards at the GDC have been given out, with SSX and Diablo II cleaning up most of the awards.

I'd have to say, I don't agree with most of these, most notably the fact that SSX beat Tony Hawk 2 in many categories when TH2 is clearly the superior game :)

• Console Action-Adventure—Zelda: Majora's Mask
  
• Console Racing Game—SSX
  
• Console Family Title—Mario Tennis
  
• Art Direction—Final Fantasy IX
  
• Outstanding Achievement in Animation—Final Fantasy IX
  
• Outstanding Achievement in Game Design—Zelda: Majora's Mask
  
• Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering—SSX
  
• Online Gameplay of the Year—MechWarrior 4
  
• Massively Multiplayer/Persistent World Game of the Year - EverQuest: Runes of Kunark
  
• PC Action-Adventure—Deus Ex (Acceptors of this award noted, "We thought we were making an RPG, but hey...")
  
• PC Simulation—MechWarrior 4
  
• PC RPG of the Year—Diablo II
  
• Console Fighting Game—Dead or Alive 2
  
• Console RPG—Final Fantaxy IX
  
• Console Sports Game—SSX
  
• Console Game of the Year—SSX
  
• Sound Design—Medal of Honor: Underground
  
• Original Music—Medal of Honor: Underground
  
• Game Play Engineering—SSX (after which the EA people began to search for a large box to carry home all of their awards)
  
• Character or Story Development—Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
  
• PC Family Title of the Year—Return of the Incredible Machine: Contraptions
  
• PC Sports Game of the Year—FIFA 2001
  
• PC Strategy Game of the Year—Age of Empires II: The Conquerers
  
• PC Game of the Year—Diablo II
  
• Innovation in Console Gaming—Shenmue
  
• Innovation in PC Gaming—Deus Ex
  
• Game of the Year—Diablo II

There's alot of games that should have beaten the winners in thier categories, but then I guess this works along the same lines as how a backstreet boys song can get to #1 on the charts.

Yeah! Go the Incredible Machine!

Totally agree with you Acid about the Backstreet Boys s***. I don't know most of the games in their, so I can't provide any real insights. Although I can't believe the Incredible Machine is still going - I used to play it when I was about 10 or so.

Here's a tip for next year. I'm willing to go out on a branch and say that the upcoming game Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura will win at least one award (Hey if BG2 can win an award, then Arcanum definitely will).

If you haven't heard of Arcanum, shame on you, go here to check it out

http://sierrastudios.com/games/arcanum

That's my tip, remember, u heard it here from me first! :)

I'm just wondering who other people think should have been the winners. I mean d2... that wasn't a good game and I'm a loyalist to blizzard. The only reason they sold millions is because diablo was such a good game until it became a battle of who had the best hacks. Anyway I think Deus Ex should have won best game but what do you think.

diabloII as game of the year get f***ed that games as gay as gayken..ooher......i'll Mcf***in McRam my Mcf***in McFist up ya Mcf***in arse if ya Mcf***in make that Mcf***ing gay game winner :)

Diablo2 was repititive as all s***
what a load of crap

I would have given Game of the Year to Deus Ex..but then again what do I know.

:)

I would have given game of the year to Q3, i mean, there are how many ppl who play it compared to farking DuesEx?

Also, i think there does exist more games than SSX and Diablo2 (which by the way, wasnt that great).

overall, a pretty pathetic year for gaming, imo.

haha, props to acid for persistently calling it like it is

I can't believe Shenmue didn't win some real awards! It should have definitely taken out the story one..