9th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards

The 9th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards was the 9th edition of the Interactive Achievement Awards, an annual awards event that honored the best games in the video game industry during 2005. The awards were arranged by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS), and were held at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 9, 2006 (2006-02-09). It was also held as part of the Academy's 2006 D.I.C.E. Summit, and was hosted by stand-up comedian Jay Mohr.^[1]

9th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards
Date	February 9, 2006 (2006-02-09)
Venue	Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Country	Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Hosted by	Jay Mohr
Highlights
Most awards	God of War (7)
Most nominations	God of War (12)
Overall Game of the Year	God of War
Hall of Fame	Richard Garriott
← 8th · D.I.C.E. Awards · 10th →

This was the first year that the Academy did not have separate genre awards for console and computer. In addition, there was only one award for "Outstanding Innovation in Gaming". "Wireless Game of the Year" was seemingly replaced with "Cellular Game of the Year", as the former was part of the description for "Cellphone Game of the Year" in the nomination packet.^[2] The announcement for submissions listed the "Handheld Game of the Year" as a "Game of the Year" category along with "Cellular Game of the Year", but would both be listed as genre categories when the finalists were announced.^[3][4]

God of War received the most nominations and won the most awards, including "Overall Game of the Year". Sony Computer Entertainment received the most nominations and won the most awards. Nintendo had the most nominated games, but Electronic Arts had the most award-winning games. There was a tie for the "Outstanding Achievement in Gameplay Engineering" award between Guitar Hero and Nintendogs. There was also a tie for "Massive Multiplayer/Persistent World Game of the Year" between City of Villains and Guild Wars, the only time a publisher, NCSoft, published both games that tied for a category.

Richard Garriott, creator of Ultima, was inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame.

Winners and Nominees

Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger (‡).^{[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]}

Game of the Year

Overall Game of the Year God of War — SCE Santa Monica Studio‡ Call of Duty 2 — Infinity Ward, Activision Guitar Hero — Harmonix, RedOctane Nintendogs — Nintendo EAD Shadow of the Colossus — SCE Japan Studio
Computer Game of the Year Age of Empires III — Ensemble Studios, Microsoft Game Studios‡ Battlefield 2 — DICE, Electronic Arts Civilization IV — Firaxis Games, 2K Games F.E.A.R. — Monolith Productions, Vivendi Universal Games The Movies — Lionhead Studios, Activision	Console Game of the Year God of War — SCE Santa Monica Studio‡ Call of Duty 2 — Infinity Ward, Activision Guitar Hero — Harmonix, RedOctane Nintendogs — Nintendo EAD Shadow of the Colossus — SCE Japan Studio

Outstanding Innovation in Gaming

Outstanding Innovation in Gaming Guitar Hero — Harmonix, RedOctane‡ God of War — SCE Santa Monica Studio Nintendogs — Nintendo EAD Shadow of the Colossus — SCE Japan Studio The Movies — Lionhead Studios, Activision

Outstanding Achievement

Outstanding Achievement in Game Design Guitar Hero — Harmonix, RedOctane‡ God of War — SCE Santa Monica Studio King Kong — Ubisoft Montpellier Nintendogs — Nintendo EAD Psychonauts — Double Fine Productions, Majesco Entertainment	Outstanding Achievement in Story and Character Development Call of Duty 2: Big Red One — Treyarch, High Voltage Software, Activision‡ Brothers in Arms: Earned in Blood — Gearbox Software, Ubisoft Gun — Neversoft, Activision King Kong — Ubisoft Montpellier Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves — Sucker Punch Productions, Sony Computer Entertainment
Outstanding Achievement in Animation God of War — SCE Santa Monica Studio‡ Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath — Oddworld Inhabitants, Electronic Arts Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones — Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Casablanca Rise of the Kasai — BottleRocket Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment Shadow of the Colossus — SCE Japan Studio	Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction Shadow of the Colossus — SCE Japan Studio‡ God of War — SCE Santa Monica Studio Jade Empire — BioWare, Microsoft Game Studios King Kong — Ubisoft Montpellier Ultimate Spider-Man — Treyarch, Activision
Outstanding Achievement in Soundtrack Guitar Hero — Harmonix, RedOctane‡ Burnout Revenge — Criterion Games, Electronic Arts SSX on Tour — EA Canada The Warriors — Rockstar Toronto Wipeout Pure — SCE Studio Liverpool	Outstanding Achievement in Original Musical Composition God of War — SCE Santa Monica Studio‡ Gun — Neversoft, Activision Jade Empire — BioWare, Microsoft Game Studios Kameo: Elements of Power — Rare, Microsoft Game Studios Rise of the Kasai — BottleRocket Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design God of War — SCE Santa Monica Studio‡ Condemned: Criminal Origins — Monolith Productions, Sega F.E.A.R. — Monolith Productions, Vivendi Universal Games King Kong — Ubisoft Montpellier Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory — Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Milan	Outstanding Achievement in Gameplay Engineering[a] Guitar Hero — Harmonix, RedOctane‡ Nintendogs — Nintendo EAD‡ God of War — SCE Santa Monica Studio Lumines: Puzzle Fusion — Q Entertainment, Ubisoft Zoo Tycoon 2: Endangered Species — Blue Fang Games, Microsoft Game Studios
Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay Battlefield 2 — DICE, Electronic Arts‡ Age of Empires III — Ensemble Studios, Microsoft Game Studios Call of Duty 2 — Infinity Ward, Activision Mario Kart DS — Nintendo EAD Project Gotham Racing 3 — Bizarre Creations, Microsoft Game Studios	Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering Shadow of the Colossus — SCE Japan Studio‡ Call of Duty 2 — Infinity Ward, Activision F.E.A.R. — Monolith Productions, Vivendi Universal Games God of War — SCE Santa Monica Studio Kameo: Elements of Power — Rare, Microsoft Game Studios

Outstanding Character Performance

Outstanding Character Performance - Male God of War — SCE Santa Monica Studio‡ Gun — Neversoft, Activision Jade Empire — BioWare, Microsoft Game Studios Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath — Oddworld Inhabitants, Electronic Arts Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory — Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Milan

Outstanding Character Performance - Female Jade Empire[b] — BioWare, Microsoft Game Studios‡ Gun — Neversoft, Activision Need for Speed: Most Wanted — EA Canada, EA Black Box Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones — Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Casablanca

Genre Awards

Action/Adventure Game of the Year God of War — SCE Santa Monica Studio‡ Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones — Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Casablanca Shadow of the Colossus — SCE Japan Studio The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction — Radical Entertainment, Vivendi Universal Games Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory — Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Milan	First-Person Action Game of the Year Battlefield 2 — DICE, Electronic Arts‡ Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 — Gearbox Software, Ubisoft Call of Duty 2 — Infinity Ward, Activision Condemned: Criminal Origins — Monolith Productions, Sega F.E.A.R. — Monolith Productions, Vivendi Universal Games
Role-Playing Game of the Year Jade Empire — BioWare, Microsoft Game Studios‡ Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King — Level-5, Square Enix Dungeon Siege II — Gas Powered Games, Microsoft Game Studios Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance — Intelligent Systems, Nintendo Radiata Stories — Tri-Ace, Square Enix	Fighting Game of the Year Soulcalibur III — Namco‡ Fight Night Round 2 — EA Chicago Tekken 5 — Namco WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 — Yuke's, THQ
Sports Game of the Year SSX on Tour — EA Canada‡ MLB 2006 — 989 Studios, Sony Computer Entertainment Major League Baseball 2K5: World Series Edition — Visual Concepts, 2K Games NBA 2K6 — Visual Concepts, 2K Games Super Mario Strikers — Next Level Games, Nintendo	Racing Game of the Year Need for Speed: Most Wanted — EA Canada, EA Black Box‡ Burnout Revenge — Criterion Games, Electronic Arts Forza Motorsport — Turn 10 Studios, Microsoft Game Studios Mario Kart DS — Nintendo EAD Project Gotham Racing 3 — Bizarre Creations, Microsoft Game Studios
Children's Game of the Year We Love Katamari — Namco‡ Chicken Little — Avalanche Software, Buena Vista Games Madagascar — Toys for Bob, Activision Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves — Sucker Punch Productions, Sony Computer Entertainment Tak: The Great Juju Challenge — Avalanche Software, THQ	Downloadable Game of the Year Wik: The Fable of Souls — Reflexive Entertainment‡ Chuzzle — Raptisoft, PopCap Games Egg vs. Chicken — Gamelab, PlayFirst Oasis — Mind Control Software, PlayFirst Tradewind Legends — Sandlot Games
Family Game of the Year Guitar Hero — Harmonix, RedOctane‡ Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix — Konami, Hudson Soft, Nintendo Lego Star Wars: The Video Game — Traveller's Tales, Eidos Interactive, LucasArts	Simulation Game of the Year The Movies — Lionhead Studios, Activision‡ Animal Crossing: Wild World — Nintendo EAD Silent Hunter III — Ubisoft Bucharest
Strategy Game of the Year Civilization IV — Firaxis Games, 2K Games‡ Age of Empires III — Ensemble Studios, Microsoft Game Studios Empire Earth II — Mad Doc Software, Vivendi Universal Games	Massively Multiplayer/Persistent World Game of the Year[a] City of Villains — Cryptic Studios, NCSoft‡ Guild Wars — ArenaNet, NCSoft‡ Final Fantasy XI: The Vana'diel Collection — Square Enix Lineage II: The Chaotic Chronicle — NCSoft
Handheld Game of the Year Nintendogs — Nintendo EAD‡ Burnout Legends — Criterion Games, Electronic Arts Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories — Rockstar Leeds Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time — AlphaDream, Nintendo The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap — Flagship, Capcom, Nintendo	Cellular Game of the Year Ancient Empires II — Macrospace, Sorrent‡ High Seize — RedLynx, Nokia Mile High Pinball — Ideaworks3D, Nokia One — Digital Legends, Nokia Skipping Stone — Gamevil, I-Play

Hall of Fame Award

• Richard Garriott^[14]

Multiple nominations and awards

Multiple Nominations

Games that received multiple nominations

Nominations	Game
12	God of War
7	Guitar Hero
	Shadow of the Colossus
6	Nintendogs
5	Call of Duty 2
	Jade Empire
4	F.E.A.R.
	Gun
	King Kong
3	Age of Empires III
	Battlefield 2
	Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
	The Movies
	Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
2	Burnout Revenge
	Civilization IV
	Condemned: Criminal Origins
	Kameo: Elements of Power
	Mario Kart DS
	Need for Speed: Most Wanted
	Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath
	Project Gotham Racing 3
	Rise of the Kasai
	Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves
	SSX on Tour

Nominations by company

Nominations	Games	Company
25	6	Sony Computer Entertainment
15		Activision
	7	Microsoft Game Studios
14	8	Nintendo
	7	Ubisoft
13		Electronic Arts
7	1	Harmonix
		RedOctane
6	3	Vivendi Universal Games
	2	Monolith Productions
5	1	BioWare
4	3	2K Games
	1	Neversoft
3	3	Namco
		NCSoft
		Nokia
		Square Enix
	1	DICE
		Ensemble Studios
		Lionhead Studios
2	2	Avalanche Software
		Bizarre Creations
		Gearbox Software
		PlayFirst
		THQ
		Treyarch
		Visual Concepts
	1	BottleRocket Entertainment
		Firaxis Games
		Oddworld Inhabitants
		Rare
		Rockstar Games
		Sega
		Sucker Punch Productions

Multiple awards

Games that received multiple awards

Awards	Game
7	God of War
5	Guitar Hero
2	Battlefield 2
	Jade Empire
	Nintendogs
	Shadow of the Colossus

Awards by company

Awards	Games	Company
9	2	Sony Computer Entertainment
5	1	Harmonix
		RedOctane
4	3	Electronic Arts
3	2	Microsoft Game Studios
2		Activision
		Namco
		NCSoft
	1	BioWare
		DICE
		Nintendo

Notes

1. Finalists tied for this category.
2. Kim Mai Guest as Dawn Star