The D.I.C.E. Award for Fighting Game of the Year is an award presented annually by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences during the D.I.C.E. Awards. This award recognizes "titles that offer the use the virtual experience of controlling a character engaging in individual combat with another character usually from a fixed camera perspective. The opponent can either be controlled by another player or by the game". All active creative/technical, business, and affiliate members of the Academy are qualified to vote for this category. It was originally titled Console Fighting Game of the Year, before it was simplified to just Fighting Game of the Year. It is one of two categories, the other being Online Game of the Year, that is not limited to release within the calendar year but must be supported by significant new content.
The award's most recent winner is Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection, developed by Digital Eclipse and published by Atari.
Winners and nominees 1990s + Table keyIndicates the winner YearGameDeveloper(s)Publisher(s)1997/1998 (1st) WCW vs. nWo: World TourAsmik Ace EntertainmentTHQBloody RoarHudson SoftSony Computer EntertainmentBushido BladeLightweightStreet Fighter EX Plus αArikaCapcomWCW NitroInland ProductionsTHQ1998/1999 (2nd) WCW/nWo RevengeAKI CorporationTHQBushido Blade 2LightweightSquare Electronic ArtsWWF War ZoneIguana WestAcclaim Entertainment1999/2000 (3rd) SoulcaliburNamcoNamcoReady 2 Rumble BoxingMidway Studios San DiegoMidway GamesSuper Smash Bros.HAL LaboratoryNintendoWWF WrestleMania 2000AKI CorporationTHQ
2000s YearGameDeveloper(s)Publisher(s)2000 (4th) Dead or Alive 2Team NinjaTecmo, Acclaim EntertainmentReady 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2Midway Studios San DiegoMidway GamesTekken Tag TournamentNamcoNamcoUltimate Fighting ChampionshipAnchor Inc.Crave EntertainmentWWF No MercyAKI CorporationTHQ2001 (5th) Dead or Alive 3Team NinjaTecmoSuper Smash Bros. MeleeHAL LaboratoryNintendoVictorious Boxers: Ippo's Road to GloryNew CorporationEmpire Interactive2002 (6th) Tekken 4NamcoNamco Capcom vs. SNK 2 EOCapcomCapcomGodzilla: Destroy All Monsters MeleePipeworks SoftwareInfogrames, AtariMortal Kombat: Deadly AllianceMidway GamesMidway GamesVirtua Fighter 4Sega AM2Sega2003 (7th) Soulcalibur IINamcoNamcoDef Jam VendettaEA Canada, AKI CorporationElectronic ArtsDragon Ball Z: Budokai 2DimpsAtariVirtua Fighter 4: EvolutionSega AM2SegaWar of the MonstersIncognito EntertainmentSony Computer EntertainmentWWE SmackDown! Here Comes the PainYuke'sTHQ2004 (8th) Mortal Kombat: DeceptionMidway GamesMidway GamesDef Jam: Fight for NYEA Canada, AKI CorporationElectronic ArtsDragon Ball Z: Budokai 3DimpsAtari2005 (9th) Soulcalibur IIINamcoNamcoFight Night Round 2EA ChicagoEA SportsTekken 5NamcoNamcoWWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006Yuke'sTHQ2006 (10th) Fight Night Round 3EA ChicagoEA SportsMortal Kombat: ArmageddonMidway GamesMidway GamesTekken: Dark ResurrectionNamco, EightingNamco Bandai GamesWWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2007Yuke'sTHQ 2007(11th) No award given2008 (12th) Super Smash Bros. BrawlSora Ltd.NintendoMortal Kombat vs. DC UniverseMidway GamesMidway GamesSoulcalibur IVNamco Bandai GamesNamco Bandai GamesSuper Street Fighter II Turbo HD RemixBackbone EntertainmentCapcomWWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2009Yuke'sTHQ2009 (13th) Street Fighter IVDimps, CapcomCapcomFight Night Round 4EA CanadaEA SportsPunch-Out!!Next Level GamesNintendoTekken 6Namco Bandai GamesNamco Bandai GamesUFC 2009 UndisputedYuke'sTHQ
2010s YearGameDeveloper(s)Publisher(s)2010 (14th) Super Street Fighter IVDimps, CapcomCapcomBlazBlue: Continuum ShiftArc System WorksAksys GamesEA Sports MMAEA TiburonEA SportsUFC Undisputed 2010Yuke'sTHQ2011 (15th) Mortal KombatNetherRealm StudiosWarner Bros. Interactive EntertainmentFight Night ChampionEA CanadaEA SportsThe King of Fighters XIIISNKAtlusSuper Street Fighter IV: 3D EditionDimps, CapcomCapcomUltimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3Capcom, Eighting2012 (16th) PlayStation All-Stars Battle RoyaleSuperBot EntertainmentSony Computer EntertainmentPersona 4 ArenaArc System Works, P-StudioAtlusSoulcalibur VNamco Bandai GamesNamco Bandai GamesStreet Fighter X TekkenDimps, CapcomCapcomTekken Tag Tournament 2Namco Bandai GamesNamco Bandai Games2013 (17th) Injustice: Gods Among UsNetherRealm StudiosWarner Bros. Interactive EntertainmentDivekickIron Galaxy, One True Game StudiosIron GalaxyKiller InstinctDouble Helix GamesMicrosoft Studios2014 (18th) Super Smash Bros. for Wii USora Ltd., Bandai Namco StudiosNintendoGuilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-Arc System WorksAksys GamesNidhoggMesshofMesshofUltra Street Fighter IVDimps, CapcomCapcom2015 (19th) Mortal Kombat XNetherRealm StudiosWarner Bros. Interactive EntertainmentDead or Alive 5 Last RoundTeam NinjaKoei TecmoRising ThunderRadiant EntertainmentRiot Games2016 (20th) Street Fighter VDimps, CapcomCapcomEA Sports UFC 2EA CanadaEA SportsGuilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR-Arc System WorksAksys GamesKiller Instinct Season 3Iron GalaxyMicrosoft StudiosPokkén TournamentBandai Namco StudiosNintendo, The Pokémon Company2017 (21st) Injustice 2NetherRealm StudiosWarner Bros. Interactive EntertainmentArmsNintendo EPDNintendoMarvel vs. Capcom: InfiniteCapcomCapcomNidhogg 2MesshofMesshofTekken 7Bandai Namco StudiosBandai Namco Entertainment2018 (22nd) Super Smash Bros. UltimateSora Ltd., Bandai Namco StudiosNintendoBlazBlue: Cross Tag BattleArc System WorksArc System WorksDragon Ball FighterZBandai Namco EntertainmentSoulcalibur VIBandai Namco Studios, Dimps2019 (23rd) Mortal Kombat 11NetherRealm StudiosWarner Bros. Interactive EntertainmentDead or Alive 6Team NinjaKoei TecmoJump ForceSpike ChunsoftBandai Namco EntertainmentSamurai ShodownSNKDeep Silver
2020s YearGameDeveloper(s)Publisher(s)2020 (24th) Mortal Kombat 11: UltimateNetherRealm StudiosWarner Bros. Interactive EntertainmentEA Sports UFC 4EA VancouverEA SportsGranblue Fantasy VersusArc System WorksXseed Games, Cygames, MarvelousThem's Fightin' HerdsMane6Maximum Games2021 (25th) Guilty Gear StriveArc System WorksArc System WorksMelty Blood: Type LuminaFrench-BreadDelightworksNickelodeon All-Star BrawlLudosity, Fair Play LabsGameMill Entertainment2022 (26th) MultiVersusPlayer First GamesWarner Bros. GamesJoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle RCyberConnect2Bandai Namco EntertainmentRumbleverseIron GalaxyEpic GamesSpiderheckNeverjamtinyBuildThe King of Fighters XVSNKSNK2023 (27th) Street Fighter 6CapcomCapcomGranblue Fantasy Versus: RisingArc System WorksCygamesMortal Kombat 1NetherRealm StudiosWarner Bros. GamesNickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2Fair Play LabsGameMill EntertainmentPocket BraveryStatera StudioPqube2024 (28th) Tekken 8Bandai Namco StudiosBandai Namco EntertainmentBlazing StrikeRareBreed Makes GamesAksys GamesDragon Ball: Sparking! ZeroSpike ChunsoftBandai Namco EntertainmentMortal Kombat 1: Khaos ReignsNetherRealm StudiosWarner Bros. GamesUnderdogsOne HamsaOne Hamsa2025 (29th) Mortal Kombat: Legacy KollectionDigital EclipseAtari2XKO Riot Games Riot GamesCapcom Fighting Collection 2 Capcom CapcomFatal Fury: City of the Wolves SNK SNKWWE 2K25 Visual Concepts 2K Games
Multiple nominations and wins Developers and publishers The combined nominations of Namco and Bandai Namco makes them the most nominated and award-winning developer. As a publisher, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment / Warner Bros. Games has won the most awards. There have been numerous developer/publishers with back-to-back wins: Team Ninja and Tecmo won in 2001 with Dead or Alive 2, and 2002 with Dead or Alive 3. Namco won in 2003 with Tekken 4, and 2004 with Soulcalibur II. Dimps and Capcom won in 2010 with Street Fighter IV, and 2011 with Super Street Fighter IV. NetherRealm Studios and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment won in 2020 with Mortal Kombat 11, and 2021 with Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate. THQ is the only publisher with back-to-back wins with different developers: 1998: WCW vs. nWo: World Tour developed by Asmik Ace Entertainment. 1999: WCW/nWo Revenge developed by AKI Corporation.
+ Developer Nominations WinsNamco/Bandai Namco 17 7NetherRealm Studios 8 6Capcom 11 4Dimps 9 3Sora Ltd. 3 3Team Ninja 4 2Arc System Works 9 1Midway Games 6 1AKI Corporation 5 1EA Chicago 2 1Yuke's 6 0EA Canada 5 0SNK 4 0Iron Galaxy 3 0Eighting 2 0Fair Play Labs 2 0HAL Laboratory 2 0Messhof 2 0Sega AM2 2 0
+ Publishers Publisher Nominations WinsWarner Bros. Interactive Entertainment / Warner Bros. Games 9 7Namco/Bandai Namco 18 5Capcom 13 4Nintendo 8 3THQ 11 2Tecmo/Koei Tecmo 4 2Electronic Arts 10 1Midway Games 5 1Sony Computer Entertainment 4 1Atari 3 1Acclaim Entertainment 2 1Arc System Works 2 1Aksys Games 4 0Atlus 2 0Cygames 2 0 GameMill Entertainment 2 0Messhof 2 0Microsoft/Xbox Game Studios 2 0Riot Games 2 0Sega 2 0SNK 2 0
Franchises The most nominated franchises are Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, and Tekken. The Mortal Kombat franchise has won the most awards, with Street Fighter having the second-most wins. The WWE (formerly WWF) has garnered the most nominations without a win. There have been numerous franchises with back-to-back wins: WCW vs. nWo: World Tour in 1998, and WCW/nWo Revenge in 1999 Dead or Alive 2 in 2001, and Dead or Alive 3 in 2002 Street Fighter IV in 2010, and Super Street Fighter IV in 2011 Mortal Kombat 11 in 2020, and Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate in 2021 Street Fighter IV and Mortal Kombat 11 are two games with multiple wins with re-releases. Virtua Fighter 4, Tekken 5, Killer Instinct, Guilty Gear Xrd, and Mortal Kombat 1 have had multiple nominations with re-releases and DLC expansions. + Franchise Nominations WinsMortal Kombat 11 6Street Fighter 9 4Soulcalibur 6 3Super Smash Bros. 5 3Tekken 9 2Dead or Alive 4 2WCW/nWo 3 2Injustice 2 2Fight Night 4 1Guilty Gear 3 1WWF/WWE 8 0Ultimate Fighting Championship 5 0Dragon Ball 4 0BlazBlue 2 0Bushido Blade 2 0Def Jam 2 0Granblue Fantasy 2 0Killer Instinct 2 0Marvel vs. Capcom 2 0Nickelodeon Brawl 2 0Nidhogg 2 0Ready 2 Rumble 2 0The King of Fighters 2 0Virtua Fighter 2 0
References