D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game

The D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game is an award presented annually by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences during the D.I.C.E. Awards. This is "awarded to a game that embodies the independent spirit of game creation, representing a higher degree of risk tolerance and advances our media with innovative gameplay and experiences".^[1] All active creative/technical, business, and affiliate members of the Academy are qualified to vote for this category.^[2]

The award's most recent winner is Balatro, developed by LocalThunk and published by PlayStack.

The Academy introduced the computer genre award of Downloadable Game of the Year for the 7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards.^[3] "Downloadable games are those games in which the user must download a copy to their hard drive of their computer to play. These games sometimes feature a username and password to play, but are not a requirement for entry".^[4] 2006 was the first year that did not offer separate console and PC genre categories, so console and PC games were eligible.^[5] The nomination packet for the 2007 awards listed a genre category for Casual Game of the Year. The category description matched the description for "Downloadable" and even used past finalists as examples.^[6] Finalists were still listed for "Downloadable" instead of "Casual".^[7] Casual Game of the Year was officially offered for the 2009 awards.^[8][9] Some of the past finalists for "Downloadable" were listed as examples for "Casual". Casual games were defined as "titles that are designed to appeal to novice or experienced players; are produced with low-cost budget targets; are available through online or retail distribution; and may be played on console, computer, or mobile platforms".^[10] Downloadable Game of the Year was reintroduced for the 2012 awards as a "Game of the Year" category; recognizing the "game where the sole form of distribution is through a digital marketplace on PC or console".^[11] Both awards for "Downloadable" and "Casual" would not be offered for the 2015 awards. That same year, the Academy introduced the D.I.C.E. Sprite Award which was "awarded to a game having disproportionate resources for development and exposure (as compared to AAA titles), represent a higher degree of risk tolerance and advances our media with innovative gameplay and experiences. Examples include: The Walking Dead, Limbo, and Fez".^[12] The D.I.C.E. Sprite Award would be replaced with Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game for the 2019 awards ceremony.^[13]

• Downloadable Game of the Year (2004—2008, 2012—2014)
• Casual Game of the Year (2009—2014)
• D.I.C.E. Sprite Award (2015—2018)
• Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game (2019—present)

PopCap Games has developed the most nominees. PopCap Games, Supergiant Games, and Thatgamecompany are the only developers that have won more than once. Annapurna Interactive, Microsoft and Sony Interactive Entertainment are tied for publishing the most finalists. Microsoft, Sony, and Supergiant Games are the only companies that have published the winners of this category more than once. Big Fish Games has developed and published the most finalists that have not won.

Plants vs. Zombies is the only game that has been nominated for the same category more than once: Casual Game of the Year in 2010 for the PC release, and in 2011 for iOS devices and/or the Xbox 360. Journey is the only game that is a finalist for both Downloadable Game of the Year and Casual Game of the Year within the same year, winning for the latter.