2nd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences held the second edition of its annual awards at the Variety Arts Theater in Los Angeles, California. This event took place during Electronic Entertainment Expo 1999 to honor games released between late 1998 and early 1999. No single host led the ceremony that evening. Instead, a rotating cast of presenters stepped onto the stage to announce winners. The lineup included Sugar Ray Leonard, Bruno Campos, Kelly Hu, Zachery Ty Bryan, Ben Stein, David Gallagher, Coolio, Danica McKellar, Nicholle Tom, and Chris Roberts.
Organizers renamed the top prize from "Interactive Title of the Year" to simply "Game of the Year." They also introduced a new category called "Outstanding Achievement in Character or Story Development." Changes occurred within PC content awards where only finalists for specific genres qualified for the main Computer Game award. These genres included Action, Adventure, Role-Playing, Simulation, Sport, and Strategy. The Family and Kids title split into two separate categories: Children's Entertainment and Family. Educational titles divided by age group became either 0-8 years or 9-16 years. Online game recognition expanded into three genre-specific awards covering Action/Strategy, Role-Playing, and Family/Board.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Half-Life tied for the highest number of nominations at this event. Nintendo EAD developed the former while Valve created the latter. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time ultimately won the most awards including the newly named Game of the Year trophy. Electronic Arts received the highest count of total nominations alongside their winning games. Nintendo secured the most developer awards as both publisher and creator. EA Canada and Nintendo EAD stood alone with more than one award-winning game each. A tie occurred between finalists for the PC Creativity Title and the Online Family/Board Game.
Sid Meier received induction into the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame that night. He was the creator behind the Civilization series. His work represented a significant milestone in strategy gaming history. Other industry winners included developers like Rare, LucasArts, Konami, and SquareSoft. These studios produced titles such as Banjo-Kazooie, Grim Fandango, Metal Gear Solid, and Parasite Eve. The ceremony honored both individual creators and large development teams across multiple genres.
Electronic Arts held 25 nominations across various categories during the evening. Nintendo followed closely with 11 nominations despite being a smaller company by comparison. Sierra On-Line accumulated 6 nominations while Sony Computer Entertainment gathered 5. The distribution showed how major publishers dominated the landscape. Nintendo won 4 awards as a developer and publisher combined. Electronic Arts secured 5 awards total. Only Valve and Rare managed to win single awards without corporate backing from larger conglomerates. This statistical breakdown highlighted the shifting power dynamics within the video game industry at the turn of the millennium.
Common questions
Who hosted the 2nd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards?
No single host led the ceremony that evening. Instead, a rotating cast of presenters stepped onto the stage to announce winners including Sugar Ray Leonard, Bruno Campos, Kelly Hu, Zachery Ty Bryan, Ben Stein, David Gallagher, Coolio, Danica McKellar, Nicholle Tom, and Chris Roberts.
When did the second edition of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences awards take place?
The event took place during Electronic Entertainment Expo 1999 to honor games released between late 1998 and early 1999. The ceremony occurred at the Variety Arts Theater in Los Angeles, California.
Which game won Game of the Year at the 2nd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards?
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time ultimately won the most awards including the newly named Game of the Year trophy. Nintendo EAD developed this title which tied for the highest number of nominations alongside Half-Life created by Valve.
What new categories were introduced at the 2nd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards?
Organizers renamed the top prize from Interactive Title of the Year to simply Game of the Year. They also introduced a new category called Outstanding Achievement in Character or Story Development while splitting Family and Kids titles into Children's Entertainment and Family.
Who received induction into the Hall of Fame at the 2nd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards?
Sid Meier received induction into the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame that night. He was the creator behind the Civilization series and his work represented a significant milestone in strategy gaming history.