2nd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards

• 1. Introduction

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  During E3 1999, the Variety Arts Theater in Los Angeles became the setting for the 2nd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards. The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences organized the ceremony. It honored games released across the last nine months of 1998 and the first two months of 1999. No official host ran the evening. Instead, ten presenters took turns at the podium. They included Sugar Ray Leonard, Coolio, Danica McKellar, Ben Stein, Kelly Hu, Bruno Campos, Zachery Ty Bryan, David Gallagher, Nicholle Tom, and Chris Roberts. Among the nominees competing that night were The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Banjo-Kazooie, Grim Fandango, Half-Life, and Metal Gear Solid. Later in the evening, Sid Meier, creator of Civilization, would also take the stage for a different kind of recognition.

• 2. Reforming the Categories

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  "Interactive Title of the Year" was renamed "Game of the Year" at the ceremony, giving the top prize its now-familiar name for the first time. A new craft award also debuted: "Outstanding Achievement in Character or Story Development" appeared on the ballot for the first time.

  "Family/Kids Title of the Year" split into two separate honors: "Children's Entertainment Title of the Year" and "Family Title of the Year." The educational categories underwent a parallel restructuring. "Edutainment Title of the Year" and "Skills Building Title of the Year" were replaced. Their replacements were "Educational Title of the Year (0-8 years)" and "Educational Title of the Year (9-16 years)."

  "Online Game of the Year" was divided into three genre-specific awards covering Action/Strategy, Role-Playing, and Family/Board. On the PC side, only finalists from six genres could compete for "Computer Game of the Year." Those genres were PC Action, PC Adventure, PC Role-Playing, PC Simulation, PC Sport, and PC Strategy.

  The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was among the competitors for the newly named Game of the Year.

• 3. Ocarina's Record Sweep

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  The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Half-Life each earned seven nominations, a tie for the highest total of any game at the ceremony. When awards were handed out, Ocarina of Time pulled well ahead. Nintendo EAD's game won six awards in total, the most of any title on the night. One of those six was "Game of the Year," the ceremony's top honor.

  Half-Life, developed by Valve and published by Sierra On-Line, took home two awards. Banjo-Kazooie, from Rare and published by Nintendo, also won two. EA Canada and Nintendo EAD were the only two developers with more than one award-winning game to their name.

  "PC Creativity Title of the Year" and "Online Family/Board Game of the Year" both ended in a tie between finalists. Neither category produced a single clear winner.

  Grim Fandango, from LucasArts, drew six nominations that night but did not appear among the multi-award winners.

• 4. EA Against Nintendo

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  Electronic Arts received 25 nominations across 11 games, the highest total of any company at the ceremony. Nintendo followed with 22 nominations across 6 games. Sierra On-Line placed third with 19 nominations, and Sony Computer Entertainment earned 11 across 5 games.

  Nintendo's 10 awards across 4 games made it the night's most-decorated company, serving as both developer and publisher. Electronic Arts finished with 5 awards from 5 different games. Sierra On-Line took 3 awards from 2 games, and Sony Computer Entertainment won 2. Rare and Valve each won 1 award.

  Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, developed by Firaxis Games and published by Electronic Arts, was among the games nominated in EA's eleven-game slate.

• 5. Sid Meier's Induction

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  The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences inducted Sid Meier into its Hall of Fame at the ceremony. Meier created Civilization, the work cited in his honor by the Academy. His induction was one of the few moments of the evening devoted to recognizing an individual developer rather than a specific game title.

  Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri drew 4 nominations at the same ceremony. That count was tied with Pokemon Red and Blue and Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit.