3rd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards

3rd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards
Date	May 11, 2000 (2000-05-11)
Venue	Millennium Biltmore Hotel
Country	Los Angeles, California, USA
Hosted by	Martin Short
Highlights
Most awards	Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings Final Fantasy VIII The Sims (3)
Most nominations	Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings (7)
Game of the Year	The Sims
Hall of Fame	Hironobu Sakaguchi
←  2nd  · D.I.C.E. Awards ·  4th  →

The 3rd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards was the 3rd edition of the Interactive Achievement Awards, an annual awards event that honored the best games in the video game industry within the last nine months of 1999 and the first two months of 2000. The awards were arranged by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS), and were held at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California on May 11, 2000 during E3 2000. It was hosted by Martin Short, and featured presenters included Martin Lewis, Ahmet Zappa, Stevie Case, Brian Fargo, Alison Sweeney, Harry Shearer, Elisa Donovan, Leah Lail, Carmine Giovinazzo, Delroy Lindo, and Peter Molyneux. ^{[1] [2]} This would be the final year the awards ceremony would be held during E3.

Several craft awards were split up into separate categories: "Outstanding Achievement in Art/Graphics" would be separated into the categories of "Art Direction" and "Animation", "Outstanding Achievement in Sound and Music" would be separated into the categories of "Sound Design" and "Original Music Composition", and "Software Engineering" would be replaced with "Visual Engineering" and "Gameplay Engineering". The content awards for "Adventure" and "Role-Playing", both for console and PC, were combined into "Adventure/Role-Playing Game of the Year". The console award for "Children's/Family Title of the Year" was introduced while still having a separate PC award. Only one "Educational Title of the Year" award was offered instead of having separate awards for ages 0–8 and 9-16. There were no genre-specific awards for "Online Game of the Year". This would be the final year that categories for websites would be offered. ^{[3] [4]}

Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings received the most nominations. It also tied for winning the most awards along with Final Fantasy VIII and The Sims , with the latter winning "Game of the Year". Electronic Arts received the most nominations, won the most awards, and had the most nominated and award-winning games. There was also a tie for the "Outstanding Achievement in Character or Story Development". Disney Interactive was the only developer with more than one award-winning game.

Hironobu Sakaguchi, creator of Final Fantasy , 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 (‡). ^{[5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]}

Game of the Year The Sims — Maxis , Electronic Arts ‡ Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings — Ensemble Studios, Microsoft Donkey Kong 64 — Rare, Nintendo Pokémon Yellow — Game Freak, Nintendo Soulcalibur — Namco Unreal Tournament — Epic Games, Digital Extremes, GT Interactive

Craft Awards

Outstanding Achievement in Game Design The Sims — Maxis , Electronic Arts ‡ Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings — Ensemble Studios, Microsoft Gran Turismo 2 — Polyphony Digital, Sony Computer Entertainment Nox — Westwood Studios, Electronic Arts Syphon Filter — Eidetic, 989 Studios	Outstanding Achievement in Character or Story Development [a] Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings — Ensemble Studios , Microsoft ‡ Thief: The Dark Project — Looking Glass Studios , Eidos Interactive ‡ Nox — Westwood Studios, Electronic Arts Omikron: The Nomad Soul — Quantic Dream, Eidos Interactive Planescape: Torment — Black Isle Studios, Interplay Entertainment
Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction Final Fantasy VIII — SquareSoft , Square Electronic Arts‡ Disney's Villains' Revenge — Disney Interactive Pharaoh — Impressions Games, Sierra On-Line Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! — Insomniac Games, Sony Computer Entertainment The Sims — Maxis, Electronic Arts	Outstanding Achievement in Animation Final Fantasy VIII — SquareSoft , Square Electronic Arts‡ Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings — Ensemble Studios, Microsoft Disney's Villains' Revenge — Disney Interactive Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! — Insomniac Games, Sony Computer Entertainment
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design Medal of Honor — DreamWorks Interactive , Electronic Arts ‡ NFL 2K — Visual Concepts, Sega Thief: The Dark Project — Looking Glass Studios, Eidos Interactive	Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition Um Jammer Lammy — NanaOn-Sha , Sony Computer Entertainment ‡ Outcast — Appeal, Infogrames Silver — Spiral House, Infogrames
Outstanding Achievement in Game Play Engineering The Sims — Maxis , Electronic Arts ‡ Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings — Ensemble Studios, Microsoft Crazy Taxi — Hitmaker, Sega NFL 2K — Visual Concepts, Sega	Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering Unreal Tournament — Epic Games , Digital Extremes , GT Interactive ‡ NBA 2K — Visual Concepts, Sega NFL 2K — Visual Concepts, Sega Sonic Adventure — Sonic Team, Sega

Content Awards

Console

Console Game of the Year Soulcalibur — Namco ‡ Crazy Taxi — Hitmaker, Sega Donkey Kong 64 — Rare, Nintendo Driver — Reflections Interactive, GT Interactive Gran Turismo 2 — Polyphony Digital, Sony Computer Entertainment Pokémon Yellow — Game Freak, Nintendo Tony Hawk's Pro Skater — Neversoft, Activision
Console Action Game of the Year Crazy Taxi — Hitmaker , Sega ‡ Armada — Metro3D Gauntlet Legends — Midway Games Super Smash Bros. — HAL Laboratory, Nintendo Syphon Filter — Eidetic, 989 Studios	Console Adventure/Role-Playing Game of the Year Final Fantasy VIII — SquareSoft , Square Electronic Arts‡ Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver — Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Interactive Legend of Legaia — Contrail, Sony Computer Entertainment
Console Fighting Game of the Year Soulcalibur — Namco ‡ Ready 2 Rumble Boxing — Midway Studios San Diego, Midway Games Super Smash Bros. — HAL Laboratory, Nintendo WWF WrestleMania 2000 — AKI Corporation, THQ	Console Racing Game of the Year Star Wars Episode I: Racer — LucasArts ‡ Crash Team Racing — Naughty Dog, Sony Computer Entertainment Driver — Reflections Interactive, GT Interactive Gran Turismo 2 — Polyphony Digital, Sony Computer Entertainment
Console Children's/Family Title of the Year Pokémon Snap — HAL Laboratory , Nintendo ‡ Lego Racers — High Voltage Software, Lego Media Mario Party — Hudson Soft, Nintendo Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! — Insomniac Games, Sony Computer Entertainment Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue — Traveller's Tales, Disney Interactive, Activision	Console Sports Game of the Year Knockout Kings 2000 — Black Ops Entertainment , EA Sports ‡ NFL 2K — Visual Concepts, Sega Tony Hawk's Pro Skater — Neversoft, Activision

Personal Computer

Computer Game of the Year Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings — Ensemble Studios , Microsoft ‡ Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun — Westwood Studios, Electronic Arts Homeworld — Relic Entertainment, Sierra On-Line RollerCoaster Tycoon — Chris Sawyer Productions, Hasbro Interactive Unreal Tournament — Epic Games, Digital Extremes, GT Interactive	PC Action Game of the Year Half-Life: Opposing Force — Gearbox Software , Sierra On-Line ‡ Quake III Arena — id Software, Activision Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear — Red Storm Entertainment Unreal Tournament — Epic Games, Digital Extremes, GT Interactive
PC Adventure/Role-Playing Game of the Year Asheron's Call — Turbine , Microsoft ‡ Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned — Sierra On-Line Outcast — Appeal, Infogrames Planescape: Torment — Black Isle Studios, Interplay Entertainment Ultima IX: Ascension — Origin Systems, Electronic Arts	PC Simulation Game of the Year Microsoft Flight Simulator 2000 — Aces Game Studio , Microsoft ‡ FreeSpace 2 — Volition, Interplay Entertainment Jane's F/A-18 — EA Baltimore MiG Alley — Rowan Software, Empire Interactive Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance — Totally Games, LucasArts
PC Sports Game of the Year FIFA 2000 — EA Canada ‡ Backyard Football — Humongous Entertainment High Heat Baseball 2000 — Team .366, The 3DO Company NHL 2000 — EA Canada	PC Strategy Game of the Year Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings — Ensemble Studios , Microsoft ‡ Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun — Westwood Studios, Electronic Arts Heroes of Might and Magic III — New World Computing, The 3DO Company Homeworld — Relic Entertainment, Sierra On-Line RollerCoaster Tycoon — Chris Sawyer Productions, Hasbro Interactive
PC Creativity Title of the Year Disney's Magic Artist Studio — Disney Interactive ‡ Cosmopolitan Virtual Makeover 2 — Mattel Interactive Lego Friends — Lego Media Total 3D Home Deluxe — Mattel Interactive, The Learning Company	PC Family Entertainment Title of the Year 3D Ultra Lionel Traintown — Dynamix , Sierra On-Line ‡ Complete National Geographic — National Geographic Interactive, Mattel Interactive Miss Spider's Tea Party — Hypnotix, Simon & Schuster Interactive Pandora's Box — Microsoft The Sims — Maxis, Electronic Arts You Don't Know Jack Offline — Berkeley Systems, Sierra On-Line
PC Children's Entertainment Title of the Year Disney's Villains' Revenge — Disney Interactive ‡ Lego Racers — High Voltage Software, Lego Media Miss Spider's Tea Party — Hypnotix, Simon & Schuster Interactive Sesame Street Music Maker — Sesame Workshop, Mattel Interactive	PC Educational Title of the Year JumpStart Phonics Learning System — Knowledge Adventure ‡ Bear in the Big Blue House: Bear's Sense of Adventure — Knowledge Adventure Blue's 123 Time Activities — Humongous Entertainment Math Blaster for 1st Grade — Knowledge Adventure Space Academy GX-1 — Edmark The ClueFinders 5th Grade Adventures — Mattel Interactive, The Learning Company

Online

Online Game of the Year EverQuest — Verant Interactive , 989 Studios , Sony Online Entertainment ‡ Asheron's Call — Turbine, Microsoft Get the Picture — Berkeley Systems Pop-Tarts — Magnet Interactive Wordox — World Opponent Network, Sierra On-Line
Online Entertainment Site of the Year TheOnion.com ‡ ABC.com Banja.com — CHMAN CalendarLive.com — The Los Angeles Times Tony the Tiger Website — Magnet Interactive, Kellogg's Entertaindom.com — AOL Time Warner IGN.com - Snowball.com	Online News/Information Site of the Year GameSpot.com ‡ CNN Online

Hall of Fame Award

• Hironobu Sakaguchi ^[11]

Multiple nominations and awards

Multiple Nominations

Games that received multiple nominations

Nominations	Game
7	Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
5	The Sims
4	NFL 2K
	Unreal Tournament
3	Crazy Taxi
	Disney's Villains' Revenge
	Final Fantasy VIII
	Gran Turismo 2
	Soulcalibur
	Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage!
2	Asheron's Call
	Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun
	Donkey Kong 64
	Driver
	Homeworld
	Lego Racers
	Miss Spider's Tea Party
	Nox
	Outcast
	Planescape: Torment
	Pokémon Yellow
	RollerCoaster Tycoon
	Super Smash Bros.
	Syphon Filter
	Thief: The Dark Project
	Tony Hawk's Pro Skater

Nominations by company

Nominations	Games	Company
18	10	Electronic Arts
11	4	Microsoft
10	6	Sony Computer Entertainment
9	4	Sega
8	5	Nintendo
	6	Sierra On-Line
7	1	Ensemble Studios
6	2	GT Interactive
5	5	Mattel Interactive
	3	Disney Interactive
	2	Visual Concepts
	1	Maxis
4	4	Digital Extremes
		Epic Games
	3	Activision
		Eidos Interactive
	2	Westwood Studios
3	3	Knowledge Adventure
	2	989 Studios
		HAL Laboratory
		Infogrames
		Interplay Entertainment
		Lego Media
	1	Hitmaker
		Insomniac Games
		Namco
		Polyphony Digital
		SquareSoft
2	2	Berkeley Systems
		Eidetic
		Humongous Entertainment
		LucasArts
		Magnet Interactive
		Midway Games
		The 3DO Company
	1	Appeal
		Black Isle Studios
		Chris Sawyer Productions
		Game Freak
		Hasbro Interactive
		High Voltage Software
		Hypnotix
		Looking Glass Studios
		Neversoft
		Rare
		Relic Entertainment
		Simon & Schuster Interactive
		Turbine

Multiple awards

Games that received multiple awards

Awards	Game
3	Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
	Final Fantasy VIII
	The Sims
2	Soulcalibur

Awards by company

Awards	Games	Company
9	5	Electronic Arts
5	3	Microsoft
3	1	Ensemble Studios
		Maxis
		SquareSoft
2	2	Disney Interactive
		Sierra On-Line
		Sony Computer Entertainment
	1	Namco

Notes

1. Tie between finalists.

External links

• Archived Finalists List Portal

References

1. "ACADEMY OF INTERACTIVE ARTS AND SCIENCES ANNOUNCES WINNERS FOR ITS THIRD INTERACTIVE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on June 23, 2000. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
2. "Interactive Achievement Awards 2000". Giant Bomb. Giant Bomb. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
3. "Third Annual Interactive Achievement Awards: Procedures & Rules" (PDF). Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 10, 2000. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
4. "Second Annual Interactive Achievement Awards: Procedures & Rules" (PDF). Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 13, 1999.
5. "Third Interactive Achievement Awards - Game of the Year". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on October 11, 2000. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
6. "Third Interactive Achievement Awards - Console". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on October 11, 2000. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
7. "Third Interactive Achievement Awards - Personal Computer". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on October 11, 2000. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
8. "Third Interactive Achievement Awards - Online". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on October 11, 2000. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
9. "Third Interactive Achievement Awards - Craft Award". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on October 11, 2000. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
10. "The 2000 Interactive Achievement Awards". GamesFirst!. Archived from the original on February 13, 2006. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
11. "D.I.C.E. Special Awards". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Retrieved June 1, 2022.