4th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards


The 4th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards was the 4th edition of the Interactive Achievement Awards, an annual awards event that honored the best games in the video game industry during the last ten months of 2000. The awards were arranged by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences and were held at Polly Esther's in San Jose, California on. It was hosted by Martin Lewis, and featured presenters included Scott Campbell, Louis Castle, Tony Goodman, Lorne Lanning, Sid Meier, Ray Muzyka, Gabe Newell, Chris Taylor, Will Wright, and Greg Zeschuk.
Innovation awards for console gaming and PC gaming were introduced. The console and PC awards for "Action" and "Adventure/Role-Playing" were replaced with "Action/Adventure" and "Role-Playing". Both console and PC awards had a "Family Title of the Year" game category. "Online Game of the Year" was relabeled as "Online Gameplay of the Year". This was the first year online awards for websites were not offered. The category for "Massive Multiplayer/Persistent World Game of the Year" was also introduced. This was the final year games could be nominated for more than one console or PC genre award.
Diablo II won the ceremony's top honor with "Game of the Year". The PlayStation 2 launch title SSX ended up winning the most awards at the event. Jet Grind Radio received the most nominations, but did not win a single award. Electronic Arts received the most nominations and won the most awards, some of which were for publishing SquareSoft games outside of Japan. Electronic Arts also had the most nominated games and the most award-winning games. There was also a tie between FIFA 2001 and Motocross Madness 2 for "PC Sports Game of the Year". EA Canada was the only developer with more than one award-winning game.
John Carmack, lead programmer of id Software titles Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, and Quake, 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.

Hall of Fame Award

Multiple nominations and awards

Multiple Nominations

NominationsGame
8Jet Grind Radio
7Final Fantasy IX
7SSX
6Deus Ex
5Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
5Rayman 2: The Great Escape
5Shenmue
5Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
4Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2
4FIFA 2001
4Links 2001
4MechWarrior 4: Vengeance
4Sacrifice
4Skies of Arcadia
4Spyro: Year of the Dragon
4Tekken Tag Tournament
4The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
4The Operative: No One Lives Forever
3Age of Empires II: The Conquerors
3Asheron's Call
3Banjo-Tooie
3Chrono Cross
3Diablo II
3Disney's Magic Artist 3D
3Escape from Monkey Island
3EverQuest: The Ruins of Kunark
3Madden NFL 2001
3RollerCoaster Tycoon: Loopy Landscapes
3Virtua Tennis
3WWF No Mercy
2Crimson Skies
2Dead or Alive 2
2Medal of Honor: Underground
2Motocross Madness 2
2Space Channel 5
2Ultima Online: Renaissance

NominationsGamesCompany
3511Electronic Arts
258Sega
197Microsoft
116Nintendo
113SquareSoft
103Interplay Entertainment
94Sony Computer Entertainment
81Smilebit
71Eidos Interactive
62Activision
62Black Isle Studios
61Ion Storm
52Namco
51BioWare
51Neversoft
51Ubisoft
42Hasbro Interactive
42Rare
41Access Software
41FASA Interactive
41Fox Interactive
41Insomniac Games
41Monolith Productions
41Overworks
41Shiny Entertainment
41Westwood Pacific
31AKI Corporation
31Blizzard Entertainment
31Blizzard North
31Disney Interactive
31Ensemble Studios
31LucasArts
31MicroProse
31THQ
31Turbine
31Verant Interactive
22Empire Interactive
22Midway Games
22Sierra On-Line
21DreamWorks Interactive
21Origin Systems
21Rainbow Studios
21Team Ninja
21Tecmo
21United Game Artists
21Zipper Interactive
21-
21-

Multiple awards

AwardsGame
5SSX
3Diablo II
3Final Fantasy IX
2Deus Ex
2MechWarrior 4: Vengeance
2Medal of Honor: Underground
2The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

AwardsGamesCompany
114Electronic Arts
43Microsoft
32Nintendo
31Blizzard Entertainment
31Blizzard North
31SquareSoft
21DreamWorks Interactive
21Eidos Interactive
21FASA Interactive
21Ion Storm