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The 5th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards was the 5th edition of the Interactive Achievement Awards, an annual awards event that honored the best games in the video game industry during 2001. The awards were arranged by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS), and were held at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 28, 2002 (2002-02-28). It was also held as part of the Academy's first annual D.I.C.E. Summit. It was hosted by stand-up comedian Patton Oswalt, and featured presenters included Cliff Bleszinski, Richard Garriott, Richard Hilleman, Don James, American McGee, Lorne Lanning, Sid Meier, Shigeru Miyamoto, Ray Muzyka, Natalie Raitano, Lucia Rijker, Jason Rubin, Jez San, George Sanger, and Steve Schirripa.
The award for "Hand-Held Game of the Year" was introduced this year as a console award. The console and computer awards for "Family Title of the Year" had been renamed as "Children's Title of the Year". This would be the final year the award for "PC Educational Title of the Year" would be offered. This was the first year nominees were limited to just one genre award for either console/PC.
Halo: Combat Evolved won the most awards, including "Game of the Year", and was tied with Ico for having the most nominations. Electronic Arts received the most nominations and published the most nominated games. Microsoft Game Studios had won the most awards and tied with Nintendo for having the most award-winning games. Baldur's Gate won both console and PC awards for "Role-Playing Game of the Year", with Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance for console and the Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal expansion for PC.
Will Wright, the creator of SimCity and The Sims, 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 (‡).
Game of the Year
Halo: Combat Evolved — Bungie, Microsoft Game Studios‡
Black & White — Lionhead Studios, Electronic Arts
Ico — SCE Japan Studio
Sid Meier's Civilization III — Firaxis Games, Atari Interactive
Craft Awards
Outstanding Achievement in Game Design
Grand Theft Auto III — DMA Design, Rockstar Games‡
Dark Age of Camelot — Mythic Entertainment, Vivendi Universal Games
Halo: Combat Evolved — Bungie, Microsoft Game Studios
Ico — SCE Japan Studio
Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy — Naughty Dog, Sony Computer Entertainment
Pikmin — Nintendo EAD
Outstanding Achievement in Character or Story Development
Ico — SCE Japan Studio‡
Black & White — Lionhead Studios, Electronic Arts
Conker's Bad Fur Day — Rare
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty — Konami
Myst III: Exile — Presto Studios, Ubisoft
Outstanding Achievement in Animation
Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee — Oddworld Inhabitants, Microsoft Game Studios‡
Black & White — Lionhead Studios, Electronic Arts
Dead or Alive 3 — Team Ninja, Tecmo
Super Smash Bros. Melee — HAL Laboratory, Nintendo
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 — Neversoft, Activision
Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction
Ico — SCE Japan Studio
Halo: Combat Evolved — Bungie, Microsoft Game Studios
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty — Konami
Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee — Oddworld Inhabitants, Microsoft Game Studios