With over 60 graduates credited on nominated projects across 14 categories, including Game of the Year, Best Ongoing Game, and Best Esports Game, Full Sail University is proud to celebrate the work of alumni recognized at the Game Awards 2017. In total, 16 graduates were among the winners credited on six releases across seven categories.

Congratulations to all of the graduates who worked on these projects! If you missed the live show, watch it here on YouTube. You can find the list of nominees, winners, and associated grads below.

Game of the Year

Horizon Zero Dawn

• Brian Miller: Environment Artist, Computer Animation 2004

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Winner

Persona 5

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds

• Brandon Schwarz: Environment Artist, Game Art 2014

Super Mario Odyssey

Best Game Direction

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Winner

Horizon Zero Dawn

• Brian Miller: Environment Artist, Computer Animation 2004

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

Super Mario Odyssey

Wolfenstein II

• Francisco Cruz III: Lighting Artist, Computer Animation 2005

Best Narrative

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

Horizon Zero Dawn

• Brian Miller: Environment Artist, Computer Animation 2004

Nier: Automata

What Remains of Edith Finch – Winner

• Heather Plunkard: Dialog Coordinator, Recording Arts 2012

Wolfenstein II

• Francisco Cruz III: Lighting Artist, Computer Animation 2005

Best Art Direction

Cuphead - Winner

Destiny 2

• Derek Goeckeritz: Environment Artist, Digital Arts 2008
• Kevin Yanes: Multiplayer Designer, Game Development 2010
• Tom Doyle: Lead Artist, Digital Media 1998
• Josh Hamrick: Gameplay Design Lead, Game Development 2006
• James Yavorsky: Character Artist, Computer Animation 2009
• Mark Loperfido: Sound Designer, Recording Arts 2006
• Rachel Swavely: Senior Technical Artist, Computer Animation 2009
• Nicholas Johansson: Live Tester, Computer Animation 2010 & Game Design master’s 2011
• Cody Reinhart: Technical Requirement Specialist, Game Design 2017

Horizon Zero Dawn

• Brian Miller: Environment Artist, Computer Animation 2004

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Persona 5

Best Music/Sound Design

Cuphead

Destiny 2

• Derek Goeckeritz: Environment Artist, Digital Arts 2008
• Kevin Yanes: Multiplayer Designer, Game Development 2010
• Tom Doyle: Lead Artist, Digital Media 1998
• Josh Hamrick: Gameplay Design Lead, Game Development 2006
• James Yavorsky: Character Artist, Computer Animation 2009
• Mark Loperfido: Sound Designer, Recording Arts 2006
• Rachel Swavely: Senior Technical Artist, Computer Animation 2009
• Nicholas Johansson: Live Tester, Computer Animation 2010 & Game Design master’s 2011
• Cody Reinhart: Technical Requirement Specialist, Game Design 2017

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Nier: Automata - Winner

Persona 5

Super Mario Odyssey

Best Performance

Ashly Burch as Aloy: Horizon Zero Dawn

Brian Bloom as BJ Blazkowicz: Wolfenstein II

Claudia Black as Chloe Frazer: Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Laura Bailey as Nadine Ross: Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Melissa Juergens as Senua: Hellblade - Winner

Games for Impact

Bury Me, My Love

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice - Winner

Life is Strange: Before the Storm

Night in the Woods

Please Knock on My Door

What Remains of Edith Finch

• Heather Plunkard: Dialog Coordinator, Recording Arts 2012

Best Independent Game

Cuphead - Winner

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

Night in the Woods

Pyre

What Remains of Edith Finch

• Heather Plunkard: Dialog Coordinator, Recording Arts 2012

Best Mobile Game

Fire Emblem Heroes

Hidden Folks

Monument Valley 2 - Winner

Old Man's Journey

Super Mario Run

Best Handheld Game

Ever Oasis

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadow of Valentia

Metroid: Samus Returns - Winner

Monster Hunter Stories

Poochy and Yoshi's Wooly World

Best VR/AR Game

Farpoint

• Heather Plunkard: Dialog Editor, Recording Arts 2012
• Aaron Traciak: Cinematic Animator, Computer Animation 2015

Lone Echo/Echo Arena

• Kyle Lauing: Gameplay Programmer, Game Development 2006
• Aaron Hamman: Senior Modeler, Computer Animation 2009

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard - Winner

Star Trek: Bridge Crew

• Hayden Noble: QA Test, Game Art 2016
• Johnstone Baumgartner: Lead Programmer, Game Development 2006

Superhot VR

Best Action Game

Cuphead

Destiny 2

• Derek Goeckeritz: Environment Artist, Digital Arts 2008
• Kevin Yanes: Multiplayer Designer, Game Development 2010
• Tom Doyle: Lead Artist, Digital Media 1998
• Josh Hamrick: Gameplay Design Lead, Game Development 2006
• James Yavorsky: Character Artist, Computer Animation 2009
• Mark Loperfido: Sound Designer, Recording Arts 2006
• Rachel Swavely: Senior Technical Artist, Computer Animation 2009
• Nicholas Johansson: Live Tester, Computer Animation 2010 & Game Design master’s 2011
• Cody Reinhart: Technical Requirement Specialist, Game Design 2017

Nioh

Prey

Wolfenstein II - Winner

• Francisco Cruz III: Lighting Artist, Computer Animation 2005

Best Action/Adventure Game

Assassin's Creed: Origins

Horizon Zero Dawn

• Brian Miller: Environment Artist, Computer Animation 2004

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Winner

Super Mario Odyssey

Uncharted: Lost Legacy

• Jared Sobotta: Environment Texture & Shader Artist, Game Art 2012
• Andrew Ford: Character Animator, Computer Animation 2015
• Zachary Gillespie: Cinematic Animator, Computer Animation 2015
• Emily Scrivner: Dialogue Scripter, Game Development 2007
• Jeremy Vickery: Lighting Artist, Digital Media 1997
• Aaron Traciak: Cinematic Animator, Computer Animation 2015
• Heather Cerian: Texture Artist, Computer Animation 2006
• Kyle Gaulin: Lead Previs/Layout Artist, Computer Animation 2005
• Benjamin Perry: Game Test Analyst, Game Design 2015

Best Role Playing Game

Divinity: Original Sin 2

Final Fantasy XV

Nier: Automata

Persona 5 - Winner

South Park: The Fracture But Whole

• John Mast: Producer, Computer Animation 2002

Best Fighting Game

Arms

Injustice 2 - Winner

• Justin Francis: Animator, Computer Animation 2013
• Evan Salads: Associate Designer, Creative Writing master’s 2011
• Eric Wachauf: Associate Environment Artist, Game Art 2013

Marvel VS. Capcom: Infinite

Nidhogg 2

Tekken 7

Best Strategy Game

Halo Wars 2

• Dillon Deveney: Test Associate I, Creative Writing 2014 & Game Design master’s 2015

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle - Winner

Tooth and Tail

Total War: Warhammer II

XCOM 2: War of the Chosen

• Thomas Powers: Community Coordinator, Entertainment Business 2013
• Samuel Batista: UI Programmer, Game Development 2009
• Jeffrey Joyce: Lead Tools and Build Engineer, Game Development 2006

Best Family Game

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

Sonic Mania

Splatoon 2

Super Mario Odyssey - Winner

Best Sports/Racing Game

FIFA 18

• Daci (Tsung-Tse) Huang: Project Lead, Recording Engineering 2013

Forza Motorsport 7 - Winner

• Nick Marcantel: Technical Analyst, Creative Writing 2014 & Game Design master’s 2015

GT Sport

NBA 2K18

Project Cars 2

Pro Evolution Soccer 2018

Best Multiplayer Game

Call of Duty: World War II

• Cody Rinehart: Technical Requirements Specialist, Game Design 2017

Destiny 2

• Derek Goeckeritz: Environment Artist, Digital Arts 2008
• Kevin Yanes: Multiplayer Designer, Game Development 2010
• Tom Doyle: Lead Artist, Digital Media 1998
• Josh Hamrick: Gameplay Design Lead, Game Development 2006
• James Yavorsky: Character Artist, Computer Animation 2009
• Mark Loperfido: Sound Designer, Recording Arts 2006
• Rachel Swavely: Senior Technical Artist, Computer Animation 2009
• Nicholas Johansson: Live Tester, Computer Animation 2010 & Game Design master’s 2011
• Cody Reinhart: Technical Requirement Specialist, Game Design 2017

Fortnite

• Chris Morgan: Trailer Character Animator, Computer Animation 2007
• Patrick Dickson: QA Tester, Game Design 2015
• Saul Abreu: Freelance Software Engineer, Game Development 2010
• Chelsea Kissinger: QA Tester, Computer Animation 2013
• Aaron Carlisle: Prop Rigger, Computer Animation 2015
• Albert Jen: QA Engineer, Game Development 2011
• Joshua Dieckmann: Dev QA Lead, Recording Arts 2000
• Ari Patrick: Associate Producer, Game Development 2009 & Game Design master’s 2010
• Grant Shonkwiler: Producer, Game Development 2008

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds - Winner

• Brandon Schwarz: Environment Artist, Game Art 2014

Splatoon 2

Most Anticipated Game

God of War

• Aaron Snyder: Character Technical Artist, Computer Animation 2012

The Last Part of Us II - Winner

• Kyle Gaulin: Previs/Layout Artist, Computer Animation 2005

Marvel's Spider-Man

• Kyle Gaulin: Senior Cinematic Animator, Computer Animation 2005

Monster Hunter: World

Red Dead Redemption II

• Donald (DJ) Jones: Designer, Game Development 2005
• Justin Hoffman: Associate Network Programmer, Game Development 2014
• Jonathan Logsdon: Technical Animator, Computer Animation 2008
• John Diaz: Technical Designer, Game Development 2006

Best Esports Game

Counter Strike: Global Offensive

Dota 2

League of Legends

Overwatch - Winner

• Dylan Jones: Lead Character Technical Artist, Computer Animation 2006
• Derek Mulder: Senior Software Engineer, Game Development 2004
• Nigel Nikitovich: Compatibility Analyst II, Computer Animation 2009
• Kyle Webb: Associate Sound Designer, Recording Arts 2005 & Entertainment Business 2007
• Thomas Powers: Associate Community Manager, Entertainment Business 2013
• Dan Wallace: Environment Modeling Artist, Computer Animation 2007
• Andrew Klimas: 3D Artist, Game Art 2011
• David Clyde: Content Pipeline Engineer, Game Development 2003

Rocket League

• Jared Adkins: FX Artist, Digital Media 2012
• Morgan Snight: UI/UX Lead, Game Art 2006