The Game Awards 2023: Highlights and Winners
The Game Awards 2023 was a night of excitement and celebration for the gaming industry. Geoff Keighley, the founder and host of the event, was joined by the Great Gonzo for an interstitial bit between rapid-fire awards. One of the biggest winners of the night was Baldur’s Gate 3, which took home multiple awards including Game of the Year, Best RPG, Best Community Support, Best Multiplayer, and Best Performance for actor Neil Newbon. Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke celebrated the game’s success in plate armor.
Alan Wake 2: A Surreal Horror Adventure
Another standout of the night was Alan Wake 2, which won Best Directing, Best Narrative, and Best Art Direction. The game also featured a memorable live musical number with stars and creator Sam Lake performing interpretive dance to a heavy metal accompaniment. The combination of music and visuals stole the show.
OD: A New Collaboration
Hideo Kojima and Jordan Peele made a surprise appearance to announce their new collaboration called OD. This unexpected moment added to the excitement of the night.
Star-Studded Presenters and Performances
Various celebrities, including Matthew McConaughey, Timothee Chalamet, Simu Liu, and Anthony Mackie, took the stage to present awards and promote their game-related projects. A live orchestra performed a brand new song from the highly anticipated Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. VTuber Ironmouse accepted the Content Creator of the Year award in character as an animated demon queen. Muppet Gonzo joined Geoff Keighley to discuss the Best Action/Adventure winner, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and their experiences chasing chickens in the game.
Disclosure and Voting Process
Before diving into the rest of the highlights, it’s important to note that NPR, among other outlets, contributed ballots to The Game Awards. The winners were determined based on these ballots and an open online voting system.
The Game Awards 2023: Nominees and Winners
Here is the complete list of nominees and winners for The Game Awards 2023:
Game of the Year
- Baldur’s Gate 3 (Winner)
- Alan Wake 2
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
- Resident Evil 4
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Best RPG
- Baldur’s Gate 3 (Winner)
- Alan Wake 2
- Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
- Final Fantasy XVI
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Best Performance
- Neil Newbon – Baldur’s Gate 3 (Winner)
- Ben Starr – Final Fantasy XVI
- Cameron Monaghan – STAR WARS Jedi: Survivor
- Idris Elba – Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
- Melanie Liburd – Alan Wake 2
- Yuri Lowenthal – Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Best Art Direction
- Alan Wake 2 (Winner)
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
- Genshin Impact
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Best Narrative
- Alan Wake 2 (Winner)
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
- Resident Evil 4
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Best Directing
- Alan Wake 2 (Winner)
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
- Resident Evil 4
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Best Community Support
- Baldur’s Gate 3 (Winner)
- Apex Legends
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Final Fantasy XIV
- No Man’s Sky
Best Multiplayer
- Baldur’s Gate 3 (Winner)
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Destiny 2
- Final Fantasy XIV
- No Man’s Sky
Most Anticipated Game
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Winner)
- Hades II
- Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
- Star Wars Outlaws
- Tekken 8
Content Creator of the Year
- IronMouse (Winner)
- PeopleMakeGames
- Quackity
- Spreen
- SypherPK
Best Esports Game
- League of Legends (Winner)
- Counter-Strike 2
- Dota 2
- PUBG Mobile
- Valorant
Best Esports Athlete
- Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok – League of Legends (Winner)
- Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut – CS:GO
- Max “Demon1” Mazanov – Valorant
- Paco “HyDra” Rusiewiez – (Call of Duty)
- Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk (League of Legends)
- Phillip “ImperialHal” Dosen (Apex Legends)
Best Esports Team
- Evil Geniuses (Valorant)
- Fnatic (Valorant)
- Gaimin Gladiators (Dota 2)
- JD Gaming (League of Legends)
- Team Vitality (Counter-Strike)
Best Esports Coach
- Christine “potter” Chi (Evil Geniuses – Valorant)
- Danny “zonic” Sorensen (Team Falcons – Counter-Strike)
- Jordan “Gunba” Graham (Florida Mayhem – Overwatch)
- Remy “XTQZZZ” Quoniam (Team Vitality – Counter-Strike)
- Yoon “Homme” Sung-young (JD Gaming – League of Legends)
Best Esports Event
2023 League of Legends World Championship
- Blast.tv Paris Major 2023
- EVO 2023
- The International Dota 2 Championships 2023
- VALORANT Champions 2023