The Game Awards 2023 Winners, Nominees: Baldur's Gate 3 Crowned Best Game in 2023

The curtains have closed on The Game Awards 2023, leaving us with a thrilling showcase that delved into both the rich history and promising future of the gaming realm. Amidst the noteworthy announcements and insights into upcoming releases, The Game Awards also paid homage to the outstanding games and developers of the past year.

This piece compiles the standout victors from the event, with a special spotlight on the highly coveted Game of the Year award, which holds even greater significance in the expansive landscape of 2023.

Game of the Year 2023

While the year boasted an array of games worthy of the prestigious title, only one emerged victorious, and this time it was Baldur's Gate 3. Baldur's Gate 3 not only clinched the Game of the Year accolade but also surprised enthusiasts with the impromptu release of its Xbox version.

The game further triumphed in categories such as Best Community Support, Best RPG, Best Multiplayer, and the Player's Voice category. Following closely, Alan Wake 2 secured three wins in Best Game Direction, Best Narrative, and Best Art Direction.

The Game Awards 2023: List of Nominees and Winners

Game of the Year

Winner: Baldur's Gate 3

Nominees: Alan Wake 2, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Resident Evil 4 Remake, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Best Game Direction

Winner: Alan Wake 2

Nominees: Baldur's Gate 3, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Best Narrative

Winner: Alan Wake 2

Nominees: Baldur's Gate 3, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, Final Fantasy 16, Marvel's Spider-Man 2

Best Art Direction

Winner: Alan Wake 2

Nominees: Hi-Fi Rush, Lies of P, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Best Score/Music

Winner: Final Fantasy XVI

Nominees: Alan Wake 2, Baldur's Gate 3, Hi-Fi Rush, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Best Audio Design

Winner: Hi-Fi Rush

Nominee: Alan Wake 2, Dead Space Remake, Mavel's Spider-Man 2, Resident Evil 4 Remake

Best Performance

Winner: Neil Newbon - Baldur's Gate 3

Nominees: Ben Starr - Final Fantasy 16, Cameron Monaghan - Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Idris Elba - Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, Melanie Liburd - Alan Wake 2, Yuri Lowenthal - Marvel's Spider-Man 2

Games for Impact

Winner: Tchia

Nominees: A Space for the Unbound, Chants of Sennaar, Goodbye Volcano High, Terra Nil, Venba

Best Ongoing Game

Winner: Cyberpunk 2077

Nominees: Apex Legends, Final Fantasy 14, Fortnite, Genshin Impact

Best Indie Game

Winner: Sea of Stars

Nominees: Cocoon, Dave the Diver, Dredge, Viewfinder

Best Debut Indie Game

Winner: Cocoon

Nominees: Dredge, Pizza Tower, Venba, Viewfinder

Best Mobile Game

Winner: Honkai: Star Rail

Nominees: Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis, Hello Kitty Island Adventure, Monster Hunter Now, Terra Nil

Best Community Support

Winner: Baldur's Gate 3

Nominees: Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, Destiny 2, Final Fantasy XVI, No Man's Sky

Best VR/AR Game

Winner: Resident Evil Village

Nominees: Gran Turismo 7, Humanity, Horizon: Call of the Mountain, Synapse

Innovation in Accessibility

Winner: Forza Motorsport

Nominees: Diablo 4, Hi-Fi Rush, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Mortal Kombat 1, Street Fighter 6

Best Action Game

Winner: Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon

Nominees: Dead Island 2, Ghostrunner 2, Hi-Fi Rush, Remnant 2

Best Action/Adventure Game

Winner: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Nominees: Alan Wake 2, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Resident Evil 4, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Best RPG

Winner: Baldur's Gate 3

Nominees: Final Fantasy 16, Lies of P, Sea of Stars, Starfield

Best Fighting Game

Winner: Street Fighter 6

Nominees: God of Rock, Mortal Kombat 1, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2, Pocket Bravery

Best Family Game

Winner:Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Nominees: Disney Illusion Island, Party Animals, Pikmin 4, Sonic Superstars

Best Sports/Racing Game

Winner: Forza Motorsport

Nominees: EA Sports FC 24, F1 23, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged, The Crew Motofest

Best SIM/Strategy Game

Winner: Pikmin 4

Nominees: Advanced Wars 1+" Re-Boot Camp, Cities: Skylines 2, Company of Heroes 3, Fire Emblem Engage

Best Multiplayer Game

Winner: Baldur's Gate 3

Nominees: Diablo 4, Party Animals, Street Fighter 6, Super Mario Bros. Wonder

The Game Awards 2023: Other Categories

Among the other winners at the Game of the Year Awards were IronMouse, who won Content Creator of the Year and Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok, who was named "Best Esports Athlete". The award for the best Esports coach went to Christine "potter" Chi, while JD Gaming won Best Esports Team.

Additionally, the 2023 League of Legends World Championship was named Esports event of the year. Valorant was named Best Esports Game, while the Players' Voice award, voted by fans, went to Baldur's Gate 3. Lastly, The Last of US won Best Adaptation, which includes game-inspired TVs, comics, movies, and other forms of entertainment and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth was named Most Anticipated Game.