The Game Awards 2023 was a spectacular star-studded show honouring top-tier video games. The ceremony recognises and upholds technical and creative excellence in the global video game industry. The event brings together various players, developers, and notable names from popular culture. They come together to celebrate and advance gaming’s position as the most challenging, inspiring, and immersive form of entertainment. Organisers also seek to recognise those who enhance the community’s well-being and elevate voices representing the medium’s future. In 2023, more than 100 global influencers and media outlets voted for 31 award categories from a list of nominees. All the winners were announced live during the event.

Hosted by Geoff Keighley, the producer and creator of The Game Awards, the event was held with a live audience on December 7, 2023, at the Peacock Theatre in California. There was a live stream of the occasion across online platforms, attracting more than 118 million streams, including many Syndicatecasino members. The show sought to celebrate the best in the industry, recognising the titles that left a mark and stood out amid the fierce competition. Nominees were announced on November 13, and titles released before November 17 were eligible. Here are some of the main winners that stood out in the event.

Baldur’s Gate 3

Leading the show with nine nominations, Baldur’s Gate 3 was one of the titles that dominated the awards at The Game Awards 2023. Developed and published by Larian Studios, the title is the 3rd instalment of the Baldur’s Gate series based on the fantasy role-place system of Dungeons and Dragons. It is one of the video titles that continues to receive critical acclaim for its production quality, narrative, and gameplay. These are among the reasons it managed to garner six coveted wins in various categories, such as:

- Game of the Year: Awarded to the title that delivers the best experiences across all technical and creative fields;

- Best Performance: There was a lot of jubilation when Neil Newbon was announced as the winner of the best performance. The reward celebrated an individual for acting, voice-over, performance capture, and motion;

- Player’s Voice Award: The production performed well at the ceremony, taking the number 1 spot for the player’s voice award;

- Best Community Support: Baldur’s Gate 3 also received a prize for the title with outstanding community support, responsiveness, and transparency, including gaming patches/updates and social media activity. The award made sense because Larian Studios had been open with its fanbase for years before officially releasing the game;

- Best Multiplayer: It appeared as though Baldur’s Gate 3 was the only title receiving prizes when the name came up yet again for the best multiplayer title. The reward was for incredible multiplayer design and playing experience, plus massive co-op multiplayer experiences regardless of platform or genre;

- Best RPG: The title also bagged the best title designed with rich player progression, character customization, and massively multiplayer experiences.

Larian, the Belgian developer, received most of the awards at the ceremony, saying that the epic fantasy RPG was a labour of dedication and love. He dedicated the “Game of the Year” award to people who lost their lives during COVID because it was during this time that the production team was working on the course of development.

Alan Wake 2

The second biggest winner of the night was Alan Wake 2. Developed by Remedy Entertainment, Alan Wake 2 is a survival horror title published by Epic Games Publishing. It is the second production after the success of the original Alan Wake. Released on October 27, 2023, it was one of the most anticipated titles for Windows, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. The production is based on Alan Wake, a best-selling novelist trapped in an alternate dimension for over a decade. He tries to escape by creating a horror story that involves Saga Anderson, an FBI special agent. It continues to receive a lot of praise from fans and critics, attracting tons of players from around the globe. Alan Wake 2 managed to collect several rewards at The Game Awards 2023, including:

- Best Game Direction: The prize was bestowed for innovation in design and direction and outstanding creative vision;

- Best Narrative: The title was rewarded for its narrative development and impeccable storytelling;

- Best Art Direction: It is no surprise that Alan Wake 2 received the exceptional technical and creative achievement award in animation and artistic design.

More Than Just Awards

The Game Awards 2023 saw over 30 prizes handed out to the industry’s finest. Only two titles received more than one prize: Baldur’s Gate 3 and Alan Wake 2. It was a splendid ceremony that was a mixture of rewards and preview events. Fans got a treat as they got announcements of forthcoming titles and watched new trailers. Viewers got their first look at Exodus from Archetype Entertainment. Hideo Kojima, the legendary video game creator, unveiled that he was working on Overdose or OD, a fire project in collaboration with the Get Out director Jordan Peele. Fans also got a glimpse of Jurassic Park: Survival gameplay.