The Game Awards 2023: Winners and Game Announcements

The Game Awards 2023 was a spectacular night for gaming fans, as the industry celebrated the best games, creators, and moments of the year. The show was packed with exciting announcements, trailers, and performances, as well as some surprising winners and snubs. Here are some of the highlights of the event:

Baldur’s Gate 3 took home the coveted Game of the Year award, beating out strong contenders like Alan Wake 2, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The epic fantasy RPG also won Best RPG, Best Sim/Strategy, and Best Multiplayer. Larian Studios thanked their fans and collaborators for their support and promised more content and updates for the game in the future.
Alan Wake 2 also had a good night, winning three awards for Best Narrative, Best Art Direction, and Best Game Direction. The long-awaited mystery sequel has been lavished with praise for its cinematic visuals, which are heavily indebted to David Lynch’s cult show Twin Peaks.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 was another big winner, taking home Best Action/Adventure and Best Performance for Yuri Lowenthal’s portrayal of Peter Parker. The game also received a new trailer, showing off the gameplay and story of the highly anticipated sequel.
Resident Evil 4 won Best Action and Best VR/AR for its stunning remake of the classic horror game. The game also revealed a new DLC, featuring Ada Wong as a playable character and a new mode called Mercenaries.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder was the only Nintendo game to win an award, claiming Best Family Game. The game also showed a new trailer, featuring new worlds, power-ups, and enemies. The game is set to release on March 10, 2024, coinciding with Mario Day.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was arguably the biggest snub of the night, as the game failed to win any awards despite being nominated for six categories. However, the game did receive a new trailer, showcasing the stunning graphics, gameplay, and story of the sequel to Breath of the Wild. The game is slated for a late 2024 release.
Little Nightmares 3 was the surprise winner of the Best Trailer/Announcement award, beating out heavyweights like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake, God of War: Ragnarok, and Halo Infinite. The game also won Best Independent Game and Best Debut Indie Game for its developer Tarsier Studios. The game is a horror platformer that follows a young girl named Six as she tries to escape from a twisted world of nightmares.
Other notable announcements included The Last of Us TV series, which won Best Adaptation and revealed its first teaser trailer, featuring Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie; Castlevania: Nocturne, a new animated series based on the popular video game franchise; Gran Turismo, a live-action movie adaptation of the racing game series; and Twisted Metal, a comedy series based on the vehicular combat game.

The Game Awards 2023 was also a night full of huge video game reveals. Here are some of the most notable game announcements from the event:

OD: The biggest surprise of the night was the reveal of OD, a new sci-fi game from Hideo Kojima and Xbox Game Studios. The game is described as a “genre-defying” experience that will explore the themes of death, rebirth, and the meaning of life. The game will be exclusive to Xbox Series X|S and PC, and will launch in 2025.

Monster Hunter: Wilds: Capcom announced a new entry in the popular Monster Hunter franchise, called Monster Hunter: Wilds. The game will feature an open-world setting, where players can hunt, craft, and explore a vast and diverse landscape. The game will also introduce new monsters, weapons, and gameplay mechanics. The game will be available for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in 2024.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake: Aspyr Media confirmed that they are working on a remake of the classic Star Wars RPG, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. The game will be rebuilt from the ground up, using Unreal Engine 5, and will feature new graphics, gameplay, and story elements. The game will be a timed exclusive for PS5, and will also release on PC at a later date.

God of War: Ragnarok: Sony showed a new trailer for the highly anticipated sequel to God of War, God of War: Ragnarok. The trailer revealed more details about the game’s story, which will follow Kratos and Atreus as they face the wrath of the Norse gods and the impending doom of Ragnarok. The trailer also showcased new gameplay features, such as the ability to ride a wolf, wield Thor’s hammer, and fight alongside other characters. The game will be available for PS5 and PS4 in 2024.

Halo Infinite: Microsoft revealed the release date and a new trailer for Halo Infinite, the next installment in the iconic Halo franchise. The game will launch on December 8, 2023, for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. The trailer showcased the game’s campaign mode, which will feature a new open-world environment, a new enemy faction called the Banished, and the return of Cortana. The game will also feature a free-to-play multiplayer mode, which will launch alongside the campaign.

Little Nightmares 3: Tarsier Studios announced Little Nightmares 3, the third and final installment in the horror platformer series. The game will follow a new protagonist, a young boy named Seven, who will encounter new horrors and puzzles in a twisted world of nightmares. The game will be available for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC in 2024.