LOS ANGELES – The Game Awards 2023 takes place Thursday night and will be streaming across various platforms.
The Game Awards promises to celebrate the best in video games and tease what’s next. The Game Awards was founded in 2014 by Geoff Keighley, who also hosts and produces the show.
There are six games up for Game of the Year in 2023. Those games are Alan Wake 2, Baldur’s Gate 3, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Resident Evil 4, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
How to watch the Game Awards 2023
The Game Awards 2023 is streaming live on YouTube from Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
The live stream begins at 7:30 p.m. EST on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. You can watch live via the embedded video below:
Who is up for Game of the Year 2023?
The Game of the Year award recognizes “a game that delivers the absolute best experience across all creative and technical fields.”
There are six games up for Game of the Year 2023. Here are the games, their descriptions, and their trailers:
Alan Wake 2
From the studio that brought you Control comes a psychological survival horror starring two protagonists in two very different worlds.
Saga Anderson is a gifted FBI agent called to the small Pacific Northwest town of Bright Falls to investigate a series of ritualistic murders. Alan Wake is a writer who has spent years trapped in the Dark Place, a terrifying alternate reality that can be reshaped by his words. Although they have never met, the two are connected across separate realities, their actions able to change their respective worlds.
When the events depicted in a horror story cause Bright Falls to become engulfed in a corrupting, supernatural darkness, both Anderson and Wake must use the power of light to survive – and to protect the ones they love. In a reality-bending world of victims and monsters, can they become the heroes of this story?
Baldur’s Gate 3
Gather your party and embark on an epic campaign in this next-generation Dungeons & Dragons RPG from the makers of Divinity: Original Sin II.
The land of Faerûn is under siege. Captured and infected by the invading Mind Flayers, will you choose to resist their corruption or embrace the mysterious power that is growing inside you?
Embody bespoke Origin Characters or create your own custom protagonist and experience a dynamic story that is shaped by every roll of the dice.
Join forces with a cast of complex characters as you loot, battle and romance your way through the Forgotten Realms – and beyond. Roll for initiative and leverage both advantage and disadvantage with fluid, tactical combat.
The fate of the Forgotten Realms is in your hands.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Spider-Men, Peter Parker and Miles Morales, return for an exciting new adventure in the critically acclaimed Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise for PS5.
Swing, jump and utilize the new Web Wings to travel across Marvel’s New York, quickly switching between Peter Parker and Miles Morales to experience different stories and epic new powers, as the iconic villain Venom threatens to destroy their lives, their city and the ones they love.
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4 is a remake of the 2005 original Resident Evil 4.
Reimagined for 2023 to bring state-of-the-art survival horror.
Resident Evil 4 preserves the essence of the original game, while introducing modernized gameplay,
a reimagined storyline, and vividly detailed graphics to make this the latest survival horror game where life and death, terror and catharsis intersect.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
The Legend Of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
What are the other Game Award 2023 categories?
Here are all the categories and a list of all the nominees for the 2023 Game Awards:
Best Game Direction
Awarded for outstanding creative vision and innovation in game direction and design.
- Alan Wake 2
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder
- The Legend Of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Best Narrative
For outstanding storytelling and narrative development in a game.
- Alan Wake 2
- Bladur’s Gate 3
- Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
- Final Fantasy XVI
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Best Art Direction
For outstanding creative and/or technical achievement in artistic design and animation.
- Alan Wake 2
- Hi-Fi Rush
- Lies of P
- Super Maro Bros. Wonder
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Best Score and Music
For outstanding music, inclusive of score, original song and/or licensed soundtrack.
- Alan Wake 2, Petri Alanko
- Final Fantasy XVI, Masayoshi Soken
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo
- Baldur’s Gate 3, Borislav Slavov
- Hi-Fi Rush, Shuichi Kobori
Best Audio Design
Recognizing the best in-game audio and sound design.
- Alan Wake 2
- Resident Evil 4
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
- Hi-Fi Rush
- Dead Space
Best Performance
Awarded to an individual for voice-over acting, motion and/or performance capture.
- Ben Starr, Final Fantasy XVI
- Yuri Lowenthal, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
- Idris Elba, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
- Neil Newbon, Baldur’s Gate 3
- Melanie Liburd, Alan Wake 2
- Cameron Monaghan, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Innovation in Accessibility
Recognizing software and/or hardware that is pushing the medium forward by adding features, technology and content to help games be played and enjoyed by an even wider audience.
- Diablo IV
- Mortal Kombat 1
- Street Fighter 6
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
- Forza Motorsport
- Hi-Fi Rush
Games for Impact
For a thought-provoking game with a pro-social meaning or message.
- Tchia
- A Space for The Unbound
- Goodbye Volcano High
- Venba
- Chants of Sennaar
- Terra Nil
Best Ongoing
Awarded to a game for outstanding development of ongoing content that evolves the player experience over time.
- Fortnite
- Final Fantasy XIV
- Genshin Impact
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Apex Legends
Best Community Support
Recognizing a game for outstanding community support, transparency and responsiveness, inclusive of social media activity and game updates/patches.
- Final Fantasy XIV
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Destiny 2
- No Man’s Sky
Best Independent Game
For outstanding creative and technical achievement in a game made outside the traditional publisher system.
- DAVE THE DIVER
- Cocoon
- Viewfinder
- Dredge
- Sea of Stars
Best Debut Indie Game
For the best debut game created by a new independent studio.
- Pizza Tower
- Cocoon
- Viewfinder
- Dredge
- Venba
Best Mobile Game
For the best game playable on a mobile device.
- Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis
- Honkai: Star Rail
- Monster Hunter Now
- Hello Kitty Island Adventure
- Terra Nil
Best VR/AR
For the best game experience playable in virtual or augmented reality, irrespective of platform.
- Horizon Call of the Mountain
- Humanity
- Synapse
- Gran Turismo 7
- Resident Evil Village VR Mode
Best Action Game
For the best game in the action genre focused primarily on combat.
- ARMORED CORE™ VI FIRES OF RUBICON™
- Ghostrunner 2
- Dead Island 2
- Remnant 2
- Hi-Fi Rush
Best Action/Adventure
For the best action/adventure game, combining combat with traversal and puzzle solving.
- Alan Wake 2
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
- Resident Evil 4
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Best RPG
For the best game designed with rich player character customization and progression, including massively multiplayer experiences.
- Final Fantasy XVI
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Starfield
- Sea of Stars
- Lies of P
Best Fighting
For the best game designed primarily around head-to-head combat.
- God of Rock
- Mortal Kombat 1
- Street Fighter 6
- Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2
- Pocket Bravery
Best Family
For the best game appropriate for family play, irrespective of genre or platform.
- Party Animals
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder
- Sonic Superstars
- Disney Illusion Island
- Pikmin 4
Best Sim/Strategy
Best game focused on real time or turn-based simulation or strategy gameplay, irrespective of platform.
- Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp
- Cities: Skylines II
- Company of Heroes 3
- Fire Emblem Engage
- Pikmin 4
Best Sports/Racing
For the best traditional and non-traditional sports and racing game.
- The Crew Motorfest
- F1 23
- EA Sports FC 24
- Forza Motorsport
- Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged
Best Multiplayer
For the best traditional and non-traditional sports and racing game.
- Party Animals
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder
- Diablo IV
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Street Fighter 6
Best Adaptation
Recognizing outstanding creative work that faithfully and authentically adapts a video game to another entertainment medium.
- Twisted Metal (Peacock, PlayStation Productions)
- Gran Turismo (Sony Pictures, PlayStation Productions)
- Castlevania: Nocturne (Netflix, Powerhouse Animation Studios)
- The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Nintendo, Illumination, Universal Pictures)
- The Last of Us (HBO, PlayStation Productions)
Most Anticipated Game
Recognizing an announced game that has demonstrably illustrated potential to push the gaming medium forward.
- Star Wars Outlaws
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Tekken 8
- Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
- Hades II
Content Creator of the Year
For a streamer or content creator who has made an important and positive impact on the community in 2023.
- Spreen
- SypherPK
- Quackity
- Ironmouse
- People Make Games
Best Esports Game
For the game that has delivered the best overall esports experience to players (inclusive of tournaments, community support and content updates), irrespective of genre or platform.
- League of Legends
- Dota 2
- Valorant
- Counter-Strike 2
- PUBG Mobile
Best Esports Athlete
The esports athlete judged to be the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2023, irrespective of game.
- Paco Rusiewiez
- Mathieu Herbaut
- Ruler
- Max Mazanov
- Faker
- Phillip Dosen
Best Esports Team
Recognizing a specific esports team (not the full organization) judged the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2023.
- Fnatic
- Team Vitality
- Gaimin Gladiators
- JD Gaming
- Evil Geniuses
Best Esports Coach
The esports coach judged to be the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2023.
- Yoon Sung-young
- Christine Chi
- Jordan Graham
- Danny Sørensen
- Remy Quoniam
Best Esports Event
Recognizing an event (across single or multiple days) that delivered a best-of-class experience for participants and the broadcast audience.
- 2023 Valorant Champions
- BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023
- 2023 League of Legends World Championship
- The International 2023
- Evo 2023