Baldur’s Gate 3 dominated The Game Awards 2023, walking away with six wins from nine nominations—including Game of the Year. The role-playing game from Larian Studios reshaped expectations for what a single title could achieve across multiple categories at gaming’s biggest night.

4 related posts

Winner: Baldur’s Gate 3 · Developer: Larian Studios · Nominations: 9 · Wins: 6 · Event Organizer: The Game Awards · Runner-up Highlights: Alan Wake 2, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • Baldur’s Gate 3 secured Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2023 (Epic Games Store)
  • Larian Studios developed the award-winning title (Epic Games Store)
  • The ceremony took place in Los Angeles (GameSpot)
2What’s unclear
  • Exact runner-up ranking beyond top mentions
  • Detailed breakdown of industry layoffs during ceremony
3Timeline signal
  • November 2023: Nominees officially announced
  • December 7, 2023: The Game Awards ceremony
  • December 8, 2023: Winners lists published by major outlets
4What’s next
  • 2024 nominees set to face stiffer competition from new releases
  • Game Awards viewership expected to continue growth trajectory

This table summarizes the key facts about The Game Awards 2023 Game of the Year category.

Label Value
GOTY Winner Baldur’s Gate 3
Developer Larian Studios
Awards Show The Game Awards 2023
Nominee Count 6
Nominations Received 9
Wins Total 6
Key Source thegameawards.com/rewind/year-2023

Which Game Won the Game of the Year in 2023?

Baldur’s Gate 3 Victory Details

Baldur’s Gate 3 claimed the top honor at The Game Awards 2023, held in Los Angeles on December 7, 2023. The role-playing game from Larian Studios not only won Game of the Year but dominated the ceremony entirely, walking away with six awards from nine nominations. According to Epic Games Store coverage, Baldur’s Gate 3 was described as “the big winner of the night with the most awards, including Game of the Year.”

Announcement at The Game Awards

The announcement came during the ceremony’s final moments, with host Geoff Keighley revealing Larian Studios’ achievement. GameSpot noted that “the top award of the evening was Game of the Year, and Baldur’s Gate 3 took it home.” The win marked one of the most decisive victories in recent Game Awards history.

Bottom line: Baldur’s Gate 3 dominated The Game Awards 2023 with six wins from nine nominations, cementing its place as the year’s defining game.

Who Was Nominated for Game of the Year 2023?

Full List of 6 Nominees

Six games competed for the night’s biggest prize, with the nominees representing diverse genres and platforms. The complete list included Baldur’s Gate 3, Alan Wake 2, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Resident Evil 4 Remake, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. According to GameSpot gallery coverage, these nominees “matched across sources” from announcement through the ceremony.

Key Contenders Overview

The nominees reflected a strong year for both narrative-driven experiences and blockbuster action titles. Alan Wake 2 from Remedy Entertainment brought psychological horror to the race, while Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 represented Insomniac Games’ superhero ambitions. Nintendo’s presence came through two titles: Super Mario Bros. Wonder and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, demonstrating the company’s continued industry influence.

Bottom line: Six games competed for GOTY 2023, spanning RPGs, horror, superhero adventures, survival horror, platformers, and open-world epics.

What Are the Game of the Year 2023 Nominees?

Breakdown of Each Nominee

Beyond the core category, these six titles represented distinct achievements in game development. Baldur’s Gate 3 showcased the depth of choice-driven RPG design, while Alan Wake 2 pushed narrative boundaries in the horror genre. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 delivered Insomniac’s most ambitious superhero simulation, and Resident Evil 4 Remake demonstrated Capcom’s mastery of survival horror.

Developer Highlights

The nominees came from studios ranging from independent (Larian Studios, Remedy Entertainment) to industry giants (Nintendo, Insomniac Games/SIE, Capcom). According to Wikipedia coverage, this diversity reflected a year where “the nominees matched across sources” consistently.

The upshot

The 2023 nominees represented a rare moment of genre diversity at the top tier, with narrative-heavy games competing alongside blockbuster action titles and creative platformers.

Who Is the Winner of Game of the Year 2023?

Baldur’s Gate 3 Developer and Publisher

Larian Studios, a Belgian independent studio, developed Baldur’s Gate 3 and published it through its own label. The game represented years of development investment in the Dungeons & Dragons IP, building on the studio’s previous Divinity: Original Sin titles. According to Epic Games Store, the win solidified Larian Studios’ position as a premier RPG developer.

Post-Win Impact

The victory generated significant attention for Baldur’s Gate 3, driving player engagement and sales momentum into 2024. Wikipedia editors noted the ceremony achieved “over 118 million streams, a record,” with Baldur’s Gate 3 at the center of the conversation.

Bottom line: Larian Studios’ independent RPG triumphed over major publishers’ blockbusters, demonstrating that studio vision can still dominate the industry spotlight.

Game of the Year 2023 Runner Up and Highlights

Top Contenders Analysis

Alan Wake 2 emerged as the strongest runner-up, winning Best Game Direction and Best Narrative at the ceremony. The horror title from Remedy Entertainment earned three awards total, according to Wikipedia coverage. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom also generated significant attention but did not secure additional major wins in the GOTY category.

Other Years Context

The 2023 ceremony followed a competitive 2022 race where Elden Ring took the top honor, and preceded the 2024 ceremony where Astro Bot claimed victory. Baldur’s Gate 3’s decisive win marked one of the clearest consensus choices in recent Game Awards history.

Why this matters

The Game Awards 2023 viewership of 118 million streams represented a record, indicating growing mainstream interest in gaming’s biggest night—driven partly by Baldur’s Gate 3’s widespread acclaim.

The Game Awards 2023: Full Ceremony Context

Beyond the Game of the Year category, The Game Awards 2023 celebrated achievements across gaming. Alan Wake 2 secured Best Game Direction and Best Narrative, while Hi-Fi Rush won Best Score and Music from Tango Gameworks/Bethesda Softworks. The Last of Us took Best Adaptation, Forza Motorsport won Innovation in Accessibility, and Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty claimed Best Art Direction.

The ceremony drew criticism from some journalists who noted the show prioritized game announcements over awards recognition and did not adequately address industry layoffs. According to Wikipedia, “journalists criticized the show for prioritizing announcements over awards and ignoring industry layoffs.”

Timeline of Events

This table documents the key dates leading up to and following the Game Awards ceremony.

Date Event Source
November 2023 Nominees announced Wikipedia
December 7, 2023 The Game Awards ceremony held in Los Angeles GameSpot
December 8, 2023 Winners lists published by major outlets Epic Games Store

Confirmed Facts vs. Unconfirmed Reports

Confirmed facts

  • Baldur’s Gate 3 won Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2023 (Epic Games Store)
  • Larian Studios developed the title (Epic Games Store)
  • Nine nominations and six wins total (Wikipedia)
  • Alan Wake 2 won Best Game Direction and Best Narrative (Epic Games Store)
  • The ceremony took place in Los Angeles (GameSpot)
  • Over 118 million streams, a record for the event (Wikipedia)
  • Hi-Fi Rush won Best Score and Music (Epic Games Store)
  • The Last of Us won Best Adaptation (Epic Games Store)
  • Forza Motorsport won Innovation in Accessibility (Epic Games Store)

Unconfirmed reports

  • Exact runner-up ranking beyond top mentions
  • Detailed breakdown of industry layoffs discussed during ceremony
  • Specific co-stream demographic data

What Experts Are Saying

Baldur’s Gate 3 was the big winner of the night with the most awards, including Game of the Year.

— Epic Games Store editorial team (Epic Games Store)

The top award of the evening was Game of the Year, and Baldur’s Gate 3 took it home.

— GameSpot staff (GameSpot)

Baldur’s Gate 3 led the show with nine nominations and six wins, including Game of the Year.

— Wikipedia contributors (Wikipedia)

The Game Awards 2023 will be remembered for Baldur’s Gate 3’s comprehensive dominance—a rare moment where one title didn’t just win but reshaped expectations for what a single game could achieve across multiple categories. For players who experienced Larian Studios’ RPG, the win felt inevitable. For the industry, it signaled that ambitious, player-driven storytelling still commands gaming’s highest recognition.

Related reading: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom · Montreal Canadiens Standings 2026 – NHL Rankings & Playoffs

Additional sources

en.wikipedia.org, play.google.com, poki.com, crazygames.com, thegameawards.com, pbskids.org, thegameawards.fandom.com, merriam-webster.com

Baldur’s Gate 3, the standout Game of the Year 2023 winner, delivers ambitious D&D gameplay detailed in its prices, platforms and updates overview.

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Frequently asked questions

When was The Game Awards 2023 held?

The Game Awards 2023 ceremony took place on December 7, 2023, in Los Angeles, California.

How many games were nominated for GOTY 2023?

Six games were nominated for Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2023.

What platform is Baldur’s Gate 3 available on?

Baldur’s Gate 3 is available on PC (Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store) and PlayStation 5.

Did Baldur’s Gate 3 win other awards in 2023?

Yes, Baldur’s Gate 3 won six awards total at The Game Awards 2023, including Best Performance for Neil Newbon, in addition to Game of the Year.

What made the 2023 GOTY race competitive?

The 2023 nominees represented diverse genres—RPGs, horror, superhero games, survival horror, and platformers—with strong entries from both independent studios and major publishers.

Where can I watch The Game Awards 2023 highlights?

The Game Awards 2023 ceremony is available on the official YouTube channel and the official Game Awards website.

Who won Game of the Year in previous years?

Elden Ring won Game of the Year in 2022, and Astro Bot won in 2024. Baldur’s Gate 3’s 2023 victory remains one of the most decisive wins in recent ceremony history.