The Game Awards 2023: winners, news, games

This time around, The Game Awards 2023 was treated to a variety of powerful musical performances, touching acceptance speeches, and several major game announcements.

Perhaps the most unexpected guest was Jordan Peel, who stopped by to let everyone know that he will be collaborating with Hideo Kojima on his upcoming horror game.

Of course, the main reason for the show was the awards, and they turned out to be full of surprises. The Remedy team took home three awards for Alan wake 2, including better game management and better story, while Baldur's Gate 3 was the big winner of the night, winning numerous awards including Game of the Year.

Below is a roundup of some of the night's news. We also look at some of the night's funnier moments, such as the epic performance The Old Gods of Asgard from Alan Wake.

NEWS

Alan Wake 2 will get a new game mode

It wasn't enough that the Remedy team made an amazing game that won them several awards. They also mentioned at the end of one of their acceptance speeches that Alan Wake 2 will have a new game mode.

The final draft can only be unlocked after beating the game. It includes a new ending, new lore to unlock, and other “subtle additions.”

The mode will be available from December 11.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is getting a beautiful remake

Starbreeze Studios' heartwarming and wonderfully creative Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is getting a remake on February 28th.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake takes the 2013 classic and rebuilds the characters and landscape for the latest generation of graphics, performance and gameplay. The remake will also feature a re-recorded soundtrack featuring a live orchestra.

Walking game from the creators of Untitled Goose Game

It opens with the inviting call of a kookaburra rather than the loud hoot of an annoying goose, but you immediately know this is another game from developer House House.

Big Walk is a co-op multiplayer adventure game that takes you and your friends into an open world with "challenges, puzzles and discoveries." Plus, it will be released in 2025 in the Epic Games Store.

"The Casting of Frank Stone" immerses you in the Dead by Daylight universe

Behavior Interactive and Supermassive Games have presented a trailer for a new game based on the Dead by Daylight universe.

Coming to the Epic Games Store in 2024, this single-player game explores the horrors committed by Frank Stone in the depths of an Oregon steel mill. Players will uncover a dark secret while making decisions that shape the plot and its outcome.

Behavior Interactive's Dead by Daylight has become a horror metaverse. Developer Supermassive Games has built a reputation for delivering deeply unsettling horror games, including The Dark Pictures, The Quarry, Until Dawn and Little Nightmares series.

Black Myth: Wukong Gets Release Date

Ever since we first looked at Black Myth back in 2020, Game Science's upcoming action role-playing title has continued to blow minds with its graphics and surreal character designs.

The new trailer announcing the game's August 20, 2024 release date continues that trend with character designs that are so out of the box, you'll want to watch it at least twice to take in all the details.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau

A heartfelt tribute to a stunning game Actor and Surgent Studios founder Abubakar Salim (Assassin's Creed: Origins, Raised by Wolves) introduced his studio's new game, Tales of Kenzera: Zau, with a touching memory of his late father.

Zau is a 2.5D metroidvania adventure game in which the teenage hero reads a Bantu tale written by his late father. The game will appear on April 23, 2024.

Skull and Bones

It's happening, it's really happening: Skull and Bones is coming out! Ubisoft announced a release date of February 16, 2024 for its pirate simulator during the show. They also said that you can start playing three days earlier with the Premium Edition, which can be purchase from Epic Games Store.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marines 2 releases in September

The sequel to Warhammer 40,000: Space Marines comes out on September 9th. Developed by Saber Interactive, the sequel promises to offer "a thrilling, action-packed experience where players face a swarm of Tyranids."

Wareframe's Whispers in the Walls Gets a Release Date

The new campaign launches with Whispers in the Walls on December 13th. The expansion promises to explore the events that started Warframe. The expansion is being released ahead of the game's 11th anniversary.

The expansion will also feature the 55th Warframe, as well as Cross Platform Save and plenty of rewards to unlock.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden releases with dark trailer

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden from DON'T NOD has unveiled a new trailer for the story of Anthea and Red, two ghost hunters and partners dealing with Anthea's unexpected death.

The game releases on February 13th and is already available for pre-order on the Epic Games Store.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Matthew McConaughey pleases viewers

Matthew McConaughey brought his unique charm to The Game Awards, playfully teasing the crowd with his iconic "alright, alright, alright" catchphrase and then surprising everyone by saying, "drinking, drinking, drinking." In addition to his funny jokes, McConaughey introduced a new game called "Exodus"from Austin-based Archetype Entertainment.

Mesmerizing performance by Heilung

The first musical performance of the evening, presented by Hellblade's Melina Jurgens, was provided by the exciting music group Heilung. Their mystical performance flowed smoothly into the new trailer for Senua's Saga: Hellblade II, which will be released in 2024.

The Great Gonzo's love for chickens

Favorite Muppet, the Great Gonzo, made a hilarious appearance at The Game Awards, expressing his love for chickens in games. Gonzo highlighted the presence of chickens in various games, even mentioning them in LEGO Fortnite.

Jordan Peele's unexpected collaboration

During Hideo Kojima's keynote, Jordan Peele unexpectedly announced his collaboration with Kojima on the new horror game "OD". This came after the trailer for the game, and Kojima hinted at collaborations with other yet-to-be-named creators in the genre. Our bets are on Guillermo del Toro.

The Game Awards Orchestra presents a song for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

The amazing The Game Awards Orchestra has premiered the song "No Promises to Keep" for the upcoming game Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. The performance was complemented by lyrics, giving a musical touch to the event.

Announcement of the second season of Twisted Metal

Anthony McKee, star of the TV adaptation of Twisted Metal, has announced that the show will be getting a second season on Peacock.

Energetic performance by The Old Gods of Asgard

Alan Wake gaming group The Old Gods of Asgard, made up of real-life band Poets of the Fall, presented a rousing performance of "Herald of Darkness" from Alan Wake 2. The performance also featured Matthew Porretta (Alan Wake), David Harewood ( Mr. Warlin Dore) and Sam Lake (Creative Director of Remedy and face of Alex Casey).

A new look at the Fallout series

We got another look at the upcoming Fallout TV series, and it looks absolutely amazing. The trailer was accompanied by a short speech from the show's stars presenting the award for best adaptation.

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NOMINEES AND WINNERS

Game of the Year

Winner: Baldur's Gate 3 (Larian Studios)

• Alan Wake 2 (Remedy Entertainment/Epic Games Publishing)
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (Insomniac Games/SIE)
• Resident Evil 4 (Capcom)
• Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)

Best Game Guide

Winner: Alan Wake 2 (Remedy Entertainment/Epic Games Publishing)

• Baldur's Gate 3 (Larian Studios)
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (Insomniac Games/SIE)
• Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)

Best adaptation

Winner: The Last of Us (PlayStation Productions/HBO)

• Castlevania: Nocturne (Powerhouse Animation/Netflix)
• Gran Turismo (PlayStation Productions/Sony Pictures)
• The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Illumination/Nintendo/Universal Pictures)
• Twisted Metal (PlayStation Productions/Peacock)

Best Narrative Feature

Winner: Alan Wake 2 (Remedy Entertainment/Epic Games Publishing)

• Baldur's Gate 3 (Larian Studios)
• Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty (CD Projekt Red)
• Final Fantasy XVI (Square Enix)
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (Insomniac Games/SIE)

Best Art Direction

Winner: Alan Wake 2 (Remedy Entertainment/Epic Games Publishing)

• Hi-Fi Rush (Tango Gameworks/Bethesda Softworks)
• Lies of P (Round8 Studio/Neowiz Games)
• Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)

Best Music and Sound

Winner: Final Fantasy XVI, composer Masayoshi Soken (Square Enix)

• Alan Wake 2, composed by Petri Alanko (Remedy Entertainment/Epic Games Publishing)
• Baldur's Gate 3, composer Borislav Slavov (Larian Studios)
• Hi-Fi Rush, audio director Shuichi Kobori (Tango Gameworks/Bethesda Softworks)
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, music by Nintendo Sound Team (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)

Best Sound Design

Winner: Hi-Fi Rush (Tango Gameworks/Bethesda Softworks)

• Alan Wake 2 (Remedy Entertainment/Epic Games Publishing)
• Dead Space (Motive Studio/EA)
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (Insomniac Games/SIE)
• Resident Evil 4 (Capcom)

Best Acting

Winner: Neil Newbon, Baldur's Gate 3

• Ben Starr, Final Fantasy XVI
• Cameron Monaghan, STAR WARS Jedi: Survivor
• Idris Elba, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
• Melanie Liburd, Alan Wake 2
• Yuri Lauenthal, Marvel's Spider-Man 2

Innovation in accessibility

Winner: Forza Motorsport (Turn 10 Studios/Xbox Game Studios)

• Diablo IV (Blizzard Entertainment)
• Hi-Fi Rush (Tango Gameworks/Bethesda Softworks)
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (Insomniac Games/SIE)
• Mortal Kombat 1 (NetherRealm Studios/WB Games)
• Street Fighter 6 (Capcom)

Impact Games

Winner: Tchia (Awaceb/Kepler Interactive)

• A Space for the Unbound (Mojiken Studio/Toge Productions/Chorus)
• Chants of Sennaar (Rundisc/Focus Entertainment)
• Goodbye Volcano High (KO_OP)
• Terra Nil (Free Lives/Devolver Digital/Netflix)
• Venba (Visai Games)

Best game in development

Winner: Cyberpunk 2077 (CD Projekt Red)

• Apex Legends (Respawn Entertainment/EA)
• Final Fantasy XIV (Square Enix)
• Fortnite (Epic Games)
• Genshin Impact (HoYoverse)

Best Community Support

Winner: Baldur's Gate 3 (Larian Studios)

• Cyberpunk 2077 (CD Project Red)
• Destiny 2 (Bungie)
• Final Fantasy XIV (Square Enix)
• No Man's Sky (Hello Games)

Best Independent Game

Winner: Sea of ​​Stars (Sabotage Studio)

• Cocoon (Geometric Interactive/Annapurna Interactive)
• Dave the Diver (MINTROCKET)
• Dredge (Black Salt Games/Team 17)
• Viewfinder (Sad Owl Studios/Thunderful Publishing)

Best Mobile Game

Winner: Honkai: Star Rail (HoYoverse)

• Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis (Applibot/Square Enix)
• Hello Kitty Island Adventure (Sunblink Entertainment)
• Monster Hunter Now (Niantic/Capcom)
• Terra Nil (Free Lives/Devolver/Netflix)

Best VR/AR Game

Winner: Resident Evil Village VR Mode (Capcom)

• Gran Turismo 7 (Polyphony Digital/SIE)
• Humanity (tha LTD/Enhance Games)
• Horizon Call of the Mountain (Guerrilla Games/Firesprite/SIE)
• Synapse (nDreams)

Best Action Game

Winner: Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon (FromSoftware/Bandai Namco)

• Dead Island 2 (Dambuster Studios/Deep Silver)
• Ghostrunner 2 (One More Level/505 Games)
• Hi-Fi Rush (Tango Gameworks/Bethesda Softworks)
• Remnant 2 (Gunfire Games/Gearbox Publishing)

Best Action/Adventure Game

Winner: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)

• Alan Wake 2 (Remedy Entertainment/Epic Games Publishing)
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (Insomniac Games/SIE)
• Resident Evil 4 (Capcom)
• Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (Respawn Entertainment/EA)

Best RPG

Winner: Baldur's Gate 3 (Larian Studios)

• Final Fantasy XVI (Square Enix)
• Lies of P (Round8 Studio/Neowiz Games)
• Sea of ​​Stars (Sabotage Studio)
• Starfield (Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda Softworks)

Best Fighting Game

Winner: Street Fighter 6 (Capcom)

• God of Rock (Modus Studios Brazil/Modus Games)
• Mortal Kombat 1 (NetherRealm Studios/WB Games)
• Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 (Ludosity/Fair Play Labs/GameMill Entertainment)
• Pocket Bravery (Statera Studio/PQube)

Best Family Game

Winner: Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)

• Disney Illusion Island (Dlala Studios/Disney)
• Party Animals (Recreate Games)
• Pikmin 4 (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)
• Sonic Superstars (Arzest/Sonic Team/Sega)

Best Simulation/Strategy Game

Winner: Pikmin 4 (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)

• Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp (WayForward/Nintendo)
• Cities: Skylines II (Colossal Order/Paradox Interactive)
• Company of Heroes 3 (Relic Entertainment/Sega)
• Fire Emblem Engage (Intelligent Systems/Nintendo)

Best Sports/Racing Game

Winner: Forza Motorsport (Turn 10 Studios/Xbox Game Studios)

• EA Sports FC 24 (EA Vancouver/EA Romania/EA Sports)
• F1 23 (Codemasters / EA Sports)
• Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged (Milestone)
• The Crew Motorfest (Ubisoft Ivory Tower/Ubisoft)

Best Multiplayer Game Presented by Discord

Winner: Baldur's Gate 3 (Larian Studios)

• Diablo IV (Blizzard Entertainment)
• Party Animals (Recreate Games)
• Street Fighter 6 (Capcom)
• Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)

Most Anticipated Game

Winner: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix)

• Hades II (Supergiant Games)
• Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth (Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio/Sega)
• Star Wars Outlaws (Massive Entertainment/Ubisoft)
• Tekken 8 (Bandai Namco/Arika)

Content Creator of the Year

Winner: IronMouse

• PeopleMakeGames
• quackity
• Accepted
• SypherPK

Best eSports Game

Winner: Valorant (Riot Games)

• Counter-Strike 2 (Valve)
• Endowment 2 (Valve)
• League of Legends (Riot Games)
• PUBG Mobile (LightSpeed ​​Studios/Tencent Games)