Game Awards Game of the Year Guesses!

I do not envy Geoff Keighley in the slightest. As the head of one of the industry’s most lauded awards ceremonies, The Game Awards, he is faced with a monumentous task this year: announcing which of 2023’s many, many amazing titles will ultimately take home the top prize of being recognized as the Game of the Year.

Sam and I decided to put together our own guesses on which games will ultimately be nominated before the official announcement comes out tomorrow, 11/13. Take a look below, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!

Jeremy’s List

1. Baldur’s Gate 3

2. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

3. Alan Wake 2

4. Super Mario Bros. Wonder

5. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

6. Armored Core VI

The year has been absolutely stacked, but even among the many gems that have been put out, Baldur’s Gate 3 has set a benchmark for RPGs that games of its genre will strive for from here on out. Ultimately, I feel that it will take home the top prize, but is in very good company.

Spider-Man 2 successfully built upon an already popular and beloved franchise, introducing new traversal mechanics and a narrative that could sit with some of the best on the comic stands today.

Alan Wake 2 emerged as a late dark-horse in the race, but has elevated the genre of psychological horror with a spellbinding narrative and engaging gameplay.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder re-captured the magic of playing your earliest Mario title, with vibrant aesthetics and a good balance of difficulty throughout.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom set the internet ablaze after its release, providing a fresh iteration of the broad world of Hyrule to explore, equipped with brand new powers that pushed the boundaries of gamers’ imaginations.

Finally, Armored Core VI delivered some of the smoothest mech-battling gameplay I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying, as FromSoftware proved that soulslikes weren’t the only titles they could deliver on.

Ultimately, I’d be delighted if any of the above took home the prize, as they all would be well deserved.

Honorable Mentions:

1. Octopath Traveler II

2. Sea of Stars

3. Dave the Diver

4. Lies of P

5. Starfield

Sam’s List

1. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

2. Baldur’s Gate 3

3. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

4. Resident Evil 4 Remake

5. Super Mario Bros. Wonder

6. Sea of Stars

I haven’t played Baldur’s Gate 3 yet, but everything I’ve heard about this game makes it feel inevitable that it’ll get a nomination. To me, the only other sure thing on my list is the excellent Tears of the Kingdom. Spider-Man 2 is a safe pick, and Resident Evil 4 Remake is a personal favorite from this year. While there are other games that could be nominees, I decided to round out my list with* Super Mario Bros. Wonder* as a family friendly pick and Sea of Stars as an indie pick.

Honorable mentions:

Any of these could easily make the nominees list also, considering the buzz and critical praise around them:

1. Alan Wake 2

2. Starfield

3. Final Fantasy XVI

4. Hi-Fi Rush

5. Armored Core VI