As excitement builds for end of the year video game awards, Baldur’s Gate 3 Dominates the Golden Joystick Awards with an early win!
Baldur’s Gate 3 Dominates the Golden Joystick Awards
The year 2023 has been a great one for video games and the fans who love to play them. There have been numerous great games, both exclusives and those which have released on all platforms, that have pushed the edges of technology, told unique stories and given players hours of fun. As we near the end of the calendar year fans everywhere have been passionately debating the merits of all their favorite games. Voted on by millions of players and fans, the Golden Joystick Awards is one of the first true tests of which game will come out on top.
Baldur’s Gate 3 For Game of the Year
Baldur’s Gate 3, developed and published by Larian Studios, was something of a dark horse. A turn-based combat strategy game based off of the tabletop game Dungeons & Dragons, it had been in Early Access for nearly three years. As a CRPG, it fit more into a niche genre of game. Players who experienced the Early Access reviewed the game positively. However, general industry expectations of how the game would be received by a larger audience were modest.
It was argued by some that Larian Studios moved the original full release date of August 31 up to August 3 partly to avoid launching so close to the Bethesda Game Studios juggernaut Starfield. Thus, giving the game some breathing room. And hoping players would give the game a try while they waited for what (until then) was the much more hyped title.
What followed was an exceitment for and love of the game few could have predicted. Larian Studios earned praise for delivering a high level of quality, both technically and narratively. The power of player choice and how it impacted the story. The meaningful ways in which companion players developed. The flatout silly fun players could have simply trying anything and everything to accomplish their goals. Consequently, all of this and more has made Baldur’s Gate 3 one of the top titles spoken of in social media and online forms for the ultimate Game of the Year.
Golden Joystick Awards
For over 40 years, players themselves have chosen the Golden Joystick Awards through popular vote. Also known as the People’s Gaming Awards, the first awards were granted in 1983. It is now the longest-running video game award ceremony. As their site itself describes “Every year, millions of fans show their support for their favourite games, developers, publishers and personalities of the last 12 months.”
This year the Golden Joystick Awards received the a record number of votes from gamers across the globe. Reflecting both the popularity of games this year, as well as the passionate opnions players have about them. With nearly two dozen catagories to potentially place in, Baldur’s Gate 3 Dominates the Golden Joystick Awards with an incredible seven wins! Significantly, that includes Ultimate Game of the Year as well as Studio of the Year for the developers at Larian Studios.
Here are all of the Golden Joystick Awards 2023 Catagoies and Winners:
- Best Storytelling – Baldur’s Gate 3
- Still Playing Award – No Man’s Sky
- Best Visual Design – Baldur’s Gate 3
- Studio of the Year – Larian Studios
- Best Game Expansion – Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
- Best Indie Game – Sea of Stars
- Best VR Game– Horizon Call of the Mountain
- Best Multiplayer Game– Mortal Kombat 1
- Best Audio – Final Fantasy XVI
- Best Game Trailer – Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
- Best Streaming Game– Valorant
- Best Game Community – Baldur’s Gate 3
- Best Gaming Hardware – PSVR 2
- Breakthrough Award – Coccoon / Geometric Interactive
- Critics’ Choice Award – Alan Wake II
- Best Lead Performer – Ben Starr, Final Fantasy XVI
- Best Supporting Performer – Neil Newborn, Astarion, Baldur’s Gate 3
- Nintendo Game of the Year – The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- PC Game of the Year – Baldur’s Gate 3
- Xbox Game of the Year– Starfield
- PlayStation Game of the Year – Resident Evil 4
- Most Wanted Game – Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
- Ultimate GOTY– Baldur’s Gate 3
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