The Game Awards 2021 has released its list of nominees for the Video Game Award nominations, and it looks like the 2023 awards will be a ever-more exciting show with the addition of Alan Wake 2 and Baldur’s Gate 3. Both games have earned 8 prestigious nominations each and are among the frontrunners for the award show.
For Alan Wake 2, some of the conspicuous nods include nominations for Best Audio Design and Best Xbox One / PC Game. The game also earned nominations for Most Wanted, Best of Xbox and PC, Best Performance, and Best Art Direction. On the other hand, Baldur’s Gate 3 secured Best RPG, Best PC Game, Best Writing, Best Xbox One / PC Game, Best Performance, Best Art Direction, and Best Audio Design nominations. This is probably a testament to the high production values of both games.
Alongside these two titles, some of the other games grabbing eyeballs include open world adventure Horizon : Zero Dawn, where the commercial success of the franchise has been juxtaposed with critical acclaim for its storyline, visuals, and expansive world. Meanwhile, sophomore title Hades has also earned a lot of praise along with 7 nominations. Similarly, Ghost of Tsushima has garnered a lot of appreciation along with 6 nominations.
The 2023 award show might come as a big relief to many gamers, who are eagerly waiting to get their hands on some of these games. The list of nominations and the overall enthusiasm surrounding these games suggest that the show is going to be one of the most highly-anticipated events in the gaming calendar.
What remains to be seen is whether any of these games is going to clinch multiple awards, or whether the awards are going to be evenly split among them. Some of the popular trends this year include games that focus on environmental concerns, mental health perspectives, and reviews of innovative franchises. While it is always exciting to see the titans of the industry vying for top honors, it will be interesting to see how these new trends play out in the award show.
