The 2023 VSG Game Awards (the VSGAs) have arrived! From Alan Wake 2 to Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom to Final Fantasy XVI, 2023 was a remarkable year for gaming.
The VSGAs, now in their 7th year, recognize the best from the year in gaming. Nominees are selected for recognition based on editorial discretion and critical excellence, as reflected by the game’s MetaMeter Score (percent critic recommended), Average Score, and Adjusted Score. The 2023 awards cover games released between December 1, 2022 and November 30, 2023, and includes five categories of awards: Genre Awards (Action, Action/Adventure, Platformer, Role-Playing Game, Indie, Shooter, Strategy, Sports/Racing), Platform Awards (Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, PC), People’s Choice Award, and a Game of the Year.
Here’s what you need to know.
How to View The Announcements
The VSGAs are announced via VSG’s official Instagram channel on these key dates:
- December 4, 2023: Nominees Announced
- December 11 to 12, 2023: Genre/Category Winners Announced
- December 13, 2023: Platform Winners Announced
- December 18 to 22, 2023: Game of the Year (countdown from 10)
- January 8, 2024 to TBD: People’s Choice Tournament
Individual Game Hubs and the VSGA Archive will be updated following the Instagram announcement.
The 2023 VSGA Nominees
Game of the Year Countdown:
- Alan Wake II (Remedy Entertainment)
- Baldur’s Gate 3 (Larian Studios)
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo)
- Final Fantasy XVI (Square Enix)
- Resident Evil 4 (Capcom)
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (Insomniac Games)
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Nintendo)
- Sea of Stars (Sabotage Studio)
- Hi-Fi Rush (Tango Gameworks)
- Dead Space Remake (Motive Studios)
Best Action Game:
- Hi-Fi Rush (Tango Gameworks) – WINNER
- Remnant II (Gunfire Games)
- Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon (FromSoftware)
- Street Fighter 6 (Capcom)
- Mortal Kombat 1 (NetherRealm Studios)
Best RPG:
- Diablo IV (Blizzard Entertainment)
- Sea of Stars (Sabotage)
- Baldur’s Gate 3 (Larian Studios) – WINNER
- Final Fantasy XVI (Square Enix)
- Octopath Traveller II (Square Enix)
Best Action Adventure:
- Resident Evil 4 (Capcom)
- Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (Respawn Entertainment)
- Alan Wake II (Remedy Entertainment)
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (Insomniac Games)
- Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo) – WINNER
Best Platformer:
- Jusant (Don’t Nod)
- Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania (Motion Twin)
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Nintendo EDP) – WINNER
- Blasphemous II (The Game Kitchen)
- Pizza Tower (Tour De Pizza)
Best Sports/Racing:
- F1 23 (Codemasters) – WINNER
- EA Sports UFC 5 (EA Vancouver)
- WWE 2K23 (Visual Concepts)
- Forza Motorsport (Turn 10 Studios)
- MLB The Show 23 (SIE San Diego Studio)
Best Shooter:
- Dead Space Remake (Motive Studios)
- Alan Wake II (Remedy Entertainment) – WINNER
- El Paso, Elsewhere (Strange Scaffold)
- Warhammer 40k: Boltgun (Auroch Digital)
- Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty (CD Projekt Red)
Best Strategy/Puzzle:
- Cocoon (Geometric Interactive)
- Pikmin 4 (Nintendo EDP)
- Viewfinder (Sad Owl Studios)
- The Talos Principle II (Croteam) – WINNER
- Humanity (Tha Ltd)
Best Indie Game:
- Dredge (Black Salt Games)
- Cocoon (Geometric Interactive)
- Chants of Sennaar (Rundisc)
- Sea of Stars (Sabotage) – WINNER
- Venba (Visai Games)
Winners announced on @verticalslicegames.
