Here are the nominees & our predictions for The Game Awards 2023

Prediction: Baldur’s Gate 3

It’s almost too difficult to choose one from the list of nominations revealed for Game Of The Year. If you’ve been gaming through this year you can definitely see the snubs in the air, including the acclaimed Starfield. However, this year’s prediction stays with Larian Studios’ Baldur’s Gate 3. The sheer scale at which the game has been developed, with masterful programming and multiple playthrough possibilities, Baldur’s Gate 3 has achieved the unimaginable and topped revenue charts in the US and the UK.

Best Game Direction

Nominees: Alan Wake 2, Baldur’s Gate 3, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

Prediction: The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

2017’s The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild blew player’s minds with the kind of design and direction implemented in the game. The systems till date are being discovered and amid this, Nintendo drops another banger with its sequel Tears Of The Kingdom. Topping its predecessor with improved systems and imaginations beyond the ordinary – the paths taken by players powered by their creativity make this game the biggest contender that could possibly take the prize for Best Direction.

Best Narrative

Nominees: Alan Wake 2, Baldur’s Gate 3, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, Final Fantasy XVI

Prediction: Alan Wake 2

Compared to the narratives in the past few years in gaming, this year’s line-up definitely feels like it’s missing something. Among the listed potential nominees, however, Alan Wake 2 carried by Remedy’s brand of weird storytelling is definitely the strongest taker of Best Narrative. It’s a surprise that the jury threw in Phantom Liberty – an expansion to the contentious Cyberpunk 2077 despite being a DLC that overhauled the 2020 game. Final Fantasy XVI comes close but did have its dips in storytelling as observed by fans.

Best RPG (Role Playing Games)

Nominees: Lies Of P, Baldur’s Gate 3, Final Fantasy XVI, Sea Of Stars, Starfield

Prediction: Baldur’s Gate 3

Lies Of P was a pleasant surprise to this year’s nominations given that there hasn’t been much noise for Soulslike games since Elden Ring. However, if anyone thinks true Role Playing Games this year, it’s definitely the D&D-inspired Baldur’s Gate 3. The carving of one’s path through the course of the game is truly RPG at its core and far surpasses many of the linear structures listed in the nominations.

Best Independent Games

Nominees: Cocoon, Dave The Diver, Dredge, Sea Of Stars, Viewfinder

Prediction: Viewfinder

Indie games are often the ones that bring in surprises that many big budget AAA games could not present. While they might not lack the graphical supremacy or the programming of large-scale games, they bring a sense of polish and stay rent free in your heart when done right. This year’s pick is a tough one between Sea Of Stars and Viewfinder but with the challenges and new perspectives brought in by the game, Viewfinder is definitely the pick for the prediction. The game pushes gamers to think differently and offers multiple discoveries through the course of its playtime which are unparalleled.

Best Mobile Game

Nominees: Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis, Hello Kitty Adventure Island, Honkai: Star Rail, Monster Hunter Now, Terra Nil

Prediction: Honkai: Star Rail

Fans of Genshin Impact will almost instantly relate with the critically acclaimed Honkai: Star Rail – the next addition in the studio miHoYo’s Hoyoverse. The kind of visuals, soundtrack and gameplay direction achieved of Honkai: Star Rail makes it hard to remind yourself that it’s a mobile game. Given miHoYo’s track record too, it’ll be no surprise if Honkai Star Rail takes the cookie.

Most Anticipated Game

Nominees: Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, Hades II, Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Star Wars Outlaws, Tekken 8

Prediction: Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth

The Most Anticipated Game category was, perhaps, the hardest to pick from. Powerhouse titles lined up for 2024 make the desire to skip directly to their launches much stronger and we’re pretty sure this would also end up being a flip of a coin for you to decide. However, with the praise, direction, and long-endured gap from its predecessor’s release the pick for this is a definite Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth. Nearly every PlayStation State Of Play announcement has been bombarded with requests for a glimpse of this upcoming title till fans finally shed happy tears on its reveal. The world created looks stunning, the gameplay more impressive then ever and its release date of February 29, 2024 couldn’t come any sooner.

The full list of nominations and voting window

The voting window is open for gamers on The Game Awards’ website. Fans are login to their account and cast their votes for whom they want to see taking the awards for their favorite categories. There are many more categories to choose from and you can cast your votes before December 6, 2023.

Catch the game awards live on their official YouTube channel next month.