Top Contenders for Game of the Year 2023 Awards

What a year 2023 has been for gamers! Fans saw the arrival of many Game of the Year 2023 contenders from the industry giants like PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo. Further, there were some unique releases from other game studios that mesmerized the audience. However, the year isn’t over yet. While The Game Awards is 2 months away, there are more AAA titles like Call of Duty coming for the fans to enjoy.

While the gaming community is waiting for December to arrive, gamers are already hard at work, creating a list of their picks. The list of winners of the prestigious Game of the Year includes some massive games like Elden Ring, The Last of Us 2, God of War and more. And there is reason to believe that the below six titles all stand a chance to join the elite list.

Can The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom win GOTY 2023?

Released in May of this year, this game from Nintendo is a sure entry on the list of nominees. Following the success of Breath of the Wild was a daunting task to achieve. However, the devs at Nintendo heard the community and gave players ‘the power of imagination’ in Tears of the Kingdom. And after all, the game sold over a whopping 18.51 million units within 2 months of its release.

This game was a smash hit in the summer but has now slowed its pace. However, fans should not take this title lightly as it may surprise everyone and win the title. But it will receive healthy competition from a title that also offers players to use their imagination.

Is Baldur’s Gate 3 in the running for Game of the Year 2023?

After a long time in early access, Baldur’s Gate 3 was fully released on August 3. And it was a smash hit right off its release. BG3 brought a whole new take on the Dungeons & Dragons-type games. Netizens called it a near-perfect game, and rightfully so. The game has a meta score of 96! Larian devs truly outdid themselves with this release. 

The game had everything a player wanted – intricate storylines, memorable NPCs, and a hint of romance. Taking the gaming world by surprise, Baldur’s Gate 3 arguably is the forerunner in the race to win the GOTY title.

Can Spider-Man 2 still win GOTY 2023 after a late release?

While the above two titles have already established fan bases, PlayStation’s Spider-Man 2 is currently running on expectations alone. Many fans have only seen the gameplay that Sony presented while having only played the 2018’s Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales. However, all these things were enough for the fans to declare it a GOTY 2023 contender. 

Fans have high hopes for the sequel. With the introduction of the venom symbiote, Kraven, Lizard and Venom himself, the game is not lacking for content. And Insomniac has the entire community aboard the hype train. Further, with the Spider-man 2 themed Adidas sneakers and the ps5 bundle, they’re going big!

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Whether the game will remain in the running for GOTY 2023 will be known after its release. But looking at what Insomniac has planned for the game, it is sure to be a good fight for the top spot.

Will the remake of Resident Evil 4 clutch the GOTY 2023?

This entry has arguably seen many mixed reviews from critics. While on one hand, fans are praising Resident Evil 4, some just don’t see it running for GOTY 2023. However, since its release in March, the game has averaged a 90+ score on rating sites. 

Furthermore, another remake, Resident Evil 2, was also in the running for GOTY 2019. So the latest entry from Capcom can surely make the list again. Whether it will win will be in the hands of the jury.

What about Final Fantasy 16 for GOTY 2023?

While other titles on the list are more likely to be nominated, Final Fantasy 16 will be the underdog who can win it all. This game from Square Enix has been a big success since its release, with over 3 million units sold during its first week after launch. Furthermore, the implementation of AI companions was loved by many players, too.

But FF16’s road to the top will be a tough one as it will have many big titles to take down. The loyal fans of the game, however, consider it will be the winner of GOTY 2023.

Will Super Mario Bros. Wonder win just from using nostalgia?

Another title from Nintendo, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is steadily making its place in the hearts of the fans. The game revisits the side-scrolling platform gameplay, which was a staple for Mario games. The devs have found the right balance between new features and nostalgia, which is a major reason behind the game’s success.

However, critics are still not ready to accept this game as a Game of the Year 2023 nominee. On the other hand, fans consider this game to be worthy of a nomination just based on nostalgia. 

Like last year, the list is kept to six titles only. However, titles like Starfield, Hi-Fi Rush, or maybe Alan Wake 2 can also make the list. And Starfield is definitely worth mentioning. Having broken steam records before its release, it is Bethesda’s big play for this year. And it made a lot of noise.

It goes to show the level of quality games that have come out just this year. And the Game Awards 2023 on December 7 will be a great event for fans looking at Game of the Year 2023.

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