Baldur’s Gate 3 was the big winner at last night’s Game Awards 2023 ceremony, taking home six total awards including the coveted Game of the Year. The fantasy role-playing game beat out stiff competition like Elden Ring, God of War Ragnarök, and Horizon Forbidden West to claim gaming’s highest honor.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Surprises with Stealth Xbox Launch
In a surprise move timed with its Game of the Year win, developer Larian Studios stealth launched Baldur’s Gate 3 on Xbox Series X/S consoles. The game appeared on the Xbox store immediately following its GotY announcement during The Game Awards live show.
Larian head Swen Vincke took the stage suited in plate armor to accept the award, capping off Baldur’s Gate 3’s sudden and splashy next-gen console debut. The game was previously only available on PC, where it has remained in early access for over two years.
Complete Baldur’s Gate 3 Game Awards 2023 Winners List
Here is the full list of categories and winners from The Game Awards 2023 ceremony:
| Award | Winner |
|---|---|
| Game of the Year | Baldur’s Gate 3 |
| Best Game Direction | Elden Ring |
| Best Narrative | God of War Ragnarok |
| Best Art Direction | Scorn |
| Best Score/Music | Metal: Hellsinger |
| Best Audio Design | God of War Ragnarök |
| Best Performance | Christopher Judge, God of War Ragnarök |
| Games for Impact | As Dusk Falls |
| Best Ongoing Game | Final Fantasy XIV |
| Best Indie | Stray |
| Best Debut Indie | Stray |
| Best Mobile | Marvel Snap |
| Best Community Support | Final Fantasy XIV |
| Innovation in Accessibility | God of War Ragnarök |
| Best VR/AR | Moss: Book II |
| Best Action | Bayonetta 3 |
| Best Action/Adventure | God of War Ragnarök |
| Best Roleplaying | Baldur’s Gate 3 |
| Best Fighting | MultiVersus |
| Best Family | Kirby’s Dream Buffet |
| Best Sim/Strategy | Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope |
| Best Sports/Racing | Gran Turismo 7 |
| Best Multiplayer | Splatoon 3 |
| Most Anticipated Game | The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom |
| Content Creator of the Year | Nibellion |
| Best Adaptation | Arcane: League of Legends |
| Best Esports Game | Valorant |
| Best Esports Athlete | Jacob ‘Yay’ Whiteaker |
| Best Esports Team | LA Thieves |
| Best Esports Coach | Bae ‘sup7eme’ Chanyong |
| Best Esports Event | 2022 League of Legends World Championship |
Baldur’s Gate 3 also earned special Players’ Voice and Best RPG awards in addition to the Game of the Year honor. The game beat out tough competition in the RPG category, besting mega-hits like Elden Ring and Pokemon Legends: Arceus.
Critical Reception and Fan Hype Sky High
With its surprise launch and heap of Game Awards wins, enthusiasm for Baldur’s Gate 3 is at an all-time high. Early critical reception to the Xbox version has been glowing, with many outlets praising the translation to console as seamless. Review aggregator OpenCritic shows 96% of critics recommending the game so far.
Fans online and across social media also expressed excitement, hype, and memes about Baldur’s Gate 3’s splashy Game Awards wins and stealth release. The game dominated gaming conversation during and after The Game Awards broadcast.
Popular streamer Asmongold’s reaction summed up fan sentiment: “Everybody f***ing knew it! Let’s go baby!” he exclaimed about the Game of the Year announcement.
What’s Next for Baldur’s Gate 3 After Game Awards Triumph?
With its awards haul and console launch, what’s next for Baldur’s Gate 3? The game remains in early access on PC, albeit now with a console presence as well. Developer Larian Studios previously outlined plans to launch the full 1.0 version in 2023. It’s possible last night’s GOTY win accelerates that timeline.
Either way, the future looks bright for Baldur’s Gate 3. In a genre dominated by Elder Scrolls and Fallout for decades, Baldur’s Gate 3 brings fresh energy and ideas to Western RPGs. Its gameplay innovations like verticality, simulated dice rolls, and environmental interactions set a new bar. Combined with last night’s critical and fan validation, Baldur’s Gate 3 seems poised to become the new face of CRPGs in the years ahead.
That wraps up the big headlines from The Game Awards 2023 and Baldur’s Gate 3’s huge night. With its stealth console drop and pile of awards, the game cemented itself as not just 2023’s best, but an RPG powerhouse for the future. We’ll keep an eye out for updates on the Baldur’s Gate 3 1.0 launch in the coming year.
To err is human, but AI does it too. Whilst factual data is used in the production of these articles, the content is written entirely by AI. Double check any facts you intend to rely on with another source.
