The Golden Joystick Awards 2023 – Here are the nominees in full

What an astonishing quality of 2023’s game releases! Have your choices made the list?  

Here are the Golden Joystick Awards 2023 Nominations:

Best Audio
Stray Gods
Hi-Fi Rush
Bomb Rush Cyberfunk
Starfield
The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
Final Fantasy XVI

Best Storytelling
Baldur’s Gate 3
The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood
Armored Core VI: Fires Of Rubicon
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals
PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Best Game Community
Final Fantasy XIV
Warframe
Baldur’s Gate 3
Deep Rock Galactic
Dreams
The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

Best Game Expansion
Power Wash Simulator DLC
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom
The Case of the Golden Idol Mysteries: The Lemurian Vampire and Spider of Lanka
Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania
A Little to the Left: Cupboards & Drawers

Best Gaming Hardware
PlayStation VR2
Turtle Beach Stealth Pro Headset
Alienware 34 AW3423DWF
Nitro Deck
ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96
Samsung 990 PRO

Best Indie Game
Dave the Diver
Pizza Tower
Dredge
Cocoon
Viewfinder
Sea of Stars

Best Multiplayer Game
Exoprimal
Diablo IV
Street Fighter 6
Remnant II
Mortal Kombat 1
We Were Here Expeditions: The FriendShip

Best Visual Design
Baldur’s Gate 3
Starfield
Hi-Fi Rush
Viewfinder
Lies Of P
Street Fighter 6

Nintendo Game of the Year
Pikmin 4
The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
Fire Emblem Engage
Metroid Prime Remastered
Octopath Traveller II
Fae Farm

PC Game of the Year
Baldur’s Gate 3
Diablo IV
Dave the Diver
Tchia
System Shock
Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew

PlayStation Game of the Year
Final Fantasy XVI
Resident Evil 4
Street Fighter 6
Humanity
Armored Core VI: Fires Of Rubicon
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Xbox Game of the Year
Starfield
Chants of Sennaar
Hi-Fi Rush
Planet of Lana
Dead Space
Pentiment

Still Playing Award
No Man’s Sky
Genshin Impact
The Sims 4
Fortnite
Naraka Bladepoint
GTA Online
Warframe
Valorant
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive / Counter-Strike 2
Apex Legends
Dota 2
Call of Duty

Studio of the Year
Larian Studios
Digital Eclipse
Nintendo EPD
Mimimi Games
Remedy Entertainment
CD Projekt Red

Best Game Trailer
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty – Official Cinematic Trailer
Alan Wake 2 – The Dark Place Gameplay Trailer
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Official Trailer #3
Baby Steps Reveal Trailer
Mortal Kombat 1 – Official It’s In Our Blood Trailer
Dave the Diver – Official Release Month And Accolades Trailer

Most Wanted Game
Death Stranding 2
Star Wars Outlaws
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Tekken 8
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Hades II
Fable
Hollow Knight: Silksong
EVERYWHERE
Frostpunk 2
ARK 2
METAL GEAR SOLID Δ: SNAKE EATER
Persona 3 Reload
Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Pacific Drive
Black Myth: Wukong
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden
Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin

Returning in 2023 Best VR Game
C-Smash VRS
Horizon Call of the Mountain VR
Synapse
Vertigo 2 VR
F1 23 VR
The Light Brigade

You’ve also got the Breakthrough Award, Critics’ Choice Award, and Lifetime Achievement categories, with the winners being selected by a group of journalists from GamesRadar+, PCGamer, Future Game Show, EDGE Magazine, Retro Gamer, and PLAY magazine alongside Future’s trusted network of freelance writers. Much like the other categories, the winners will be revealed on the big night – no spoilers before then!