The Golden Joystick Awards is an annual event that recognizes the best in video games across various categories. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the awards, and it will take place on November 21, 2023, at the Magazine London venue.
Nominees and Categories
The nominees for the Golden Joystick Awards 2023 were announced on October 28, 2023. The categories include:
| Category | Nominees |
|---|---|
| Game of the Year | Elden Ring, God of War Ragnarök, Horizon Forbidden West, Stray, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 |
| Best Indie Game | Cult of the Lamb, Neon White, Norco, Tunic, Vampire Survivors |
| Best Multiplayer Game | Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, Fortnite, Overwatch 2, Valorant |
| Best Story | A Plague Tale: Requiem, God of War Ragnarök, Horizon Forbidden West, Stray, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 |
| Best Visual Design | A Plague Tale: Requiem, Elden Ring, God of War Ragnarök, Horizon Forbidden West, Stray |
| Best Sound Design | A Plague Tale: Requiem, God of War Ragnarök, Horizon Forbidden West, Stray, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 |
| Best Performance | Christopher Judge (Kratos in God of War Ragnarök), David Bateson (Agent 47 in Hitman 3), Manon Gage (Amicia de Rune in A Plague Tale: Requiem), Michelle Yeoh (Evelyn Wang in Everything Everywhere All at Once), Ozioma Akagha (Tani in Stray) |
| Studio of the Year | FromSoftware, Guerrilla Games, Naughty Dog, Santa Monica Studio, Sucker Punch Productions |
| Most Wanted Game | Diablo IV, Final Fantasy XVI, Hogwarts Legacy, Starfield, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom |
| eSports Game of the Year | Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, League of Legends, Overwatch 2, Valorant |
| Best Mobile Game | Apex Legends Mobile, Diablo Immortal, Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile, Tower of Fantasy |
| Best VR/AR Game | Beat Saber, Half-Life: Alyx, Horizon Call of the Mountain, Pistol Whip, Resident Evil 4 VR |
Voting and Results
Voting for the Golden Joystick Awards 2023 is open to the public. Fans can vote for their favorite games and creators by visiting the official Golden Joystick Awards website. The deadline for voting is November 14, 2023.
The winners will be announced at the Golden Joystick Awards ceremony on November 21, 2023. The ceremony will be streamed live on the Golden Joystick Awards YouTube channel.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: When is the Golden Joystick Awards 2023 taking place?
A: November 21, 2023
Q: Where will the Golden Joystick Awards 2023 be held?
A: Magazine London venue
Q: How can I vote for my favorite games?
A: Visit the official Golden Joystick Awards website
Q: When is the deadline for voting?
A: November 14, 2023
Q: Where can I watch the Golden Joystick Awards ceremony?
A: Golden Joystick Awards YouTube channel
Reference:
Golden Joystick Awards 2022
The Golden Joystick Awards 2022 took place on November 22, 2022, and recognized the best video games of the year. Elden Ring took home the Ultimate Game of the Year award, while God of War Ragnarök won Game of the Year. Other notable winners included Horizon Forbidden West for Best Studio Game, Immortality for Best Game Trailer, and Vampire Survivors for Best Indie Game.
Golden Joystick Award for Game of the Year 2023
The Golden Joystick Award for Game of the Year 2023 was awarded to Elden Ring, a dark fantasy action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. The game received widespread critical acclaim for its open-world design, challenging gameplay, and immersive storytelling.
Other nominees for the award included:
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
- Horizon Forbidden West
- Stray
- God of War Ragnarök
- Live A Live
- Triangle Strategy
- Xenoblade Chronicles 3
- Sifu
- Marvel Snap
Golden Joystick Award for Game of the Year 2022
The Golden Joystick Awards, which honor the best games and hardware released each year, announced the 2022 Game of the Year:
- Elden Ring emerged as the winner, taking the coveted title for its expansive open world, challenging combat, and intricate lore.
Other nominees in the category included:
- God of War Ragnarok
- Horizon Forbidden West
- Stray
- Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Final Fantasy VII
Setting and Characters:
Final Fantasy VII takes place in a futuristic world where the megacorporation Shinra extracts the life force of the planet, causing widespread environmental damage and social unrest. The game follows Cloud Strife, a former member of Shinra’s elite SOLDIER unit, as he joins an eco-terrorist group called Avalanche to stop the company’s machinations.
Plot:
As Cloud and Avalanche investigate Shinra’s activities, they uncover a sinister plan to summon a powerful entity known as Meteor to destroy the planet. Cloud learns the truth about his past and the sacrifices he must make to save the world. Along the way, he meets a diverse cast of characters, including Aerith Gainsborough, a flower girl with a mysterious connection to the planet, and Sephiroth, a former SOLDIER legend who has become Shinra’s puppet.
Gameplay:
Final Fantasy VII is a role-playing game with turn-based combat. Players control a party of three characters, each with unique abilities and materia (magic). The game features a deep leveling system, side quests, and an epic storyline that explores themes of environmentalism, identity, and the consequences of one’s actions.
Final Fantasy XVI
Final Fantasy XVI is the upcoming sixteenth mainline installment in the Final Fantasy role-playing game series developed by Square Enix.
Set in the fictional realm of Valisthea, where the people rely on Mothercrystals for their survival, the story follows Clive Rosfield, a young prince who seeks revenge for the death of his younger brother. As he journey’s, he wields the powers of the Eikon Ifrit and unravels the secrets of a world on the brink of war.
Gameplay features real-time action combat, a customizable skill tree, and a story-driven narrative that explores themes of fate, freedom, and revenge. The game is scheduled for release on PlayStation 5 in 2023.
Final Fantasy XIV
Final Fantasy XIV (FFXIV) is an award-winning massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Square Enix. Released in 2010, it has undergone several major expansions and updates, including "A Realm Reborn" in 2012 and "Shadowbringers" in 2019.
FFXIV features a vast and immersive world known as Eorzea, which players explore as customizable characters. They can choose from various races and classes, each with unique abilities and playstyles. The game offers an extensive array of quests, dungeons, raids, trials, and other challenges.
Central to FFXIV’s gameplay is its player-driven economy and social interactions. Players can form guilds, engage in player-versus-player (PvP) battles, craft and trade items, and participate in numerous community events. The game also features a robust story-driven campaign that introduces complex characters and unfolds over multiple expansions. With its engaging gameplay, stunning graphics, and vibrant community, Final Fantasy XIV has become one of the most popular MMORPGs in the world.
Final Fantasy XV
Final Fantasy XV is an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and the fifteenth main installment in the Final Fantasy series. The story follows Noctis Lucis Caelum, the prince of the Kingdom of Lucis, who must journey with his friends Gladiolus Amicitia, Ignis Scientia, and Prompto Argentum to stop the Niflheim Empire from invading their homeland.
The gameplay combines real-time action with turn-based elements, allowing players to control Noctis directly in combat while his companions provide support. The game also features an open world that players can explore freely.
Final Fantasy XV was released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2016 and received generally positive reviews. Critics praised the game’s combat system, open world, and story, but some criticized its technical issues and pacing.
Final Fantasy Tactics
Final Fantasy Tactics is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation. It was released in Japan in 1997 and in North America and Europe in 1998. The game is set in the fictional world of Ivalice and follows the story of Ramza Beoulve, a young nobleman who joins a group of rebels fighting against a corrupt government.
The game is notable for its complex and innovative gameplay, which features a turn-based battle system with a unique job system that allows characters to learn and master a variety of abilities. It also features a branching storyline and multiple endings, depending on the player’s choices. Final Fantasy Tactics was critically acclaimed upon release and is considered one of the greatest video games of all time.
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