Today, gamescom 2023 kicks off with the Opening Night Live. In addition to numerous announcements, trailers, and playable demos, the gamescom awards 2023 will also be awarded. This year’s winners will be determined by a 19-member jury as well as through fan and visitor voting. Here you will find the details.
What is it about? Just before the start of gamescom 2023, the Köln Messe announced the nominations for this year’s gamescom awards 2023.
The gamescom awards will honor winners in a total of 16 categories this year. These are divided into three groups: Arts, Platform, and Global.
The winners will be determined through jury voting. Additionally, starting from the official launch with the Opening Night Live until Thursday, August 24, 2023, at 2:00 PM, fans and visitors of gamescom 2023 can also vote in the categories “Best of Show Floor” and “Best Trailer / Announcement”.
The fan and visitor voting works online via the gamescom homepage as well as on-site with QR codes.
Who is on the jury? The jury consists of 19 people from German and international media, social media, the gaming community, the USK, and journalists.
- Adam Newell, GAMURS
- Anja Luzega, USK
- Anne Wernicke, journalist
- Brendan Frye, CGMagazine
- Ivonne Erhard, Iventuell
- Jan König, USK
- Janina Völkening, USK
- Lisa Ludwig, moviepilot
- Maddy Myers, Polygon
- Marcel Kleffmann, GamesMarkt
- Marco Accordl Rickards, gamesvillage.it
- Matt Gardner, Forbes
- Max Krüger, Frodoapparat
- Petra Fröhlich, gameswirtschaft.de
- Rae Grimm, Webedia Gaming
- Simon Lim, Thisisgame.com
- Stephan Bliemel, Steinwallen
- Uke Bosse, MDH Berlin
- Valentina Hirsch, ZDF
When will the winners be announced? The award ceremony will take place on gamescom Friday, August 25, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, in the gamescom studio hosted by IGN in Hall 8. The award in the category gamescom Green Studio of the Year will already be presented as part of the Opening Night Live.
Who is nominated? Here you will find the overview of all nominees in their respective categories.
Category “Arts”
Best Visuals:
- Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, From Software / Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Black Myth: Wukong, Game Science Interactive Technology
- REKA, Emberstorm Entertainment / Fireshine Games
- Sand Land, ILCA, Inc. / Bandai Namco Entertainment
- The Many Pieces of Mr. Coo, Gammera Nest / Meridiem Games
Best Audio:
- Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, From Software / Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Headbangers: Rhythm Royale, Glee-Cheese / Team17 Digital
- REKA, Emberstorm Entertainment / Fireshine Games
- Savant – Ascent Remix, D-Pad Studio
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo
Best Gameplay
- Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, From Software / Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Paper Trail, Newfangled Games
- Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew, Mimimi Games
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo
- The Wandering Village, Stray Fawn Studio
Most Entertaining
- AK-xolotl, 2Awesome Studio / Playstack
- Core Keeper, Pugstorm / Fireshine Games
- Headbangers: Rhythm Royale, Glee-Cheese / Team17 Digital
- PAYDAY 3, Starbreeze Studios / Plaion
- Pizza Possum, Cosy Computer / Raw Fury
Most Epic
- Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, From Software / Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Black Myth: Wukong, Game Science Interactive Technology
- Dwarf Fortress, Bay 12 Games / Kitfox Games
- Sand Land, ILCA / Bandai Namco Entertainment
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo
Most Wholesome
- Pikmin 4, Nintendo
- Pioneers of Pagonia, Envision Entertainment
- Smushi Come Home, Mooneye Publishing
- The Wandering Village, Stray Fawn Studio
- Tiny Bookshop, neoludic games
Games for Impact
- A Space for the Unbound, Mojiken / Toge Productions
- Belonging, Farbspiel Interactive
- Dead Pets Unleashed, Triple Topping Games
- Fall of Porcupine, Critical Rabbit / Assemble Entertainment
- Sky: Children of the Light, thatgamecompany
Category “Platform”
Best Microsoft Xbox Game:
- Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, From Software / Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Enotria: The Last Song, Jyamma Games
- Mortal Kombat 1, NetherRealm Studios / Warner Bros. Entertainment
- The Wandering Village, Stray Fawn Studio
- Towerborne, Stoic / Xbox Game Studios
Best Nintendo Switch Game:
- Fall of Porcupine, Critical Rabbit / Assemble Entertainment
- Figment 2: Creed Valley, Bedtime Digital Games
- Paper Trail, Newfangled Games
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo
- The Smurfs 2 – The Prisoner of the Green Stone, Osome Studio / Microids
Best PC Game:
- Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, From Software / Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Dwarf Fortress, Bay 12 Games / Kitfox Games
- PAYDAY 3, Starbreeze Studios / Plaion
- REKA, Emberstorm Entertainment / Fireshine Games
- Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew, Mimimi Games
Best Sony PlayStation Game:
- Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, From Software / Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Enotria: The Last Song, Jyamma Games
- Mortal Kombat 1, NetherRealm Studios / Warner Bros. Entertainment
- Sand Land, ILCA / Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Tekken 8, Bandai Namco Entertainment
Best Mobile Game:
- Genshin Impact, HoYoverse
- Marvel Snap, Second Dinner Studios / Nuverse
- Monster Hunter Now, Niantic / Capcom
- Paper Trail, Newfangled Games
- Sky: Children of the Light, thatgamecompany
Category “Group”
What is the category “Best Trailer / Announcement”? Here the jury, fans, and visitors vote on the coolest new trailer or the best announcement of a game made during gamescom 2023.
What is the category “Best of Show Floor”? In this category, the best exhibition at gamescom 2023 is awarded.
What is the “Heart of Gaming Award”? This special award is given by the jury to highlights of gamescom 2023. Games, expansions, technologies, people, institutions, companies, concepts, or terms can win.
The nominees for the “gamescom Green Studio of the Year” award:
- Frontier Developments
- Ubisoft
- Xbox
The first award ceremony will take place during the Opening Night Live at 8 PM local time on August 22. You can stay up to date tonight with our live ticker for the event:
gamescom: Opening Night Live – Stream in the ticker with all trailers
Disclaimer: Rae Grimm is Head of Digital Publishing at Webedia Gaming, responsible for MeinMMO, GameStar, and GamePro. Rae Grimm is part of the jury for the gamescom award 2023.
Lisa Ludwig is the editor-in-chief of the website Moviepilot.de, which belongs to Webedia GmbH. She is also part of the jury for the gamescom award 2023.
Webedia Gaming (GameStar, GamePro, MeinMMO) is the official media partner of gamescom 2023.
