By Sagar V. Mankar To Honor the 2023’s best games, Valve reveals this year’s Steam Awards finalists across 11 categories like Game of the Year and Visual Style. Valve is calling on the gaming community to cast their votes and play a crucial role in deciding this year’s winners.
The voting period kicks off on December 21, 2023, and concludes on January 2, 2024, at 6 pm UK time. As an added incentive, voters will unlock special stickers along the way.
The winners will be announced on January 2, 2024, at 10 am Pacific time.
Sizing Up Heavy Hitters Gunning For Game of the Year Glory
The finalists for Game of the Year cover a variety of genres and offer great depth. Baldur’s Gate 3 and Resident Evil 4 compete for the top prize, along with Lethal Company, an indie hit that proves Steam users judge games based on quality alone.
The FIFA series has earned another nomination, while the GoY winner in many awards shows – Hogwarts Legacy also made its strong position.
It’s hard to predict which game will win, but we’ll see who takes home the trophy.
VR Innovation Continues Pushing Boundaries
Transitioning to projects advancing immersive frontiers, five Visual Reality trailblazers vie for superlative software efforts escaping screens into fully simulated worlds.
VR Game of the Year Award
- I Expect You to Die 3
- F1 23
- Ghosts of Tabor
- Gorilla Tag
- Labyrinthine
Who Will Rise As Labor of Love Champion?
Shifting gears, the Labor of Love category applauds developers tirelessly refining and expanding titles year after year.
And is anyone shocked witnessing DOTA 2 reach nominee status for the fifth straight time given Valve’s notorious long-haul dedication?
Labour of Love Award
- Dota 2
- Apex Legends
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- Rust
- Deep Rock Galactic
Deck-Friendly Titles Showcase Steam’s Hardware Innovation
Award categories also wisely evolve evaluating recent Steam innovations, hence the Best on Deck spotlight for software tailor-made enjoying handheld play.
2023’s perfect Switch competitor has developers scrambling to showcase titles at their contactless best.
Best Game on Steam Deck Award
- Hogwarts Legacy
- Diablo 4
- The Outlast Trials
- Brotato
- Dredge
Better With Friends Award
It included those Multiplayer games that gamers love to play with their friends and family.
- Party Animals
- Sunkenland
- Sons of the Forest
- Warhammer 40,000: Darktide
- Lethal Company
Best Game You Suck At Award
This award honored those games that are so tedious to play but still gamers do not lose hope for winning them and continue deep into it
- EA Sports FC 24
- Lords of the Fallen
- Overwatch 2
- Sifu
- Street Fighter 6
Outstanding Visual Style Award
- Atomic Heart
- Darkest Dungeon
- High on Life
- Cocoon
- Inward
Most Innovative Gameplay Award
- Shadows of Doubt
- Your Only Move is Hustle
- Remnant 2
- Contraband Police
- Starfield
Best Soundtrack Award
- Persona 5 Tactica
- Hi-Fi Rush
- The Last of Us Part 1
- Chants of Sennaar
- Pizza Tower
Outstanding Rich Story Award
- Star Wars Jedi Survivor
- Love is All Around
- baldur’s Gate 3
- Lies of P
- Resident Evil 4
Who Will Claim Coveted Game of the Year Honors?
While individual categories offer bragging rights for developers, one supreme award remains the crowning achievement: Game of the Year.
Last year’s champion Elden Ring reflected Steam’s embrace of diverse, creative indies. But 2023 seems a return to blockbuster form with heavyweight hitters leading nominations.
Image Source: Valve