UPDATE: There are just a few days left to vote in this year's Golden Joystick Awards, with voting closing on Friday, October 20.
You can click the link to go vote right now, or scroll down for the full list of nominees.
Click here to vote in the Golden Joystick Awards 2023
Original story: Voting for this year's Golden Joystick Awards has begun, with a raft of nominees across multiple categories now available for you to consider for a vote.
You've got until October 20 to have your say in hotly contested categories including Best Storytelling, Best Visual Design, and Most Wanted Game.
Baldur's Gate 3 and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom lead the way with four nominations each, while multiple categories reveal intriguing matchups. For example, Street Fighter 6 squares up to Mortal Kombat 1 for Best Multiplayer Game.
If you're wondering why big games like Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Alan Wake 2 and Assassin's Creed Mirage aren't nominated for voting, it's for the simple reason that they are yet to be released or reviewed by our judges. However, we expect these titles to be in contention for Ultimate Game of the Year, which opens later on.
On October 23, we'll reveal the nominations for the Ultimate Game of the Year Award, Best Performer, and Best Supporting Performer, with voting due to go live on the same day before closing on October 27. The awards ceremony is due to go ahead on November 10 with an in-person event – a first since 2019.
While Baldur's Gate 3 and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom lead the way with four nominations each, Street Fighter 6, Hi-Fi Rush, Dave the Diver, and Starfield aren't far behind with three nods each. All in all, 100 games and pieces of hardware are represented across 17 categories.
You can cast your vote by following the link above and, in doing so, earn a free gaming ebook worth up to £9.99 / $9.99. You can find all the categories and nominations below.
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
Best VR Game
C-Smash VRS
Horizon Call of the Mountain VR
Synapse
Vertigo 2 VR
F1 23 VR
The Light Brigade
Best Lead Performer
Ben Starr - Clive Rosfield - Final Fantasy XVI
Yuri Lowenthal - Spiderman - Marvel's Spiderman 2
Cal Kestis - Cameron Monaghan - Star Wars Jed Survivor
Ilkka Villi / Matthew Porretta (Alan Wake, Alan Wake 2)
Nadi Jeter - Miles Morales - Marvel's Spider-Man 2
Ellise Chappell - Kathy Johanson - Deliver Us Mars
Best Supporting Performer
Laura Bailey - Mary Jane - Marvel's Spiderman 2
Neil Newborn - Astarion - Baldur's Gate 3
Cissy Jones - Andreja - Starfield
Amelia Tyler - the narrator - Baldur's Gate 3.
Ralph Ineson - Cid - FFXVI
Patricia Summersett - Princess Zelda, Tears of the Kingdom)
Ultimate Game of the Year
Alan Wake 2
Marvel's Spider-Man 2
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Resident Evil 4
Starfield
Baldur's Gate 3
Cocoon
Final Fantasy XVI
Diablo IV
Forza Motorsport
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
Assassin's Creed Mirage
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Street Fighter VI
Metroid Prime: Remastered
Hi-Fi Rush
Dead Space
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Lords of the Fallen
Sea of Stars
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 12DOVE, 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!
“What. A. Year," says games, video, and digital events content director Daniel Dawkins. "It’s a testament to the astonishing quality of 2023’s game releases that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - an exceptional sequel to one of the best games of all time - isn’t the only game to claim the most nominations. Larian’s critically adored Baldur’s Gate 3 shares that accolade, earning a coveted 10/10 in Edge Magazine, and hailed by PC Gamer’s reviewer as the ‘greatest RPG I’ve played’.
"Bethesda’s epic Starfield achieved lift-off despite the gravity of expectations, while big sequels such as Street Fighter 6 and Mortal Kombat 1 hit the mark. Add a slew of superb AAA remakes, plus indie gems including Dave the Diver, Dredge and Cocoon, and 2023 has a legitimate claim to the best in gaming history.
"The Golden Joystick Awards are held in such high regard since only the public’s votes will decide the winners. We’re thrilled to share this intensely debated shortlist and - this year, more than ever - are a touch relieved at not casting the deciding vote.”
Vote in the Golden Joystick Awards and claim a free ebook
So, about that ebook. Anyone who votes will get one of the following digital tomes for free, rather than the usual price of $8.99 / £8.99.
Check them out below:
- 100 Retro Games to Play Before You Die
- Ultimate Guide To Fantasy Gaming
- The Story of Zelda
- Retro Gamer Presents: The Handheld Gaming Collection
- Minecraft Secrets & Cheats Vol 3
When does voting open and close?
Voting is now open, so you can hop right to it. You've got until 4pm PT / 7pm ET / 11pm BST on October 20, 2023, to have your say.
For more on this year's show, visit Golden Joystick Awards 2023 or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
