2023 may not quite be done yet, but the game-of-the-year conversation is already beginning to heat up. Case in point, the Golden Joystick Awards, one of the longest-running video game awards shows with winners being voted on by the UK public, has announced their winners. The big winner was Baldur’s Gate 3, which walked away with “Ultimate Game of the Year” and six other awards. The rest of the winner’s field was quite divided, with only two other games, Final Fantasy XVI and Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, receiving more than one award. Some games that seemed to be frontrunners earlier in the year, like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and the Resident Evil 4 remake, only received a single trophy.

　　You can check out the full list of Golden Joystick winners below…

　　Best Storytelling - Baldur's Gate 3Still Playing Award - No Man's SkyBest Visual Design - Baldur's Gate 3Studio of the Year - Larian StudiosBest Game Expansion - Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom LibertyBest Indie Game - Sea of StarsBest VR Game - Horizon Call of the MountainBest Multiplayer Game - Mortal Kombat 1Best Audio - Final Fantasy XVIBest Game Trailer - Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom LibertyBest Streaming Game - ValorantBest Game Community - Baldur's Gate 3Best Gaming Hardware - PSVR 2Breakthrough Award - Coccoon / Geometric InteractiveCritics' Choice Award - Alan Wake IIBest Lead Performer - Ben Starr, Final Fantasy XVIBest Supporting Performer - Neil Newborn, Astarion, Baldur's Gate 3Nintendo Game of the Year - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the KingdomPC Game of the Year - Baldur's Gate 3Xbox Game of the Year - StarfieldPlayStation Game of the Year - Resident Evil 4Most Wanted Game - Final Fantasy 7 RebirthUGOTY - Baldur's Gate 3Does this bode well for how BG3 will do throughout the GOTY/awards season? We shall see, but it definitely feels like the wind is at Larian’s back. Regardless, somebody needs to find Larian boss Swen Vincke a wheelbarrow to carry all that hardware.

　　pic.twitter.com/Qgovby7lP6

　　— Very AFK (@Cromwelp) November 10, 2023

　　What do you think? What games would win if you were making up your ballot?