Gamescom Award Winners 2023: ‘Zelda’, ‘Payday 3’, ‘Sky’ Win Big

Forbes Innovation Games Gamescom Award Winners 2023: ‘Zelda’, ‘Payday 3’, ‘Sky’ Win Big Matt Gardner Senior Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. A British writer covering indie and retro gaming, esports, and more. Following Aug 25, 2023, 05:54pm EDT | Press play to listen to this article! Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Gamescom kicked off on August 23 – and now, we finally have its award winners.

NurPhoto via Getty Images Another Gamescom has come to an end. The 2023 outing was just like any other: getting constantly lost, dealing with a brutal and unpredictable one-way system, shuffling through cavernous entertainment halls filled with surprises and delights, and you just never. Stop.

Walking. I’ve clocked 25 miles in two days My feet are killing me. After forgetting to eat anything for nine hours, here I am, after a life-changing Turkish döner, discussing the Gamescom Award 2023 winners, and for a really straightforward reason: I was part of this year’s jury.

For the first time, in the international, egalitarian spirit of Eurovision, the 2023 vote also allowed the audience to contribute to the process. You can’t say fairer than that. Luckily, I’ve been reliably informed that I can openly share my own views, regardless of the voting process–I’m just a man among thousands, after all–so here we go: the Gamescom Award 2023 winners in full, with an intermittent commentary about those games I thought deserved the trophy more.

Gamescom Award 2023 Winners in full Best Xbox Game: Mortal Kombat 1 Runners up: Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, Enotria: The Last Song, The Wandering Village, Towerborne I honestly feel like Armored Core VI was robbed here; it was by far my favorite of the bunch, and among the best triple-As at Gamescom. Towerborne isn’t finished, but shows promise; The Wandering Village , currently in Game Preview on Xbox, also offers Pratchett-inspired delights. MORE FOR YOU Apple Leaks Detail All-New iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro Design Changes Exactly When Apple Will Launch iPhone 15 Pro Max New Date Claimed Latest Pixel 8 Pro Leak Reveals Google s Smart Decision Best Switch Game: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Runners up: Fall of Porcupine, Figment 2: Creed Valley, Paper Trail, The Smurfs 2 – The Prisoner of the Green Stone Fair.

Still, props to Figment 2 ; it’s a great game, one I dug much deeper into after an impassioned defense from another judge. They were right; it’s genuinely great. Best PC Game: Payday 3 Runners up: Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, Dwarf Fortress, REKA, Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew REKA is good, but Payday 3 feels very, very good–and it’s the best PC game among the final nominees this year.

Its queues were hours long at Gamescom, and for all the right reasons. Best PlayStation Game: Tekken 8 Runners up: Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, Enotria: The Last Song, Mortal Kombat 1, Sand Land Eh, I suppose. It’s good, but is it Mortal Kombat 1 ? Depends on your playing style, but Tekken is a PlayStation staple.

Sand Land , meanwhile, was surprisingly dull. There’s something in there, but let’s see what it’s like when it eventually lands. Best Mobile Game: Sky: Children of the Light Runners up: Genshin Impact, Marvel Snap, Monster Hunter Now, Paper Trail I thought Monster Hunter Now might take the prize here, but Sky: Children of Light ’s presence at Gamescom was overwhelming, culminating today (August 25) with a successful world record attempt to have the most virtual attendees at a concert .

Full credit to thatgamecompany; it’s a truly intriguing experience that channels all the right feelings at a time when people pride themselves on not having any. Best Visuals: Black Myth: Wukong Runners up: Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, REKA, Sand Land, The Many Pieces of Mr. Coo Armored Core looks better to me, but who am I to judge? I must admit, I struggle with “best visuals” as a concept; I bloody love the way indie games revitalise and repurpose old-school graphics, meaning most of my choices didn’t even make the shortlist.

Best Audio: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Runners up: Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, Headbangers: Rhythm Royale, REKA, Savant – Ascent Remix Fair, but Headbangers: Rhythm Royale , whose handlers Team17 today revealed it was going onto Game Pass (Xbox and PC) on October 31, is frankly brilliant and hilarious. Sure, you don’t get a Nintendo soundtrack and SFX, but TotK doesn’t make you laugh in the same way that Headbangers does, using a pigeon with a stretchy neck in an audio-themed battle royale on the deck of an aircraft carrier. Best Gameplay: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Runners up: Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, Paper Trail, Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew, The Wandering Village Yeah, alright, can’t argue there.

Most Entertaining: Payday 3 Runners up: AK-xolotl, Core Keeper, Headbangers: Rhythm Royale, Pizza Possum For me, AK-xolotl was absolutely robbed. It didn’t make it any easier when I read on IGN that it had won , only to realize it was a reporting mistake. I’d argue that in this category, Payday 3 comes fourth after AK-xolotl , Headbangers , and Pizza Possum .

The AK-xolotl booth was in the Indie Arena, but the queues it attracted were on par with the entertainment floors, and for good reason: it’s a roguelike shooter that channels Nuclear Throne , but uses its cutesy visuals to make you feel much more comfortable than you actually are. It’s a beast, and I can’t wait to review it. Most Epic: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Runners up: Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, Black Myth: Wukong, Dwarf Fortress, Sand Land Again, fair enough.

10/10 decision, no notes. Most Wholesome: Pikmin 4 Runners up: Pioneers of Pagonia, Smushi Come Home, The Wandering Village, Tiny Bookshop Pikmin 4 is nice. Tiny Bookshop is probably the most wholesome game I’ve seen in months.

Just look at it and drink it in. Games for Impact: Sky: Children of the Light Runners up: A Space for the Unbound, Belonging, Dead Pets Unleashed, Fall of Porcupine For me, it was a three-way tie: A Space for the Unbound may well be a contender for indie game of the year; Belonging is the first time we’ve seen a cult properly handled in a game context (actual finished product pending); Dead Pets Unleashed is probably a top-five Gamescom game for me, even if its narrative style may turn people off. Best Announcement: Little Nightmares 3 I loved both, but especially Little Nightmares 2 .

This was a fair victory for Bandai Namco, because Little Nightmares 3 looks banging. Best Show Floor: Bandai Namco Entertainment Another Bandai Namco success, but I preferred Xbox, not gonna lie. gamescom Green Studio of the Year: Xbox At least it got something! Heart of Gaming Award: GAME:IN GAME:IN takes a stand against sexism in the German games industry.

More like these wonderful people elsewhere, please. It’s more important than ever, given the CEO of Game Science, the maker of Black Myth: Wukong , allegedly made frankly vile comments on social media . Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn .

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