2023 Game Awards: announcements from TGA video games awards, reveals - including Xbox games and Exodus

Actor Timothée Chalamet made a dazzling announcement at the biggest awards event in the video game industry, revealing the prestigious Game of the Year title.

Introduced by host Geoff Keighley as "ModdedController360," a nod to his former YouTube channel dedicated to customised gaming gear, Chalamet has openly discussed his enthusiasm for gaming.

The star of Wonka shared the spotlight as he revealed that fantasy RPG Baldur's Gate 3 clinched the top honour at the grand Los Angeles ceremony.

Accepting the accolade, Belgian development team Larian said that their creation, an epic fantasy RPG inspired by Dungeons and Dragons, was a true labour of love.

This game triumphed with an impressive six awards, securing victories in categories such as best performance, best RPG and the player's choice award. Actor Neil Newbon was also recognised for his performance as fan-favourite character, Astarion.

Survival horror title Alan Wake 2 claimed three awards for best game direction, narrative and art direction.

Among other notable victories were The Last of Us TV series for best adaptation, Cyberpunk 2077 as the best ongoing game, and the puzzle adventure Cocoon securing the title of best independent game.

But the Game Awards isn't just about the awards themselves, and the event serves as a fusion of a prestigious awards ceremony and an exciting preview event, which attracts many fans eager for new trailers and announcements of upcoming gaming titles.

What was announced at The Game Awards 2023?

Ahead of the event, host Keighley said that this year's ceremony would avoid the use of the hyperbolic phrase "world premiere" for the reveal of brand new games, of which there would be a much larger array on show compared to the previous year.

The pre-show of the event kicked off with the world premiere of the Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons remake, which had been leaked earlier in the week. It's slated to launch on 28 February 28 2024 on PC, Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5.

Following this unveiling, three more world premieres followed suit. First was the announcement of Pony Island 2: Panda Circus by Daniel Mullins, slated for a 2025 release. It promises a mind-bending experience and features SungWon Cho, known for roles in Borderlands 3 and God of War Ragnarök as Ratatoskr.

Next up was The Rise of the Golden Idol, arriving in 2024 across PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S, Netflix Games, and PlayStation 5 and 4.

Usual June, developed by Finji, was then showcased for a 2025 release, followed by a lineup of trailers including Arcknights: Endfield, The Matchless Kungfu, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, and Assassin's Creed Nexus.

The medley continued with a preview of Harmonium The Musical from The Odd Gentleman, featuring a deaf protagonist and slated for release on Netflix Games and Xbox Game Pass.

Windblown, a blend of gameplay and animation from Motion Twin (creators of Dead Cells), will enter PC early access in 2024, and Thrasher - the newest offering from the creators of Thumper - is set to debut in 2024.

The showcase proceeded with glimpses of Persona 3 Reload, due on 2 February 2024, followed by a collaborative reveal between Dave the Driver and Dredge, arriving on 15 December 2023. A surprise followed with the announcement of World of Goo 2, set to release in 2024, marking 15 years since the original's launch.

The pre-show concluded with Metaphor ReFantazio, a fantasy adventure from the makers of Persona 3, 4 and 5.

The main event began with the unveiling of Exodus from Archetype Entertainment, starring Matthew McConaughey. A surprise then came with the reveal of God of War Ragnarök DLC - Valhalla, set for a free release on 12 December 2023, for PlayStation 4 and 5.

The creators of Untitled Goose Game, House House, presented their next venture, Big Walk, set for a 2025 release, and several trailers followed, including Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown - with a demo arriving on 11 January 2024 - and Lego Fortnite.

Ninja Theory showcased Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2, set for a 2024 release and available on Xbox Game Pass from launch, and Ikumi Nakamura unveiled her first independent title, Kemuri, after leaving Tango Gameworks.

Moon Studios, known for the Ori games, teased No Rest for the Wicked, an action-RPG which will be explored in more detail with its own showcase on 1 March 2024. Sega surprised everyone with five upcoming titles from its Jet Set Radio, Shinobi, Golden Axe, Streets of Rage, and Crazy Taxi franchises, with more to follow.

The show continued with trailers for Dragon Ball: Sparkling! Zero, The Casting of Frank Stone, Visions of Mana, Rise of the Rōnin, and the reveal of Hideo Kojima's mysterious project OD, featuring Sophia Lillis, Hunter Schafer and Udo Kier.

Then we saw more information on games including Jurassic Park Survival, Rocket Racing in Fortnite, Black Myth Wukong's release date, and As Dusk Falls' PlayStation confirmation.

Trailers for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Warframe's Whispers in the Wall, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, Ready or Not version 1.0, Tales of Kenzera: Zau, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, The First Berserker: Khazan, and a Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth event in Apex Legends followed suit.

Honaki: Star Rail - Penacony, Skull and Bones, Marvel's Blade, Twisted Metal season two, Last Sentinel, The First Descendant, Zenless Zone Zero, Mecha Break, Warhammer 40,000 Space Marines, GTFO: The Final Chapter, Den of Wolves, and Exoborne were then all shown off as part of the show.

Voice actor Matt Mercer introduced Asgard's Wrath, while trailers for the Fallout television series, Palia, Light No Fire, and Stormgate captured the audience's attention.

Guilty Gear Strive's DLC preview and ARK Survival Ascended were followed by Square Enix's Echoes of the Fallen and The Rising Tide DLC for Final Fantasy 16.

Then The Finals' battle royale trailer and the surprise release of Baldur's Gate 3 on Xbox were shared, and the night culminated with the world premiere of Monster Hunter Wilds from Capcom, promising monster-slaying action in 2025, with more to be unveiled in summer 2024.