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The “I think you’ll find I was right, actually” Award – Cyberpunk 2077
Best-Worst Business Strategy – Embracer Group
Best big budget AAA release – Dave the Diver
Best Stomach-Testing Rollercoaster Ride – Final Fantasy 16
Best Sponsorship – Chipotle at Evo 2023
The bright lights are up, and the red carpet has been rolled out. We’ve all put on our best jeans, logo t-shirt, and blazer combo (our mums say we look lovely) – it’s time for The Game Awards. Not those ones, though. We mean the VG247 Alternate Game Awards. Sure, we vote on the real thing that’s lighting up the city of angels later today. But unlike the rest of the voting panel, we can guarantee our picks are the correct ones – so we’re here to set the record straight.
We described last year as a strange year for games, but this year has arguably been even more bizarre. It’s been a gross, dispiriting paradox: an incredible year for video games in terms of being the most stacked year for great games in at least a decade – but the year was also beset with lay-offs galore, and other such disasters that have made the industry a worse place to be. Stepping back to take a look at the year, here’s our 2023 Game Awards. When you’re finished here, why not take a trip in the TARDIS or another time machine of your choice to check out 2022’s winners?
## The “I think you’ll find I was right, actually” Award – Cyberpunk 2077
Make no mistake: Cyberpunk 2077 was always rather good. If you played it on PC. And only a PC that lights up and costs as much as a compact car, mind – not any old clunker. That was the trap we fell into at release; we were only given the PC version, so we played it, loved it, and reviewed it. Requests to CD Projekt to see the console version weren’t accommodated. On release, we learned why: the console version was screwed, and the rest is history as one of gaming’s most promising growing studios was forced to eat a concrete mixer full of humble pie. However, after years of updates, culminating in one of the greatest expansions of all time, Phantom Liberty, the re-evaluation of Cyberpunk 2077 is finally complete. It’s gone from totally unplayable to totally unmissable. We’re willing to forgive and forget, safe in the vindication that deep down we were right, actually (and we were always definitely 100% completely sure that we hadn’t ruinously, royally messed up).
Best-Worst Business Strategy – Embracer Group
It’s been a great year for video games, the software you load up on your tech gadget of choice to distract yourself from the inevitability of death – but a terrible year for the video games industry and the hard-working people who make those wonderful distractions happen. In a year of companies regularly treating their employees and brands terribly, it’s hard to pick out the real winner of the coveted TOTY (turd of the year), but this year, it probably is Embracer Group. The business strategy of the Swedish brand seemed to be pretty simple – gather a ton of investment, splash the cash on, well, everything, and then… er… well, then have to take a machete to many of the precious studios and brands you purchased, because you bit off more than you could chew. In the wake of a financing deal collapsing, Embracer has gone on to shutter several studios including Saints Row creator Volition, and laid off the better part of a thousand people. In hindsight, it doesn’t seem like the best strategy, does it? So, it qualifies for the worst. Mind you, rest assured, somewhere in all this, somebody is getting paid. And for those people, it’s probably the best. Congratulations to those folks – we hope you can sleep at night.
Best big budget AAA release – Dave the Diver
Independent games are great, and we love seeing people’s passion projects come to life and be enjoyed by many. The time, effort, and dedication put into these titles without necessarily having the manpower or financial support that big-name developers do is simply astounding at the best of times. Dave the Diver is also great, letting you run the sushi restaurant of your dreams with an abundance of fish you’ll personally get to go diving for. It’s stylish, has a delightful soundtrack, and its gameplay loop is enjoyable and addictive. But you know what isn’t an independent game, despite what The Game Awards nominees for ‘Best Independent Game’ may lead you to believe? Dave the Diver. Dave the Diver was developed by a studio called MintRocket, who appear to be a small team. But this supposedly small team also happens to be fully owned by NEXON, a South Korean game publisher that has no shortage of revenue or income. With that type of support under MintRocket’s belt, it’s easy to see why Dave the Diver’s nomination for ‘Best Independent Game’ isn’t wholly appropriate… but it’s still a fantastic game, nonetheless. One of our favorite games of the year, even. That’s why Dave the Diver is our best big budget AAA release of 2023. Congrats, guys!
Best Stomach-Testing Rollercoaster Ride – Final Fantasy 16
Final Fantasy 16 is a rollercoaster. For better and for worse. It wows you with its incredible spectacle, and when you’re in one of those big cinematic battles with the summon monsters – called Eikons this time around – it’s almost as if you’re rocked by the g-force of the momentous battles. But when we call FF16 a rollercoaster, we’re not really talking about that. FF16 is a game of tremendous highs – and crushing lows. Your heart bursts for the most charismatic voice cast in FF history – but then the storyline trips and fumbles in its latter phases. Your eyes practically pop at the spectacle of those Eikon battles; but then it’s followed by three hours of the worst sort of MMO-style fetch quest design, often dealing with plot cul-de-sacs that lead nowhere (I’m looking at you, Mid’s airship). Even the combat, which impresses as the most action-packed FF to date, slowly disappoints as it dawns that the RPG bit of this Action RPG is extremely malnourished at best. Whereas FF13 and FF15 were generally more middling experiences, balanced around that ‘good not great’ area, FF16 soars to be best-in-class – and then plunges the depths with some truly rubbish stuff. These tremendous ups and downs give the feeling of riding a rollercoaster. You’d be forgiven for thinking, “stop the ride, I want to get off, I feel sick.” And yet, like all the best rollercoasters – the game is good. It just might turn your stomach a bit along the way.
Best Sponsorship – Chipotle at Evo 2023
Sponsoring video game stuff is obviously a big business, but who got the best bang for their buck this year? Step forward ringpiece-ruining fast food brand Chipotle, which in a perfect act of brand synergy sponsored fighting game tournament Evo 2023. Viewers both at home and in person saw the ads for Chipotle’s wares – but what really made it all worthwhile was the crowd, who for a solid ten hours on grand finals day roared with an excitement bordering on the primal every single time the Chipotle commercial…
Conclusion:
In the world of gaming, it’s been a wild ride in 2023. From the highs of Cyberpunk 2077’s redemption to the lows of Embracer Group’s disastrous business strategy, the year has been filled with surprises and disappointments. But amidst it all, there have been shining moments, like Dave the Diver’s big-budget success and Final Fantasy 16’s rollercoaster experience. And let’s not forget the unforgettable sponsorship of Chipotle at Evo 2023.
As gamers, we know that life is full of challenges and unexpected twists, just like our favorite games. But it’s up to us to navigate these obstacles and come out on top. So, let’s embrace the ups and downs, the victories and defeats, and continue to support and celebrate the incredible world of gaming.
But the journey doesn’t end here. The future of gaming is in our hands, and it’s up to us to shape it. So, let’s keep playing, keep exploring, and keep pushing the boundaries of what gaming can be. Together, we can create a gaming world that is inclusive, innovative, and thrilling for everyone.
Now, grab your controller, put on your headset, and let’s dive into the next adventure. The game is just beginning, and it’s time for us to level up. Game on!