So, it's 2026, and I'm sitting here, still trying to process the glorious, chaotic spectacle that was The Game Awards 2023. Looking back, it feels less like a formal awards ceremony and more like a three-hour gaming fever dream hosted by a guy who really, really loves trailers. Geoff Keighley, my man, you curated an event that was equal parts celebration, advertisement, and absolute meme factory. We had winners getting played off stage faster than you can say "microtransaction," Hideo Kojima getting more screen time than the actual Game of the Year developers, and a security team apparently hired to tackle rogue stage invaders rather than, I don't know, hand out trophies. It was a beautiful mess, and as a humble player just trying to enjoy some virtual escapism, I felt every single glorious, bewildering second of it.

The Pre-Show Drama: Where the Real Game Was Played

Before a single trophy was even polished, the community was already in full meltdown mode. The "Road to The Game Awards" was paved with hot takes and spilled digital tea. Remember the whole Hogwarts Legacy debacle? Voted out of Player's Voice? The internet detectives were out in force, weaving conspiracy theories thicker than a wizard's beard. Meanwhile, Starfield couldn't even make the cut for the fan vote, which sent certain corners of the web into a cosmic-level existential crisis. And let's not forget the great Indie Game Identity Crisis of 2023, sparked by none other than Keighley himself. What makes an indie game, people? Is it budget? Team size? The sheer, unadulterated power of vibes? We may never know, but arguing about it was half the fun.

The real headline, though, was the unstoppable Baldur's Gate 3 hype train. It was barreling down the tracks with eight nominations, and everyone knew it. The discourse was everywhere: "Nothing Has A Chance Of Beating Baldur’s Gate 3." Meanwhile, Cyberpunk 2077, in a truly legendary redemption arc, snagged more nominations than it did at its own disastrous launch. The narrative was set: Larian Studios' CRPG masterpiece was the Goliath, and everyone else was just trying to be a plucky David.

The Main Event: A Symphony of Whiplash

The show itself was a masterclass in tonal whiplash. One minute we're honoring the poignant, artistic horror of Alan Wake 2 (also with eight noms, by the way—a true contender!), and the next we're watching Matthew McConaughey solemnly intone about a new game called Exodus. Alright, alright, alright.

The Winners & The... Uh, 'Time Managers'

Let's get the big one out of the way: Baldur's Gate 3 swept the floor. Game of the Year. Players' Voice. And a truly deserved Best Performance win for Neil Newbon as the vampire spawn with daddy issues, Astarion. The man gave a speech with more emotional range than some entire games. But here's the kicker—the devs had planned to announce the Xbox port during their GOTY acceptance speech! Can you imagine? The ultimate mic drop. Sadly, the infamous TGA clock had other plans. Winners got about 30 seconds before the "please wrap it up" music started swelling, while Hideo Kojima got a five-minute sabbatical to talk about his mysterious new project, OD. The imbalance was so palpable you could taste it, and it tasted like slightly stale theater popcorn.

The Trailers: The Real Headliners

Let's be honest, for many of us, the awards were just the intermission between world premieres. And boy, did we eat well:

• Jurassic Park: Survival: Because what we all wanted was to be in the park during the chaos. No thanks!

• Monster Hunter Wilds (2025): My calendar is already marked.

• Black Myth: Wukong FINALLY got a release date: The collective sigh of relief could be heard around the globe.

• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Trailers: So many tears, so much beautiful music.

• Blade by Arkane Lyon: A vampire hunter sim from the Dishonored folks? Inject it into my veins.

• The Shadowdrop Heard 'Round the World: Baldur's Gate 3 on Xbox, available RIGHT THEN. Absolute chaos. Perfection.

But the trailer that hooked me was for The Casting of Frank Stone. A Dead by Daylight single-player spin-off by Supermassive Games, the masters of "choice-driven horror where everyone dies if you pick wrong." It's set in a town with a "blood-soaked history" (shocker) and promises to be about the length of The Quarry. So, roughly nine hours of me yelling "DON'T GO IN THERE!" at my screen while my poor choices get a new cast of friends brutally murdered. Sign me up! It's a genius move—taking DbD's iconic slasher vibe and funneling it into a tight, narrative experience. It's like getting a full-length horror movie where you control the doomed protagonists. No multiplayer, just pure, unadulterated dread and consequence. I'm already mentally preparing to get attached to characters who are destined for Frank Stone's scrapbook.

The Aftermath: Salt, Memes, and Hope

Once the confetti settled, the internet did what it does best: overreact.

• Spider-Man 2 fans were devastated their web-slinging hero didn't clinch GOTY. The copium was strong.

• Christopher Judge's joke about Call of Duty's campaign length apparently didn't land well with the devs. Who knew game developers had thin skin? 😉

• The stage invader from the previous year claimed he was kicked out again. A true commitment to the bit.

• The overarching sentiment from many critics and players alike: "Gaming Needs A New Awards Show." One that focuses less on ads and more on, you know, the actual people who make the games.

My Personal (and Totally Official) 2023 Awards

Since I'm a player of refined taste, here are my made-up categories:

Category	My Winner	Reason
"I Laughed, I Cried, I Got a Magic Frog" Award	Baldur's Gate 3	For making me care about a digital owlbear cub.
"Most Likely to Give Me Nightmares" Award	Alan Wake 2	That musical sequence? Hauntingly brilliant.
"Best Comeback Story" Award	Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty	You love to see a phoenix rise from the glitchy ashes.
"Trailer That Hyped Me Most for 2024" Award	The Casting of Frank Stone	Supermassive + DbD lore = My next bad decision simulator.
"Please, Just Let Them Talk" Award	All The Winners	Seriously, give them the mic!

In the end, The Game Awards 2023 was a paradoxical beast. It often felt like it was at war with itself—trying to celebrate art while aggressively selling products, honoring creators while rushing them offstage. Yet, it somehow remains the biggest night in games. It gave us unforgettable moments, spectacular reveals (hello, Light No Fire from Hello Games!), and watercooler arguments that lasted for weeks.

As a player, my takeaway is this: the games themselves were phenomenal. From the boundless creativity of Tears of the Kingdom to the sheer role-playing depth of Baldur's Gate 3, 2023 was a landmark year. The ceremony around them? It's a work in progress—a bloated, dazzling, frustrating, and occasionally heartfelt spectacle that I'll undoubtedly tune into again next year. Because at its core, beneath all the ads and awkward pacing, it's a night that reminds us why we love this medium. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go wishlist a game about a serial killer in an Oregon steel mill. Priorities!