What's the Deal with the Steam Awards?

• 2023's Steam Awards winners announced, including Baldur’s Gate 3 for Game of the Year.
• Surprise wins include The Last of Us Part I for Best Soundtrack and Starfield for Most Innovative Gameplay.
• Steam Awards winners are chosen by the Steam community, reflecting average gamers' opinions.
• Criticism arose over Starfield's innovation claim and Red Dead Redemption II's continued support award.
• Finalists selection, including EA Sports FC 24, raised eyebrows.

2023's Steam Awards Winners

The highly anticipated results of the 2023 Steam Awards are finally here. Every year, the Steam community comes together to celebrate the best games in various categories.

This year, Larian Studios' RPG Baldur’s Gate 3 took home the prestigious Game of the Year award. Meanwhile, the first-person cooperative horror game, Lethal Company, won the “Better With Friends Award” for its exceptional co-op gameplay.

Surprises Among the Winners

Some surprising wins included The Last of Us Part I winning Best Soundtrack, a title released in 2013 but only added to Steam in 2023.

Then, there were the unexpected choices. Bethesda’s RPG Starfield won the award for Most Innovative Gameplay, while Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption II won the “Labor of Love Award”, a title given to games that continue to receive updates and support years after release, despite the announcement in 2022 that Red Dead Online wouldn’t receive any future updates.

The Steam Awards Process

The winners of the Steam Awards are chosen by the Steam community, not by a secret panel of judges. The awards reflect the opinions of average gamers, many of whom were equally ready to send Starfield into Mostly Negative review status as of December 25, 2023.

Criticism of the Winners

While some players found value in exploring Bethesda’s 1,000-planet-rich galaxy in Starfield, others questioned its claim to innovation. Games like No Man’s Sky or Elite Dangerous have arguably done more with the concept of space travel.

Questions also arose about Red Dead Redemption II winning an award for the game with the most continued support this year, over games like Deep Rock Galactic. The online mode hasn’t received an update in years.

Final Thoughts

The Steam Awards selection of finalists in each category also raised eyebrows. EA Sports FC 24, a soccer game currently sitting at “Mixed” was among the final contenders.

In the end, the Steam Awards continue to be a celebration of the gaming community's favorite titles, regardless of their release date or the frequency of their updates.

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