The nominations for the 41st Golden Joystick Awards have been unveiled today.

Baldur’s Gate 3 and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom both earned the most nominations with four each, including a battle for Best Game Community. This year’s awards also see the return to the Best VR Game category, which finds six games going for the gold.

A list of nominees can be seen below. Three additional categories (Breakthrough Award, Critics’ Choice Award, and Lifetime Achievement) will be voted on by the press. Voting for Ultimate Game of the Year, Best Performer and Best Supporting Performer will go live on Monday, October 23 for one week.

Daniel Dawkins, Content Director - Games, Video and Digital Events said this about the nominees:

“What. A. Year. It’s testament to the astonishing quality of 2023’s game releases that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - an exceptional sequel to one of the best games of all-time - isn’t the only game to claim the most nominations. Larian’s critically-adored Baldur’s Gate 3 shares that accolade, earning a coveted 10/10 in Edge Magazine, and hailed by PC Gamer’s reviewer as the ‘greatest RPG I’ve played’.

Bethesda’s epic Starfield achieved lift-off despite the gravity of expectations, while big sequels such as Street Fighter 6 and Mortal Kombat 1 hit the mark. Add a slew of superb AAA remakes, plus indie gems including Dave the Diver, Dredge and Cocoon, and 2023 has a legitimate claim to the best in gaming history.

The Golden Joystick Awards are held in such high regard, since only the public’s votes will decide the winners. We’re thrilled to share this intensely-debated shortlist and - this year, more than ever - are a touch relieved at not casting the deciding vote.”

Voting is open right now here, and it’ll close on Friday, October 20 at 6 p.m. EST/3 p.m. PST. Everyone who votes will get to claim one free ebook (100 Retro Games to Play Before You Die, Ultimate Guide To Fantasy Gaming, The Story of Zelda, Retro Gamer Presents: The Handheld Gaming Collection, or Minecraft Secrets & Cheats Vol 3.)

The 41st Golden Joystick Awards will take place on Friday, November 10, and it’ll air live on various streaming platforms.

41st Golden Joystick Awards nominations

Best Audio
 

• Stray Gods

• Hi-Fi Rush

• Bomb Rush Cyberfunk

• Starfield

• The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

• Final Fantasy XVI

Best Storytelling
 

• Baldur's Gate 3

• The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood

• Armored Core VI: Fires Of Rubicon

• Oxenfree II: Lost Signals

• PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo

• Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Best Game Community
 

• Final Fantasy XIV

• Warframe

• Baldur's Gate 3

• Deep Rock Galactic

• Dreams

• The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

Best Game Expansion
 

• Power Wash Simulator DLC

• Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

• The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom

• The Case of the Golden Idol Mysteries: The Lemurian Vampire and Spider of Lanka

• Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania

• A Little to the Left: Cupboards & Drawers

Best Gaming Hardware
 

• PlayStation VR2

• Turtle Beach Stealth Pro Headset

• Alienware 34 AW3423DWF

• Nitro Deck

• ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96

• Samsung 990 PRO

Best Indie Game
 

• Dave the Diver

• Pizza Tower

• Dredge

• Cocoon

• Viewfinder

• Sea of Stars

Best Multiplayer Game
 

• Exoprimal

• Diablo IV

• Street Fighter 6

• Remnant II

• Mortal Kombat 1

• We Were Here Expeditions: The FriendShip

Best Visual Design
 

• Baldur's Gate 3

• Starfield

• Hi-Fi Rush

• Viewfinder

• Lies Of P

• Street Fighter 6

Nintendo Game of the Year
 

• Pikmin 4

• The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom

• Fire Emblem Engage

• Metroid Prime Remastered

• Octopath Traveller II

• Fae Farm

PC Game of the Year
 

• Baldur's Gate 3

• Diablo IV

• Dave the Diver

• Tchia

• System Shock

• Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew

PlayStation Game of the Year     

• Final Fantasy XVI

• Resident Evil 4

• Street Fighter 6

• Humanity

• Armored Core VI: Fires Of Rubicon

• Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Xbox Game of the Year

• Starfield

• Chants of Sennaar

• Hi-Fi Rush

• Planet of Lana

• Dead Space

• Pentiment

Still Playing Award

• No Man's Sky

• Genshin Impact

• The Sims 4

• Fortnite

• Naraka: Bladepoint

• GTA Online

• Warframe

• Valorant

• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive / Counter-Strike 2

• Apex Legends

• Dota 2

• Call of Duty

Studio of the Year

• Larian Studios

• Digital Eclipse

• Nintendo EPD

• Mimimi Games

• Remedy Entertainment

• CD Projekt Red

Best Game Trailer

• Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty - Official Cinematic Trailer

• Alan Wake 2 - The Dark Place Gameplay Trailer

• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Official Trailer #3

• Baby Steps Reveal Trailer

• Mortal Kombat 1 - Official It's In Our Blood Trailer

• Dave the Diver - Official Release Month And Accolades Trailer

Most Wanted Game

• Death Stranding 2

• Star Wars Outlaws

• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

• Tekken 8

• Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2

• S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

• Hades II

• Fable

• Hollow Knight: Silksong

• EVERYWHERE

• Frostpunk 2

• ARK 2

• METAL GEAR SOLID Δ: SNAKE EATER

• Persona 3 Reload

• Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles

• Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

• Pacific Drive

• Black Myth: Wukong

• Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden

• Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin

(Returning in 2023) Best VR Game

• C-Smash VRS

• Horizon Call of the Mountain VR

• Synapse

• Vertigo 2 VR

• F1 23 VR

• The Light Brigade