As 2023 draws to a close, it's time we look back at a truly incredible year in gaming for a variety of reasons. Microsoft completed one of the biggest tech acquisitions of all time when it grabbed Activision-Blizzard, which will see oft-criticized Activision CEO Bobby Kotick finally retire from the industry. We had almost non-stop high-quality titles on a monthly basis all throughout 2023, in a year that was also accentuated by unprecedented layoffs as publishers bunker down for a post-pandemic economy.
Following a year that navigated controversy at every turn, our gaming team here at Windows Central pooled our thoughts together and voted on our favorite gaming experiences of the year, across both Windows PC and Xbox consoles, and the wider Microsoft Gaming ecosystem.
Best Xbox Game of 2023
Best Windows PC Game
Best Indie Game of 2023
Most Anticipated Game of 2023
Best Expansion / DLC of 2023
Best Ongoing Game of 2023
Best Story Direction of 2023
Best Game Pass Addition of 2023
Best Art and Visuals of 2023
Best Sound and Music of 2023
Game Developer Excellence Award
And that's a wrap!
2023 will be a truly memorable year in gaming history. The sheer volume of high-quality titles from games both big and small has been somewhat unprecedented, as the backlog created by the pandemic began to catch up. We saw games maligned at launch like Cyberpunk 2077 and Halo Infinite deliver on some of their early promise, and we saw old favorites like Alan Wake revived for a new generation. Newcomers like Hi-Fi Rush dazzled audiences, while games like Lies of P prove that some formulas are just kind of timeless. Many of the games that we shortlisted such as Diablo IV, Wo-Long, Starfield, and Sea of Stars all could have been game of the year contenders in less densely packed years.
The industry itself faces a time of uncertainty, as the cost of building games becomes exponentially more expensive, and the competition for our free time becomes more intense than ever before. There's a truly huge amount of upcoming Xbox games and upcoming PC games to look forward to, and many that already look like award-winning contenders from their initial debut trailers.
From all of us at Windows Central, congrats to the winners, and to all our readers, have an incredible 2024 and beyond!
