In addition to recognizing the best games of 2022, the award show will also honor Xbox CEO Phil Spencer as the 2023 Andrew Yoon Legend Award winner. The 12th annual awards show will be co-hosted by 2020 Andrew Yoon Legend Award recipient and former President of Nintendo of America, Reggie Fils-Aimé and NYVGCC president and founder, Harold Goldberg.
“We are once again humbled and thrilled to recognize the best of the video game industry from the past year and shine a light on the hard work of developers, journalists and our team of interns and volunteers at our Critics Circle,” said Harold Goldberg, president and founder, NYVGCC. “We look forward to celebrating these accomplishments on Jan. 17, and we encourage people to get their tickets now and join us for this special night as we are so excited to present our first live, in-person show since 2020.”
Based in Manhattan, the New York Videogame Critics Circle is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit multicultural organization comprised of 40 of the finest videogame critics, writers, reporters and bloggers in the nation. Members of the NYVGCC give back to their communities by providing scholarships, mentoring and community outreach to NYC schools students. The New York Videogame Critics Circle sees great benefit in advocating for those who are less fortunate.
The nominees for the 12th Annual New York Game Awards are:
Big Apple Award for Best Game of the Year
- A Plague Tale: Requiem
- Cult of the Lamb
- Elden Ring
- God of War Ragnarök
- Immortality
- Pentiment
- Vampire Survivors
- Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Off Broadway Award for Best Indie Game
- Immortality
- Neon White
- Return to Monkey Island
- Trombone Champ
- Vampire Survivors
- Wordle
- Wylde Flowers
Herman Melville Award for Best Writing in a Game
- As Dusk Falls
- Elden Ring
- God of War Ragnarök
- Immortality
- Norco
- Return to Monkey Island
- Roadwarden
Statue of Liberty Award for Best World
- Elden Ring
- God of War Ragnarök
- Horizon Forbidden West
- Pentiment
- Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Tin Pan Alley Award for Best Music in a Game
- Elden Ring
- God of War Ragnarök
- Horizon Forbidden West
- Metal: Hellsinger
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge
- Trombone Champ
Great White Way Award for Best Acting in a Game
- Alex Jarrett as Zoe Walker in As Dusk Falls
- Ashly Burch as Aloy in Horizon Forbidden West
- Christopher Judge as Kratos in God of War Ragnarök
- Grace Zabriskie as Eliza Vorez in The Quarry
- Justice Smith as Ryan Erzahler in The Quarry
- Manon Gage as Marissa Marcel in Immortality
Coney Island Dreamland Award for Best AR/VR Game
- BONELAB
- Lost Recipes
- Moss: Book II
- RUINSMAGUS
- The Last Clockwinder
Central Park Children’s Zoo Award for Best Kids Game
- Harmony’s Odyssey
- Kirby and the Forgotten Land
- Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
- Moss: Book II
- Pokémon Legends: Arceus
- Splatoon 3
- Tunic
A-Train Award for Best Mobile Game
- Desta: The Memories Between
- Marvel Snap
- Poinpy
- Railbound
- Wylde Flowers
Freedom Tower Award for Best Remake
- Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration
- Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII - Reunion
- Life is Strange Remastered Collection
- Live A Live
- The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe
Joltin’ Joe Award for Best Esports Player of the Year
- Arslan "Arslan Ash" Siddique (FATE Esports/Red Bull Esports) - Tekken 7
- Bryan "pANcada" Luna (Sentinels, formerly with LOUD) - Valorant
- Kim "Deft" Hyuk-kyu (DWG KIA) - League of Legends
- Masaya "aMSa" Chikamoto (VGBootCamp/Red Bull Esports) - Super Smash Bros. Melee
- Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev (Natus Vincere) - Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
- Yoo "smurf" Myeong-hwan (Boston Uprising) - Overwatch
Chumley’s Speakeasy Award for Best Hidden Gem
- A Memoir Blue
- Norco
- Patrick’s Parabox
- Perfect Tides
- SIGNALIS
- Strange Horticulture
- The Case of the Golden Idol
- Wayward Strand
NYC GWB Award for Best DLC
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Tombs of the Fallen Pt. 2
- Bugsnax: The Isle of BIGsnax
- Destiny 2: The Witch Queen
- Microsoft Flight Simulator: Top Gun Maverick DLC
- Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak
Ticket sales for the New York Game Awards help to fund ongoing programs with NYVGCC for 2023, and are on sale at this link. Tickets cost $40 for General Admission and $75 for Orchestra Seating (closest to the stage), which includes access to the New York Game Awards afterparty. For more information on ticket sales and other NYVGCC programs, please visit the website: https://nygamecritics.com/