New York Game Awards 2023: Elden Ring Wins Two Awards as Phil Spencer Is Honored

The New York Game Awards 2023 have arrived and, alongside honoring CEO of Microsoft Gaming and head of Xbox Phil Spencer with the Andrew Yoon Legend Award, the show saw Elden Ring walk away victorious with the Game of the Year and the Best World awards.

The New York Video Game Critics Circle hosted the 12th annual New York Game Awards tonight, January 17, and it honored the best games, actors, esports athletes, and journalists of 2022.

Elden Ring was the only game to win multiple categories, meaning a ton of games were given the spotlight they deserve, including Vampire Survivors, God of War Ragnarok, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Immortality, and more.

As we previously mentioned, Phil Spencer won the Andrew Yoon Legend Award at the show, and it is “presented by the New York Videogame Critics Circle to recognize people and organizations that have exhibited a significant, sustained body of work that shows exceptional artistic achievement and innovation.”

“Phil and I have been a part of this industry together for many years and I’ve always admired his ability to find new, creative ways to serve gamers,” said Reggie Fils-Aimé, former industry and COO and board member, NYVGCC. “Phil isn’t just an executive in games, he is a gamer himself and because of that he knows exactly what fans want when it comes to the Xbox brand. I am thrilled to have him join the prestigious ranks of Andrew Yoon Legend Award winners and look forward to celebrating his illustrious career at the New York Game Awards this January.”

Vanity Fair’s Justin Heckert won the Knickerbocker Award for Best Games Journalism in part for his work on “Jason Brassard Spent HIs Lifetime Collecting the Rarest Video Game. Until the Heist.” This is the same award IGN’s Rebekah Valentine won in 2022 for “her work investigating workplace misconduct at video game studios, and for elevating marginalized voices in her coverage of a game about the war in Iraq.”

The full list of winners from the New York Game Awards 2023 is as follows;

Big Apple Award for Best Game of the Year

A Plague Tale: RequiemCult of the LambElden Ring – WINNERGod of War RagnarökImmortalityPentimentVampire SurvivorsXenoblade Chronicles 3

Off Broadway Award for Best Indie Game

ImmortalityNeon WhiteReturn to Monkey IslandTrombone ChampVampire Survivors – WINNERWordleWylde Flowers

Herman Melville Award for Best Writing in a Game

As Dusk FallsElden RingGod of War Ragnarök – WINNERImmortalityNorcoReturn to Monkey IslandRoadwarden

Statue of Liberty Award for Best World

Elden Ring – WINNERGod of War RagnarökHorizon Forbidden WestPentimentPokémon Legends: Arceus

Tin Pan Alley Award for Best Music in a Game

Elden RingGod of War RagnarökHorizon Forbidden WestMetal: Hellsinger – WINNERTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s RevengeTrombone Champ

Great White Way Award for Best Acting in a Game

Alex Jarrett as Zoe Walker in As Dusk FallsAshly Burch as Aloy in Horizon Forbidden WestChristopher Judge as Kratos in God of War RagnarökGrace Zabriskie as Eliza Vorez in The QuarryJustice Smith as Ryan Erzahler in The QuarryManon Gage as Marissa Marcel in Immortality – WINNER

Coney Island Dreamland Award for Best AR/VR Game

BONELABLost RecipesMoss: Book II – WINNERRUINSMAGUSThe Last Clockwinder

Central Park Children’s Zoo Award for Best Kids Game

Harmony’s OdysseyKirby and the Forgotten Land – WINNERMario + Rabbids Sparks of HopeMoss: Book IIPokémon Legends: ArceusSplatoon 3Tunic

A-Train Award for Best Mobile Game

Desta: The Memories BetweenMarvel Snap – WINNERPoinpyRailboundWylde Flowers

Freedom Tower Award for Best Remake

Atari 50: The Anniversary CelebrationCrisis Core: Final Fantasy VII – ReunionLife is Strange Remastered CollectionLive A LiveThe Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe – WINNER

Joltin’ Joe Award for Best Esports Player of the Year

Arslan “Arslan Ash” Siddique (FATE Esports/Red Bull Esports) – Tekken 7Bryan “pANcada” Luna (Sentinels, formerly with LOUD) – ValorantKim “Deft” Hyuk-kyu (DWG KIA) – League of LegendsMasaya “aMSa” Chikamoto (VGBootCamp/Red Bull Esports) – Super Smash Bros. Melee – WINNEROleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev (Natus Vincere) – Counter-Strike: Global OffensiveYoo “smurf” Myeong-hwan (Boston Uprising) – Overwatch

Chumley’s Speakeasy Award for Best Hidden Gem

A Memoir BlueNorcoPatrick’s ParaboxPerfect TidesSIGNALIS – WINNERStrange HorticultureThe Case of the Golden IdolWayward Strand

NYC GWB Award for Best DLC

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of RagnarökAssassin’s Creed Valhalla: Tombs of the Fallen Pt. 2Bugsnax: The Isle of BIGsnaxDestiny 2: The Witch Queen – WINNERMicrosoft Flight Simulator: Top Gun Maverick DLCMonster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak

Knickerbocker Award for Best Games Journalism

Justin Heckert, Vanity Fair

Elizabeth Jennings Graham Award for Best Educator

Ryan O’Callaghan

Andrew Yoon Legend Award Recipient

Phil Spencer

The New York Video Game Critics Circle is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit multicultural organization of “40 of the finest videogame critics, writers, reporters, and bloggers in the nation.” Members of the NYVGCC also give back by “providing scholarships, mentoring, and community outreach to NYC schools students.”

For more on the best of 2022, be sure to check out IGN’s picks for the best game of last year and every 10 IGN gave last year in the world of gaming and entertainment.

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Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

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