Rank #1
- Available points earned
- 60.2% 17,942.5 pts
- Times picked #1
- 173
- Sources awarding points
- 181
2023 Game of the Year (GOTY) Rankings
Top game that year
Baldur's Gate 3 Original
- Available points earned
- 60.2%
- Score
- 17,942.5 pts
- Sources used
- 298
- All sources checked
- Apr 23, 2026
How this year's score was calculated
Sources used for this ranking
See the sources used to calculate this year's ranking, including each source's name and type.
Collection complete
We have checked every source and possible result we found. Nothing is currently waiting for review.
- Sources used
- 298
- All sources checked
- Apr 23, 2026
Sources by type
- Editorial
- 268
- Reader vote
- 17
- Industry award
- 11
- Judges and voters
- 2
Sources by scoring method
- Published vote count
- 1
- Published vote percentage
- 0
- Top 10 list
- 21
- Winner and nominees
- 0
- Winner only
- 276
Sources used for scoring
See each source's name and type, who made the selection, and how its points were calculated.
Show sources Hide sources 298
Ranking
| Rank | Game | Available points earned | Times picked #1 | Sources awarding points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 60.2% 17,942.5 pts | 173 | 181 | |
| #2 | 22% 6,548.4 pts | 55 | 69 | |
| #3 | 15.6% 4,656.2 pts | 36 | 50 | |
| #4 | 5.7% 1,702.5 pts | 6 | 27 | |
| #5 | 4.2% 1,250 pts | 0 | 19 | |
| #6 | 3.7% 1,106.6 pts | 3 | 21 | |
| #7 | 2.9% 865.5 pts | 5 | 12 | |
| #8 | 2.8% 820 pts | 0 | 13 | |
| #9 | 1.6% 467.7 pts | 3 | 9 | |
| #10 | 1.3% 400 pts | 4 | 4 | |
| #10 | 1.3% 400 pts | 2 | 14 | |
| #12 | 0.9% 260 pts | 2 | 4 | |
| #13 | 0.7% 200 pts | 2 | 2 | |
| #14 | 0.5% 160 pts | 1 | 4 | |
| #15 | 0.4% 110 pts | 1 | 2 | |
| #16 | 0.3% 100 pts | 1 | 1 | |
| #16 | 0.3% 100 pts | 1 | 1 | |
| #16 | 0.3% 100 pts | 1 | 1 | |
| #16 | 0.3% 100 pts | 1 | 1 | |
| #16 | 0.3% 100 pts | 1 | 1 |
Rank #2
- Available points earned
- 22% 6,548.4 pts
- Times picked #1
- 55
- Sources awarding points
- 69
Rank #3
- Available points earned
- 15.6% 4,656.2 pts
- Times picked #1
- 36
- Sources awarding points
- 50
Rank #4
- Available points earned
- 5.7% 1,702.5 pts
- Times picked #1
- 6
- Sources awarding points
- 27
Rank #5
- Available points earned
- 4.2% 1,250 pts
- Times picked #1
- 0
- Sources awarding points
- 19
Rank #6
- Available points earned
- 3.7% 1,106.6 pts
- Times picked #1
- 3
- Sources awarding points
- 21
Rank #7
- Available points earned
- 2.9% 865.5 pts
- Times picked #1
- 5
- Sources awarding points
- 12
Rank #8
- Available points earned
- 2.8% 820 pts
- Times picked #1
- 0
- Sources awarding points
- 13
Rank #9
- Available points earned
- 1.6% 467.7 pts
- Times picked #1
- 3
- Sources awarding points
- 9
Rank #10
- Available points earned
- 1.3% 400 pts
- Times picked #1
- 4
- Sources awarding points
- 4
Rank #10
- Available points earned
- 1.3% 400 pts
- Times picked #1
- 2
- Sources awarding points
- 14
Rank #12
- Available points earned
- 0.9% 260 pts
- Times picked #1
- 2
- Sources awarding points
- 4
Rank #13
- Available points earned
- 0.7% 200 pts
- Times picked #1
- 2
- Sources awarding points
- 2
Rank #14
- Available points earned
- 0.5% 160 pts
- Times picked #1
- 1
- Sources awarding points
- 4
Rank #15
- Available points earned
- 0.4% 110 pts
- Times picked #1
- 1
- Sources awarding points
- 2
Rank #16
- Available points earned
- 0.3% 100 pts
- Times picked #1
- 1
- Sources awarding points
- 1
Rank #16
- Available points earned
- 0.3% 100 pts
- Times picked #1
- 1
- Sources awarding points
- 1
Rank #16
- Available points earned
- 0.3% 100 pts
- Times picked #1
- 1
- Sources awarding points
- 1
Rank #16
- Available points earned
- 0.3% 100 pts
- Times picked #1
- 1
- Sources awarding points
- 1
Rank #16
- Available points earned
- 0.3% 100 pts
- Times picked #1
- 1
- Sources awarding points
- 1
2023 Criticism and Records
Baldur's Gate 3 Made the World Remember Your Choices
A large dialogue menu alone cannot explain its dominant 2023 result. Companions and the world reacted later to battles, exploration, and even small lies. The game made each choice feel as though it left a real mark.
It Won a Majority Against Excellent Competition
Baldur's Gate 3 accounted for 181, or 60.2%, of the 2023 records. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom had 69 and Alan Wake 2 had 50. It's not as big of a difference as the previous year's Elden Ring. Still, the fact that it passed the halfway mark against two outstanding competitors means that it received wide support.
Larian did not remove every RPG complication to reach a wider audience. Turn-based combat, dice rolls, crowded ability screens, and a long running time could still be demanding. Instead, the story kept moving after a failed roll or an unexpected action. The rules stayed complex, but their outcomes became more varied.
Larian did not polish only one correct path. You can break down the door or enter the roof. Even if an important person is lost early, the story continues. This much preparation allows players to believe that their methods leave a real mark on the world.
Companions and the World Reacted to Small Actions
RPGs where choices are important have been around for a long time. Baldur's Gate 3 didn't just change the big ending. Races, classes, spells used, and small actions taken in previous areas also appeared in the conversation. The decision felt more important when my colleagues remembered it later than when I pressed the select button.
Larian said its goal was to give players more tools and make the world respond meaningfully. Three years of early access tested the first act's many approaches and revealed where those reactions broke. [1]
RPG developers interviewed by PC Gamer also focused on companion reactions. Companions notice not only major political choices but also the player's attitude in smaller quests. The game cannot remember everything, so it concentrates its responses on moments players are likely to value. That focus makes the world appear more observant than it really is. [2]
Critics, Developers, and Players Agreed
The Game Awards gave Baldur's Gate 3 the top award. D.I.C.E. Awards, Game Developers Choice Awards and BAFTA also made the same choice. It won five awards at D.I.C.E., including story, direction, game design, and RPG. It also received awards for Best Game, Story, Music, Supporting Acting, and User Choice at BAFTA. [3] [4] [5] [6]
The 181 records include 158 editorial, 13 reader, 8 industry, and 2 mixed selections. No single audience created this result. Critics, players, and developers arrived at similar conclusions despite strong alternatives: Tears of the Kingdom offered extraordinary systemic invention, while Alan Wake 2 had a singular style and direction.
This doesn't mean that every RPG should have hundreds of crossroads. Small developers cannot copy it. A more realistic lesson is that if you give a choice, you must also show the result. Rather than the number of options, freedom is determined by how reliably relationships and situations change thereafter.
External references
- GameSpot How Larian Hopes To Transcend Baldur's Gate 3's Legacy View source
- PC Gamer Baldur's Gate 3 is a triumph: RPG architects weigh in View source
- The Game Awards 2023 winners View source
- Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences 27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Winners View source
- Game Developers Choice Awards Game of the Year Award View source
- BAFTA 20th BAFTA Games Awards Winners View source
How this year's score was calculated