The Dungeons & Dragons game stayed under the radar during its six years in development by the Belgian company Larian Studios. But its summer release -- 23 years after its predecessor -- captivated gamers, who liked the character creator, deep narrative and branching paths that made it seem as if anything was possible in its fictional universe of vampires and elves.

Baldur's Gate 3, which is available on the PC, the PlayStation 5, and the Xbox Series X|S,  went home with several other awards, including those for best role-playing game, best performance and best multiplayer.

The other nominees for game of the year were Alan Wake 2, by Remedy Entertainment; Marvel's Spider-Man 2, by Insomniac Games; Resident Evil 4, by Capcom; Super Mario Bros. Wonder, by Nintendo; and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, by Nintendo.