At most 55 games across 11 categories will be nominated in this year's Steam Awards, with your vote contributing towards which games will become finalists for each category. Steam Awards 2023 voting starts today.

As usual, fans get to have a say on which games will be declared finalists for the Steam Awards, and you can cast your votes as well. For the purpose of information dissemination, here are the 11 categories:

  1. Game of the Year Award – Maybe it was its immersive gameplay, or its gripping story… its well-crafted characters, immaculate design, or addictive multiplayer. Whatever the reason, the winner of this year's Game of the Year Award is an instant classic.
  2. VR Game of the Year Award – The VR Game of the Year isn't merely masquerading as regular reality. This game improves on reality, taking advantage of the medium of VR and pushing the boundaries of the virtual realm.
  3. Labor of Love Award – This game has been out for a while. The team is well past the debut of their creative baby, but being the good parents they are, these devs continue to nurture and support their creation. This game, to this day, is still getting new content after all these years.
  4. Best Game on the Steam Deck Award – This game was so good, you wanted to take it everywhere. So you grabbed your Steam Deck and did! Luckily, everything that made it endlessly playable at your desk got even better on the go.
  5. Better With Friends Award – There are some games out there that just aren't the same when you play by yourself. Maybe you need to have a friend to watch your back. Maybe you need to have a friend that you can stab in their back. Either way, fun is awaiting those who gather friends together play this game.
  6. Outstanding Visual Style Award – Visual style doesn't aspire to real-world graphical fidelity (though a noble goal in itself)… it describes a distinctive look and feel that suffuses an entire game.
  7. Most Innovative Gameplay Award – The designers of this game are at the front lines of creative experimentation, bringing a fresh perspective and brain-breaking surprises. This game delighted, inspired and entertained with newness never played before.
  8. Best Game You Suck At Award – This is the game that rewards persistence, and is not for the faint of heart. It's the toughest game we've ever loved.
  9. Best Soundtrack Award – This unsung hero deserves to be recognized for its outstanding musical score. It's the OST with the MOST!
  10. Outstanding Story-Rich Game Award – Some days, only a narrative-heavy game will hit the spot, and this one packs a wallop. It's as gripping as any soap opera, and as well-tuned as a prestige-TV screenplay. Bravissimo — for making us feel things!
  11. Sit Back and Relax Award – This game is the antidote to a busy day. It's smooth, it's relaxing, it lets your worries melt away. This game is your moment of zen.

Any non-limited Steam account can cast their votes until January 2, 2024, at which point Valve will be announcing its nominees. Except for the Labor of Love category, only games released on Steam after the previous year's Autumn Sale will be eligible for nominations. For that former category, games that were released prior to this year with the exception of last year's Steam Awards winners. Of course, only games that are in Steam are allowed to be nominated.

Those who participate in the activity can earn a Steam Awards Nomination Badge (worth 25XP) if they complete all four tasks:

  1. Nominate at least 1 game
  2. Play a game they've nominated
  3. Nominate a game in each category
  4. Review (or update a review) of a game they've nominated
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Note that a new review is needed if there's already an existing review for the nominated game. The game has to be nominated first before the review is written, so make sure you get the order right. As for the third task, skipping a nomination for a category counts towards badge progress as long as you deliberately click the pink button that says >>Skip this category at the bottom of the selection window.

Now, give the devs that made you happy and touched your heart this year some love by nominating their games! Whether or not they win, you could confidently say that you did your part in giving back to the devs who toiled and worked hard to bring us the wonderful games we got this year. 2023 was a great year for gamers, so it's just right that we give back to those who have contributed towards our happiness this year.