Skip to Content
Video Games

Welcome To Aftermath’s 2023 Game Of The Year Deathmatch

16 challengers will enter, only one will leave

As the year draws to a close, we here at Aftermath Dot Site felt it was only fitting to look back on the last 12 months and try to come up with some kind of list of the Best Games Of 2023. Maybe even a single best game.

The thing is, everyone else does that already. If you read video game websites or listen to video game podcasts or watch video game videos you're no doubt already awash in other people's deliberations on what they felt was the best game of the year.

Our official policy on that is: whatever game you feel in your heart was the best game you played this year wins Game Of The Year. That's it! No discussions necessary! So instead of spending weeks arguing about the merits of Baldur's Gate 3's "D&D for theatre kids", Zelda's open world recycling efforts or Alan Wake's Alan Wakeness, we wanted to do something else.

So welcome to Aftermath's 2023 Game Of The Year DEATHMATCH. A knockout tournament where we have selected 16 of 2023's biggest video games and are pitting them in a fight to the death. Actually, that's not quite correct. We're not pitting the games themselves against each other. That would be weird, and require lengthy, genuine criticism, and during the holiday season that's the last thing we want to subject you to (or have to write, to be honest).

Instead, we have selected a single Champion from each game to represent it. That Champion will enter the arena against a challenger, duke it out in hand-to-hand (or weapon-to-weapon) combat and, if successful, they'll move onto the next round. If not, they are eliminated. Who are these Champions going to be? What are the rules of engagement? Where are these battles taking place? Who knows, we're making this up for each round as we go!

Below you'll find the First Round matchups as they currently stand (you can follow along here)

If you'd like to start taking bloodthirsty bets in the comments, please make sure sports betting is legal in your state/territory before doing so. Otherwise, you can follow the tournament here (or by simply checking the front page of Aftermath during Dec/Jan!).

Enjoyed this article? Consider sharing it! New visitors get a few free articles before hitting the paywall, and your shares help more people discover Aftermath.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Aftermath

Congratulations To Zohran Mamdani, NYC’s (Second) Gamer Mayor

"Unfortunately, our first gamer mayor – at least, in terms of policy – is Eric Adams"

Bucking The Industry Trend Of Post-Launch Layoffs, Lies Of P Devs Received $7,500 Bonuses, Switch 2s

"This bonus payout is both a celebration of that achievement and a significant turning point as the Lies of P franchise progresses to its next stage.”

This Game Sure Looks A Lot Like Venba [Update]

Prolific copycat studio makes a copycat game of Venba, stripping it of any life

June 26, 2025

You win, Rent-A-Girlfriend. I Give Up

The ongoing harem romcom that’s become the personification of sunken cost fallacy is at a crossroads, and I can’t be fucked to care anymore

See all posts