The GAM3 Awards 2023, in collaboration with GAM3S.GG and Magic Eden, has a prize pool of over $2 million. It will be held on December 14th.
Initially, 214 games were shortlisted, and the selection process was left to a panel of over 70 experts in the field of traditional and web3 games. This judging panel is comprised of executives from tech giants such as Amazon, Google, Ubisoft, Microsoft, and Samsung, along with leaders in the blockchain gaming ecosystem. The selection criteria focuses on gameplay, mechanics, replayability, “fun” factor, accessibility, and overall quality, leading to a shortlist of 40 games currently open for community voting.
The 2023 awards saw a notable increase in eligible games with playable versions, more than doubling from the previous year. This growth represents solid progress in the sector and a rising standard for web3 games. The finalists span nine blockchain networks that Arbitrum debuted, with the top five being Polygon, Ethereum, Immutable X, Arbitrum, and Avalanche.
In the voting process, the jury role has 90% influence, and the community vote contributes 10%. In particular, the ‘People’s Choice Award’ and ‘Best Content Creator’ rely solely on community voting to amplify the gaming community’s voice in these categories. Several games stood out, with Big Time, Wildcard, Parallel, and Deaddrop earning five nominations.
Nominees in the Game of the Year category are Parallel, Big Time, Deadrop, Wildcard, and NFL Rivals.
The prize pool for winners will include cash grants, technical service credits, marketing support, and more provided by a consortium of partners such as Amazon, Magic Eden, AD Gaming, and more, highlighting their extensive support and investment in the future of web3 gaming.
George Yousling, Director of Business Development at Polygon Labs, said:
“Despite the macro headwinds, I am encouraged by the fact that such a high-quality game has reached open beta and early access. It’s a fun game with a fleshed-out core loop, tutorial, in-game economy, and progression system. A user flow that removes friction through account abstraction and helps players enjoy the experience upfront rather than through clunky onboarding.”
The GAM3 Awards seeks to actively engage with the gaming community through Magic Eden’s exclusive free mints for voters and a $100,000 prize pool for community members.
To see the full list of nominees, visit gam3awards.com. Final voting will take place from November 22nd to December 1st.