2023 Was a Great Year for Games
...But not for everyone. Also, we hit 100 subscribers?!
Last week at The Game Awards, we reflected on one of the best years for video games in recent memory. 2023 was a year for video game giants, with masterpieces like Baldur’s Gate 3 and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom getting the recognition they deserve (sorry, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2).
In this week’s newsletter, we’re reflecting on some of the best games of 2023. We’re also highlighting one of the most heartbreaking parts of this year — Industry layoffs.
But first…
We hit 100 subscribers!
The amount of support you have shown us has been incredible. Thank you so much for sharing Pixel Dive with your friends, family, and that co-worker of yours who only talks about video games. We’re a small team with big dreams, and are so glad you’re here with us.
We have plans to say thank you in other ways than just a newsletter shout-out, though! Keep an eye on your email for details later!
Also, we have socials!
If you like what we do, follow us on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter / X for even more content. Word-of-mouth has been great for our initial launch, and we hope our socials will help us grow even more. One follow = one kiss from us. <3
This week’s articles:
Unionization is Possible for the Games Industry
2023 has been great for games but hasn’t been as kind to the people who make them. Over 7,000 workers have been laid off by game studios this year, and it seems like a new studio adds to that count each week.
What can be done to battle the constant instability in the games industry? According to Zanadood, the solution is clear. It’s time to unionize!
A Stroke of Genius: An Early Look at Constance
Ever since Hollow Knight: Silksong was announced in February 2019, we’ve been desperate for any news of an actual release date. Fortunately, a demo for a new Hollow Knight-inspired title is here to fill the Void in our hearts.
Constance is a love letter to genre greats like Hollow Knight, Celeste, and Ori and the Blind Forest. With fluid gameplay and interesting new mechanics for the genre, Constance has the potential to be one of the best Metroidvania titles released.
Tpage’s Game Awards Nominations
The Game Awards are finished, but that doesn’t mean we are! In the last newsletter, Tink shared his personal game award picks for 2023. This week, we’re featuring Tpage’s selections. Did somebody say P-Organ?
Pixel Dive Staff GOTY Picks
With plenty of incredible game releases and content updates for existing games, 2023 has proven to be one of the best years for gaming in recent memory. The showcase at The Game Awards highlighted this as tons of great games battled for bragging rights. The GOTY winner for 2023 (and the winner of several other awards) was Baldur’s Gate 3, and considering the love Larion put into the game, it’s easy to see why.
Although Baldur’s Gate 3 certainly deserves praise, some of our staff have different thoughts on which game should have taken the crown this year. In an alternate universe where Pixel Dive staff are in charge of The Game Awards, here are the other GOTY award winners!
Poll of the Week
One more thing: Help us name our mascot!
This is our currently-unnamed mascot! Designed by Tink, this guy’s a lizard with blue shorts and a pink shirt. As of now, he’s a blank slate, and we could really use some help fleshing out some details.
Comment below if you have any ideas for a name (or any background details, like where he’s from or what he does)! In the coming issues, we’ll have an official poll to decide his name!