The year 2023 delivered a relentless parade of video game releases, each one vying for attention with sprawling narratives and deeply human moments. Among the crowded field, six performers carved out a space of their own, earning nominations for Best Performance at The Game Awards. When the dust settled, Neil Newbon’s turn as the silver-tongued vampire Astarion in Baldur’s Gate 3 took the trophy, but the journey to that moment showcased acting that continues to resonate in 2026.

The category that year told a story of diversity – not just in the universes represented, but in the emotional registers each actor had to reach. From a fantasy hero bearing the weight of a dying world to a Jedi grappling with survival, the range was staggering. Let’s revisit the half-dozen performers who defined that unforgettable season.

🎭 The Nominees

Ben Starr – Final Fantasy XVI

Ben Starr stepped into the massive shoes of Clive Rosfield with a passion that only a lifelong Final Fantasy fan could muster. The Bristol-born actor had spent a decade quietly building a career, but 2023 became his breakout year. His performance was a mosaic of quiet grief, sizzling rage, and unexpected warmth. In quieter tavern scenes, Starr infused Clive with a weary charm; when the Eikons clashed, he unleashed a throat-shredding roar that left players breathless. Long after 2023, fans still dissect his line deliveries, proof that Starr didn’t just play a hero – he became him.

Cameron Monaghan – Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Returning as Cal Kestis, Cameron Monaghan proved that a sequel could deepen an already beloved character. His absence from the 2019 nomination list was corrected emphatically. What set Monaghan apart was his physical commitment – every lightsaber swing carried the desperation of a Jedi on the run, and the motion capture sessions translated every stumble into raw emotion. The therapy-like conversations aboard the Mantis allowed Monaghan to show a Cal who was broken but still hopeful, a nuance that made the performance feel lived-in.

Idris Elba – Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

Idris Elba’s entry into video games came with sky-high expectations, and he met them with a performance that felt effortlessly cool. As Solomon Reed, an FIA agent carrying endless secrets, Elba used his signature gravitas to anchor the spy-thriller expansion. CD Projekt Red’s photorealistic rendering made every micro-expression count – a tightening jaw here, a fleeting smile there. It was a masterclass in restraint, proving that even in a digital body, a heavyweight actor could deliver a magnetic screen presence.

Melanie Liburd – Alan Wake 2

Though new to the interactive medium, Melanie Liburd commanded the screen as Saga Anderson with a confidence that belied her inexperience. The British actress had to shoulder half of Remedy’s mind-bending horror story, and she did so with a blend of professional poise and creeping dread. Saga’s Mind Place sequences, where she pieces together clues in a darkened cabin of her own psyche, showcased Liburd’s ability to monologue without ever losing the audience. By the end credits, she had established Saga as one of the most believable characters in the Remedy Connected Universe.

Yuri Lowenthal – Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

If there was ever a doubt about Yuri Lowenthal being the definitive Peter Parker, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 crushed it. The Symbiote suit gave him a playground of tonal shifts – one moment a snarling predator, the next a campy showman. Lowenthal navigated these extremes with surgical precision, making the black-suited Spider-Man terrifying without losing the core of the vulnerable science nerd underneath. His scream of anguish midway through the game became an instant meme, yet in context it was utterly devastating. For many, this was the crowning achievement of an already legendary superhero portrayal.

Neil Newbon – Baldur’s Gate 3 (Winner 🏆)

Neil Newbon did not simply voice Astarion; he crafted a character that players fell in love with, feared, and rooted for in equal measure. From the moment the pale elf accosts you on a beach, his performance crackles with arrogant wit. Newbon layered the role with centuries of trauma hidden beneath a seductive drawl, making every campfire confession feel like a revelation. The infamous clown reaction scene – a split-second of horrified silence before an eruption of nervous laughter – summed up his range. By the time the Game Awards ceremony arrived, the Astarion fandom had become a cultural force. Newbon’s win felt less like an upset and more like an inevitability.

🎤 Why Newbon’s Win Endures

Looking back from 2026, the reasons behind Neil Newbon’s victory are clearer than ever. Baldur’s Gate 3 launched a wave of companion-driven RPGs that tried to replicate Astarion’s magic, but few succeeded. Newbon’s ability to toggle between villainy and vulnerability set a new standard for player-character relationships. His performance became a benchmark in acting workshops and GDC talks, cited as the moment video games fully embraced theatrical nuance without sacrificing player agency. While Ben Starr’s soulful heroics and Yuri Lowenthal’s dual Spider-Men remain towering achievements, Astarion was the role that changed how the industry thought about romance, trauma, and trust in interactive stories.

The 2023 Game Awards Best Performance category encapsulated a year when actors ceased to be just voices or digital puppets and became the beating heart of their games. Neil Newbon’s triumph marked a turning point – a reminder that a single performance, delivered with fearless conviction, can elevate an entire medium.