Gayming Magazine’s annual awards for celebrating queerness in videogames are back for their fourth year. The nominees have been announced and Baldur’s Gate 3 is in the lead, being up for five potential awards: Game of the Year, the Gayming Magazine Readers Award, the Authentic Representation Award, Best LGBTQ Character (two nominations, one for Dame Aylin and one for Shadowheart), and Larian is also in the running for the Industry Diversity Award.

Thirsty Suitors, which we called 2023’s second-best RPG about people who are too horny for their own good, has also done well. It’s been nominated for Game of the Year, Best LGBTQ Indie Game, the Authentic Representation Award, and Best LGBTQ Character for its protagonist, Jala. Tchia, our pick for best open world game of 2023, has another four nominations, while Final Fantasy 16 is up for three awards.

The Gayming Awards show will be held in Los Angeles this year, and will be broadcast on Gayming Magazine’s Twitch and TikTok channels at 2pm ET on April 7. “Our move to a virtual show set in LA not only ensures that the Awards can be made with higher production standards,” said Gayming Awards creator Robin Gray, “but we can also increase its accessibility and reach by broadcasting at a more globally convenient time along with offering captioned streams and our new Spanish language co-stream. These changes are hugely exciting, and I’m thrilled to be celebrating LGBTQ excellence in gaming with a bigger and more diverse audience.” The full list of nominees is below.

Game of the Year

Baldur’s Gate 3 – Larian StudiosFinal Fantasy 16 – Square EnixLegend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – NintendoThirsty Suitors – Outerloop Games / Annapurna InteractiveSpider-Man 2 – Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive EntertainmentStray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical – Summerfall Studios / Humble Games

Gayming Magazine Readers Award – sponsored by Devolver Digital

Baldur’s Gate 3 – Larian StudiosFinal Fantasy 16 – Square EnixGoodbye Volcano High – KO_OPLegend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – NintendoTchia – Awaceb / Kepler InteractiveThis Bed We Made – Lowbirth Games

Best LGBTQ Indie Game – powered by TikTok

Coral Island – Stairway Games / Humble GamesIn Stars and Time – insertdisc5Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical – Summerfall Studios / Humble GamesTchia – Awaceb / Kelper InteractiveThirsty Suitors – Outerloop Games / Annapurna InteractiveThis Bed We Made – Lowbirth Games

LGBTQ Streamer of the Year

ApothicdecayEevohElixEspeSymoneHalfmoonjoeMysticKittennSheilurSpringSims

Authentic Representation Award

Baldur’s Gate 3 – Larian StudiosCoral Island – Stairway Games / Humble GamesThe Sims 4 – Maxis / EA GamesThe Expanse: A Telltale Series – Telltale Games / Deck NineThirsty Suitors – Outerloop Games / Annapurna InteractiveThis Bed We Made – Lowbirth Games

Best LGBTQ Character

Aloy – Horizon Forbidden WestDame Aylin – Baldur’s Gate 3Dion Lesage – Final Fantasy XVIJala – Thirsty SuitorsShadowheart – Baldur’s Gate 3Tchia – Tchia

Industry Diversity Award

Humble GamesLarian StudiosLatinx In GamingQweerty GamersRoll7Women In Games International

Best LGBTQ Contribution to Esports Award

Bailey McCannBethany “Indyburgh” PylesCora KennedyEmma “Emzii” RoseSlaypex & Kylie GaborTeam Overture

LGBTQ Geek Entertainment Moment of the Year Award

Doctor Who: The Star Beast – Bad Wolf & BBC StudiosHarley Quinn – DC Studios & Warner Brothers AnimationNimona – Netflix & Annapurna PicturesScott Pilgrim Takes Off – NetflixThe Last of Us: Long, Long Time: HBOThe Legend of Vox Machina: Season 2 – Amazon Studios & Critical Role