The Game Awards 2023 took place in Los Angeles, and the winner of the prestigious Game of the Year award was Baldur’s Gate 3, a fantasy RPG based on Dungeons and Dragons. Belgian developer Larian, who created the game, expressed their gratitude for the recognition and described it as a labor of love. Baldur’s Gate 3 also won five other awards, including Best Performance and Best RPG.

Actor Timothée Chalamet, known for his role in the upcoming Wonka film, announced the Game of the Year winner at the ceremony. Chalamet, who is a self-proclaimed gamer, was introduced as “ModdedController360,” the name of his now-deleted YouTube channel that focused on gaming peripherals. He recently visited renowned developer Hideo Kojima’s studio in Japan.

Other notable winners at the Game Awards included Alan Wake 2, which won three awards for Best Game Direction, Narrative, and Art Direction. The Last of Us TV series won Best Adaptation, Cyberpunk 2077 won Best Ongoing Game, and Cocoon won Best Independent Game.

In addition to the awards, the Game Awards event also featured new game trailers and announcements. Fans got a glimpse of upcoming titles such as Exodus, a sci-fi RPG from Archetype Entertainment, and OD (Overdose), a project by Hideo Kojima and Jordan Peele. Remakes of Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons and Final Fantasy VII were also revealed, along with gameplay footage of Jurassic Park: Survival and the revival of classic franchises Crazy Taxi and Jet Set Radio.

Despite the celebration of the gaming industry’s achievements, there have been concerns about job cuts in the industry throughout the year. Several major game companies, including Epic Games, Ubisoft Montreal, and Niantic, have announced layoffs. Some critics of the Game Awards have also expressed disappointment with the show’s focus on trailers and advertisements rather than giving winners their moment on stage.

The winners of the Game Awards are determined by a panel of industry experts and a fan vote, with the fan vote accounting for 10% of the final score. The full list of winners can be found on the Game Awards website.

Original news source: Game Awards 2023: Baldur’s Gate 3 wins game of the year (BBC)

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Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Provide each group with a copy of the article. Instruct the students to read the article and then work together to write a concise summary of the main points. After a designated time, have each group share their summaries with the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Give each group a list of questions related to the article, such as “Which game do you think deserved the Game of the Year award?” or “What are your thoughts on the focus of the Game Awards on trailers and advertisements?”. Instruct the students to discuss the questions and record their opinions. After a designated time, have each group present their opinions to the class.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Instruct each student to individually create a catchy headline for the article. Give them a few minutes to brainstorm and write down their headline. Then, have the students share their headlines with a partner and explain their choices. Finally, ask a few students to share their headlines with the class and discuss the different approaches taken.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Choose a selection of vocabulary words from the article and write them on separate slips of paper. Divide the class into two teams. One student from each team comes to the front of the class and selects a word without showing it to their team. They must then draw a picture to represent the word while their team tries to guess what it is. The team that guesses correctly earns a point. Continue until all the words have been used and tally up the points to determine the winning team.

– Two Truths and a Lie
Instructions: Instruct each student to come up with two true statements and one false statement related to the article. Have the students take turns sharing their statements with a partner, who must guess which statement is the lie. After a designated time, have a few pairs share their statements and guesses with the class.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What game won the Game of the Year award at the Game Awards 2023?
2. What other awards did Baldur’s Gate 3 win?
3. Who announced the Game of the Year winner at the ceremony?
4. What was the name of Timothée Chalamet’s now-deleted YouTube channel?
5. What other games won awards at the Game Awards?
6. What were some of the new game trailers and announcements featured at the event?
7. What are some concerns that have been raised about the gaming industry throughout the year?
8. How are the winners of the Game Awards determined?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

The Game Awards 2023 took place in Los Angeles, and the winner of the prestigious Game of the Year award was Baldur’s Gate 3, a fantasy RPG based on Dungeons and (1)______. Belgian developer Larian, who created the game, expressed their gratitude for the recognition and (2)______ it as a labor of love. Baldur’s Gate 3 also won five other awards, (3)______ Best Performance and Best RPG.

Actor Timothée Chalamet, (4)______ for his role in the upcoming Wonka film, announced the Game of the Year winner at the ceremony. Chalamet, who is a self-proclaimed gamer, was introduced as “ModdedController360,” the name of his now-deleted YouTube channel that focused on gaming peripherals. He recently (5)______ renowned developer Hideo Kojima’s studio in (6)______.

Other notable winners at the Game Awards included Alan Wake 2, which won three awards for Best Game (7)______, (8)______, and Art Direction. The Last of Us TV series won Best Adaptation, Cyberpunk 2077 won Best Ongoing Game, and Cocoon won Best Independent Game.

In addition to the awards, the Game Awards event also featured new game trailers and (9)______. Fans got a glimpse of upcoming titles such as Exodus, a sci-fi RPG from Archetype Entertainment, and OD (Overdose), a project by Hideo (10)______ and (11)______ Peele. Remakes of Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons and Final Fantasy VII were also revealed, along with (12)______ footage of Jurassic Park: Survival and the revival of classic franchises Crazy Taxi and Jet Set Radio.

Despite the celebration of the gaming industry’s achievements, there have been concerns about job cuts in the industry throughout the year. Several major game companies, including Epic Games, Ubisoft Montreal, and Niantic, have announced layoffs. Some critics of the Game (13)______ have also expressed (14)______ with the show’s focus on trailers and advertisements rather than giving (15)______ their moment on stage.

The winners of the Game Awards are determined by a (16)______ of industry experts and a fan vote, with the fan vote accounting for 10% of the final score. The full list of winners can be found on the Game Awards website.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is your favorite video game of all time? Why?
2. Have you ever played Dungeons and Dragons? If so, what do you enjoy about it?
3. How would you feel if a game you created won a prestigious award? Why?
4. Do you think video games can be considered a form of art? Why or why not?
5. What are some other hobbies or activities that you enjoy besides playing video games? Why?
6. Have you ever visited a video game developer’s studio? If not, would you like to? Why or why not?
7. How do you feel about the trend of remaking or reviving classic video game franchises? Why?
8. Do you think it’s important for the gaming industry to address concerns about job cuts and layoffs? Why or why not?
9. What do you think about the balance between trailers and advertisements versus recognizing winners at the Game Awards? Why?
10. Have you ever participated in a fan vote for an award or competition? If so, how did you feel about the process? Why?
11. How do you think the gaming industry has evolved over the years? Why?
12. Are there any video game genres or styles that you don’t enjoy? Why or why not?
13. What role do video games play in your life? Are they just a form of entertainment, or do they have a deeper meaning for you? Why?
14. How do you feel about the influence of video games on popular culture? Why?
15. Do you think video games can have a positive impact on society? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. prestigious
2. gratitude
3. labor
4. peripherals
5. renowned
6. notable
7. adaptation
8. ongoing
9. glimpse
10. revival
11. concerns
12. layoffs
13. disappointment
14. determined
15. score

Meanings:
(A) Thankfulness or appreciation
(B) Feeling of sadness or dissatisfaction due to unmet expectations
(C) Hard work or effort
(D) Highly respected and admired
(E) A numerical value assigned to indicate the level of achievement or success
(F) Worthy of attention or notice
(G) The act of dismissing or terminating employees from their jobs
(H) Decided or settled
(I) Devices or accessories that are used with a computer or gaming console
(J) The act of making changes or adjustments to something to make it suitable for a different purpose or audience
(K) The act of bringing something back to life or popularity
(L) Worries or anxieties
(M) Famous and well-known
(N) Continuing or in progress
(O) A brief or quick look or peek
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Where did the Game Awards 2023 take place?
(a) Los Angeles
(b) New York
(c) London
(d) Tokyo

2. Which game won the Game of the Year award?
(a) Alan Wake 2
(b) The Last of Us
(c) Cyberpunk 2077
(d) Baldur’s Gate 3

3. Who announced the Game of the Year winner?
(a) Hideo Kojima
(b) Jordan Peele
(c) Timothée Chalamet
(d) Alan Wake

4. Which game won the most awards at the Game Awards?
(a) Alan Wake 2
(b) Baldur’s Gate 3
(c) The Last of Us
(d) Cyberpunk 2077

5. Which game won the Best Independent Game award?
(a) Baldur’s Gate 3
(b) The Last of Us
(c) Cocoon
(d) Cyberpunk 2077

6. What did Timothée Chalamet do before announcing the Game of the Year winner?
(a) He starred in the Wonka film
(b) He had a YouTube channel about gaming
(c) He won an award for Best Performance
(d) He visited Hideo Kojima’s studio in Japan

7. What percentage of the final score is determined by the fan vote?
(a) 10%
(b) 25%
(c) 50%
(d) 75%

8. What have some critics of the Game Awards expressed disappointment about?
(a) The lack of recognition for winners
(b) The focus on trailers and advertisements
(c) The location of the event
(d) The lack of celebrity presenters

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. The winners of the Game Awards are determined by a panel of industry experts and a fan vote.
2. The Last of Us TV series won the Best Adaptation award.
3. Actor Timothée Chalamet announced the Game of the Year winner at the ceremony.
4. Timothée Chalamet is not known for his role in the upcoming Wonka film.
5. Baldur’s Gate 3 won the Game of the Year award.
6. Baldur’s Gate 3 did not win a total of six awards, including Best Performance and Best RPG.
7. The Game Awards 2023 did not take place in Los Angeles.
8. Alan Wake 2 did not win three awards at the Game Awards for Best Game Direction, Narrative, and Art Direction.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What game won the Game of the Year award at the Game Awards 2023?
2. Who announced the Game of the Year winner at the ceremony?
3. What other awards did Baldur’s Gate 3 win?
4. What other games won awards at the Game Awards?
5. What concerns have been raised about the Game Awards?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Baldur’s Gate 3 won the Game of the Year award at the Game Awards 2023.
2. Baldur’s Gate 3 also won five other awards, including Best Performance and Best RPG.
3. Timothée Chalamet announced the Game of the Year winner at the ceremony.
4. The name of Timothée Chalamet’s now-deleted YouTube channel was ModdedController360.
5. Alan Wake 2 won three awards for Best Game Direction, Narrative, and Art Direction. The Last of Us TV series won Best Adaptation, Cyberpunk 2077 won Best Ongoing Game, and Cocoon won Best Independent Game.
6. Some of the new game trailers and announcements featured at the event included Exodus, a sci-fi RPG from Archetype Entertainment, OD (Overdose), a project by Hideo Kojima and Jordan Peele, remakes of Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons and Final Fantasy VII, gameplay footage of Jurassic Park: Survival, and the revival of classic franchises Crazy Taxi and Jet Set Radio.
7. Concerns have been raised about job cuts in the gaming industry throughout the year, with several major game companies announcing layoffs. Some critics of the Game Awards have also expressed disappointment with the show’s focus on trailers and advertisements rather than giving winners their moment on stage.
8. The winners of the Game Awards are determined by a panel of industry experts and a fan vote, with the fan vote accounting for 10% of the final score.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Dragons
(2) described
(3) including
(4) known
(5) visited
(6) Japan
(7) Direction
(8) Narrative
(9) announcements
(10) Kojima
(11) Jordan
(12) gameplay
(13) Awards
(14) disappointment
(15) winners
(16) panel
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. prestigious
Answer: (D) Highly respected and admired

2. gratitude
Answer: (A) Thankfulness or appreciation

3. labor
Answer: (C) Hard work or effort

4. peripherals
Answer: (I) Devices or accessories that are used with a computer or gaming console

5. renowned
Answer: (M) Famous and well-known

6. notable
Answer: (F) Worthy of attention or notice

7. adaptation
Answer: (J) The act of making changes or adjustments to something to make it suitable for a different purpose or audience

8. ongoing
Answer: (N) Continuing or in progress

9. glimpse
Answer: (O) A brief or quick look or peek

10. revival
Answer: (K) The act of bringing something back to life or popularity

11. concerns
Answer: (L) Worries or anxieties

12. layoffs
Answer: (G) The act of dismissing or terminating employees from their jobs

13. disappointment
Answer: (B) Feeling of sadness or dissatisfaction due to unmet expectations

14. determined
Answer: (H) Decided or settled

15. score
Answer: (E) A numerical value assigned to indicate the level of achievement or success
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Where did the Game Awards 2023 take place?
Answer: (a) Los Angeles

2. Which game won the Game of the Year award?
Answer: (d) Baldur’s Gate 3

3. Who announced the Game of the Year winner?
Answer: (c) Timothée Chalamet

4. Which game won the most awards at the Game Awards?
Answer: (b) Baldur’s Gate 3

5. Which game won the Best Independent Game award?
Answer: (c) Cocoon

6. What did Timothée Chalamet do before announcing the Game of the Year winner?
Answer: (d) He visited Hideo Kojima’s studio in Japan

7. What percentage of the final score is determined by the fan vote?
Answer: (a) 10%

8. What have some critics of the Game Awards expressed disappointment about?
Answer: (b) The focus on trailers and advertisements
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. The winners of the Game Awards are determined by a panel of industry experts and a fan vote. (Answer: True)
2. The Last of Us TV series won the Best Adaptation award. (Answer: True)
3. Actor Timothée Chalamet announced the Game of the Year winner at the ceremony. (Answer: True)
4. Timothée Chalamet is not known for his role in the upcoming Wonka film. (Answer: False)
5. Baldur’s Gate 3 won the Game of the Year award. (Answer: True)
6. Baldur’s Gate 3 did not win a total of six awards, including Best Performance and Best RPG. (Answer: False)
7. The Game Awards 2023 did not take place in Los Angeles. (Answer: False)
8. Alan Wake 2 did not win three awards at the Game Awards for Best Game Direction, Narrative, and Art Direction. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧