Summary

  • Hogwarts Legacy was the most searched-for game in 2023, but received no nominations at The Game Awards, causing disappointment among fans.
  • The Last of Us came in second on the list, benefiting from its TV adaptation and the announcement of its No Return mode.
  • Battlegrounds Mobile India ranked fourth on the list, showcasing the global success of the gaming industry.

Google revealed the 10 most searched-for games in 2023, and the results seem to have bothered some of The Game Awards' viewers. The list contains an interesting mixture of titles, with Hogwarts Legacy sitting on top.

The games industry continued to prosper in 2023. Highly anticipated games like Starfield, Baldur's Gate 3, and Diablo 4 all enjoyed successful sales numbers and plenty of popularity. Mobile games and word-puzzle games also continued to see success, with Battlegrounds Mobile India sitting at number four on this list and New York Times' Connections sitting at number three. However, some Harry Potter fans might be perplexed that Hogwarts Legacy was the most searched-for game in 2023, yet failed to secure a single nomination at The Game Awards.

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Geoff Keighley, the host of The Game Awards, tweeted Google's list of the most searched-for games in 2023. Fans took to the comments to voice their displeasure of Hogwarts Legacy not receiving any nods at the awards show, while other commenters countered that the game was not exceptional enough to earn any nominations. It didn't help that especially well-developed games like Baldur's Gate 3 and Alan Wake 2 released this year, soaking up plenty of nominations in various categories.

Google's 10 most searched-for games in 2023:

  1. Hogwarts Legacy
  2. The Last of Us
  3. Connections
  4. Battlegrounds Mobile India
  5. Starfield
  6. Baldur's Gate 3
  7. Suika Game
  8. Diablo 4
  9. Atomic Heart
  10. Sons of the Forest

It's also possible that a sizable chunk of Harry Potter's massive fan base doesn't consist of hard-line gaming fans. These supporters, who helped contribute to Hogwarts Legacy's popularity on Google, may not be aware of The Game Awards' existence. This might help to explain why Hogwarts Legacy failed to gather enough votes for a Players' Voice nomination, despite the game's huge popularity.

Hogwarts Legacy was followed by The Last of Us, which came in at number two on the list. Naughty Dog's highly successful franchise continues to enjoy popularity in 2023, partly thanks to its popular TV adaptation on HBO and the announcement of The Last of Us 2's No Return mode.

In addition to highlighting the wide range of gaming genres that saw success in 2023, this list also displays the healthy state of gaming around the globe. Battlegrounds Mobile India was banned by the Indian government in 2022 over apparent national security concerns, due to the game being partly owned by Tencent, which is a Chinese technology conglomerate with ties to the Chinese government. Battlegrounds Mobile India was extremely popular, and Indian gamers rejoiced when its ban was finally lifted in May 2023, leading it to finish at number four on this list. And Japan's Suika Game, a mobile puzzle game, saw so much popularity that it finished at number seven on this list, despite its user base being mostly limited to Japan. It's been described as highly addictive and as one of the best puzzle games since Tetris.

Rating block community and brand ratings Image
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Legacy Tag Page Cover Art
9 /10

Hogwarts Legacy
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Action
RPG
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Systems
PlayStation-1 Xbox-1 super greyscale 8-bit logo PC-1
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Top Critic Avg: 84 /100 Critics Rec: 88%
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Released
February 10, 2023
ESRB
T For Teen Due To Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol
Developer(s)
Avalanche Software
Publisher(s)
Warner Bros. Games
Engine
Unreal Engine 4
Cross-Platform Play
Hogwarts Legacy doesn't have crossplay or crossplatform support
Cross Save
you can freely use your saved data between each console as long as you are connected to the internet and signed into the same account where the saved data was created
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
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Hogwarts Legacy is an immersive, open-world action RPG set in the world first introduced in the Harry Potter books. For the first time, experience Hogwarts in the 1800s. Your character is a student who holds the key to an ancient secret that threatens to tear the wizarding world apart. Now you can take control of the action and be at the center of your own adventure in the wizarding world. Your legacy is what you make of it.

Explore an Open World
The wizarding world awaits you. Freely roam Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, the Forbidden Forest, and the surrounding Overland area.

Be the Witch or Wizard You Want to be
Learn spells, brew potions, grow plants, and tend to magical beasts along your journey. Get sorted into your house, forge relationships, and master skills to become the witch or wizard you want to be Experience a New Wizarding World Adventure
Experience the wizarding world in an unexplored era to uncover a hidden truth from its past. Battle against trolls, Dark Wizards, goblins, and more as you face a dangerous villain threatening the fate of the wizarding world.

Franchise
Harry Potter
Genre(s)
Action, RPG