The Game Awards 2023 nominees for Best Esports Athlete

The Game Awards have announced their six nominees for the Best Esports Athlete in their 2023 event.

The Game Awards is the biggest night in gaming, where the best games of the year are honored and new games are revealed. It’s a must-watch for any fan of video games, happening on December 7 this year.

You can vote for your favorite games in over 30 categories now at The Game Awards website. Let your voice be heard and help decide who wins the biggest awards in gaming!

Their are four esports-focused awards and we at Esports Kingdom have brought you a look in to each of the nominees.

Best Esports Athlete (this article)
Best Esports Coach
Best Esports Event
Best Esports Game

And the nominees are…

Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok

T1 Faker Worlds 2023 — Photo via Riot Games

Faker is a South Korean professional League of Legends player for T1. He has won four World Championships, two Mid-Season Invitationals, and ten LCK titles. The most recent of which was the 2023 League of Legends World Championships.

2023 marked Faker’s tenth year competing in the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK), the top-tier professional league in South Korea. Faker’s leadership proved invaluable in 2023 as he guided T1 through challenges and setbacks.

Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut

ZywOo at IEM Cologne 2023 — Photo by Helena Kristiansson via ESL

ZywOo is a French professional Counter-Strike player who currently plays as an AWP sniper for Team Vitality. He has been ranked the No. 1 player in the world by HLTV in 2019 and 2020.

ZywOo’s remarkable individual performances translated into collective success for Team Vitality. The team secured notable victories throughout the year, including a triumphs at the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, Intel Extreme Masters Rio 2023, and .

Max “Demon1” Mazanov

EG Demon1 at VCT- Masters Tokyo — Photo by Colin Young-Wolff via Riot Games

Demon1 is an American professional Valorant esports player who currently plays for Evil Geniuses. He is a rising star in the Valorant scene, and he is considered to be one of the best players in the world in his role as a duelist.

In 2023, Mazanov joined Evil Geniuses. He has had a stellar season with Evil Geniuses, and he has helped them to win numerous tournaments, including VALORANT Champions 2023, being awarded the MVP.

Paco “HyDra” Rusiewiez

CoD HyDra — Photo via Call of Duty League

HyDra is a French professional Call of Duty esports player who currently plays for the New York Subliners. He is a 2023 Call of Duty League (CDL) World Champion and the 2023 CDL MVP.

In 2023, HyDra joined the New York Subliners. He had an even better season with the Subliners, as he helped them to win the CDL Championship and was named the league’s MVP. HyDra is the first French player to win the CDL Championship, and he is only the second European player to do so.

Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk

JDG Ruler Worlds 2023 — Photo via Riot Games

Ruler is a South Korean professional League of Legends esports player who currently plays as an AD Carry for JD Gaming. He is one of the most decorated players in LCK history, having won three world championships and two LCK titles. Ruler is known for his calm and composed demeanor, his mechanical skill, and his ability to carry games in the late game. He is widely considered to be one of the best AD Carries in the world.

Phillip “ImperialHal” Dosen

TSM ImperialHal at the ALGS Birmingham Championship — Photo by Joe Brady via Electronic Arts

ImperialHal is an American professional esports player and streamer who currently plays for TSM. He is widely regarded as one of the best players in the world in the battle royale game Apex Legends. ImperialHal is known for his aggressive playstyle, his ability to make clutch plays, and his strategic leadership. He has won numerous tournaments, including the Apex Legends Global Series Championship Season 6.