A collage of the top gaming memes from 2023.

KYM Review: The Top Gaming Memes Of 2023

Rise and shine, gamers! As 2023 rapidly approaches its logical end, the time has come to judge whether 2023 really was the greatest year for video games the only way we know how — by reviewing the best gaming memes of the passing year.

It seems like 2023 really was the best of times and the worst of times. The year brought us some of the highest-rated, community-loved video games of recent memory, including masterful achievements of the craft such as Baldur's Gate 3, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Marvel's Spider-Man 2. But 2023 was also a year when we witnessed inexcusable fails such as The Lord of the Rings: Gollum and The Day Before.

But even if you were not actively enjoying the many AAA hits and indie masterpieces this year and chose to sit on the sidelines, gaming memes likely found a way into your personal online bubble. Let's take one more look at memes and formats that shaped 2023 in the world of gaming.


AI Presidents Gaming

The start of 2023 was marked by an unexpected appearance of a new type of gamer: the presidential gamer (not to be confused with the Gamer President). The AI voice was the last ingredient needed for mass-producing voice-acted memes without actual voice acting (be sure to ask consent for using one's voice — even if it's a president!).

Clips in which Donald Trump 1v1'd Joe Biden on Rust and Barack Obama teamed up with Bill Clinton to dig for diamonds in Minecraft were the test batch of memery cooked with EvenLabs AI, which paved the way for more use of this emerging technology throughout the entire year.

While the Presidents Gaming memes have been voiced with AI, they wouldn't have been half as entertaining to watch if mememakers didn't manage to display some of the most creative writing we saw this year, so kudos for that!


Video Game Apologies

While the trend of video game apologies did not start this year (the credit goes to Bethesda apologizing for Fallout 76 launch back in 2018, and to CDPR's endless apologies for Cyberpunk 2077 delays), 2023 was truly the year when the art of publishers pushing out a subpar, unfinished product only to apologize for it a few days after reached its peak.

Only between February and May, we saw back-to-back apologies for PC ports of _The Last of Us Part I, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and The Lord of the Ring: Gollum, making it three games in three months.

DomTheBomb @DomTheBombYT 2023 Gaming: · Release broken game Wait about a day or two Make an apology statement - Release statement and promise patches and fixes - GOLLUM Dear players, We would like to sincerely apologize for the underwhelming experience many of you have had with The Lord of Ring Gollum upon its release. We acknowledge and deeply regret that the game did not meet the expectations we set for ourselves or for our dedicated community. Please accept our sincere apologies for any disappointment this may have caused. Our goal as a studio, and as passionate The Lord of the Rings fans, has always been to tell a compelling and immersive story-driven adventure. Crafting a story with Middle-earth as our playground has been the greatest honor- and the biggest challenge we have faced so far. At Daedalic, we understand that a game's success relles on the enjoyment and satisfaction of its players. We genuinely value your feedback and have been actively listening to your voices, reading your comments, and analyzing the constructive criticism and suggestions you have provided. Our development team has been working diligently to address the bugs and technical issues many of you experienced. We are committed to providing you with patches that will allow you to enjoy the game to its fullest potential Once again, we deeply apologize for any inconvenience caused, and we appreciate your understanding during this time. We will continue to keep you updated on our progress and provide transparent communication regarding the upcoming patches and improvements. Your passion and dedication as players have been the driving force behind our determination to make things right. Thank you for your support. Sincerely DAEDALIC ENTERTAINMENT FØRSPOKEN Thank you to all the players who have enjoyed Forspoken and explored Athia since launch. We've been listening to all your feedback and are hard at work on an upcoming patch that will include improvements to overall performance, graphics, playability, and general updates and fixes to the game content across PS5 and various PC hardware configurations. 12:51 PM . May 26, 2023 1.3M Views STAR WARS JEDI SURVIVOR We are aware that Star Wars Jedi: Survivor isn't performing to our standards for a percentage of our PC players, in particular those with high-end machines or certain specific configurations. For example, players using cutting-edge, multi-threaded chipsets designed for Windows 11 were encountering problems on Windows 10, or high-end GPUs coupled with lower- performing CPUs also saw unexpected frame loss. Rest assured, we are working to address these cases quickly. The Last of Us fans. Let's get right to it: We initially announced The Last of Us Part I PC release would be March 3, but we've decided to push its launch date out by just a few weeks: it will now be released on March 28. We at the studio have been completely blown away by the outpouring of love and support for The Last of Us these last few weeks. Hearing your love for the HBO adaptation, seeing your beautiful Photo Mode shots, and learning about how the world and characters our studio created nearly a decade ago continue to reach new and old fans alike floors us every day. We know a lot of you have been revisiting the story that started it all with The Last of Us Part I on PlayStation 5 console, and we realize many of you have been excited to jump in-some for the first time when Part I hits PC. And so we want to make sure that The Last of Us Part I PC debut is in the best shape possible. These additional few weeks will allow us to ensure this version of The Last of Us lives up to your, and our standards. We are so excited to bring The Last of Us Part I to a new platform, reaching new and returning players with Joel and Ellie's unforgettable story of survival, and we hope that you'll continue to look forward to its PC release on March 28. The Naughty Dog team appreciates your support and enthusiasm, and we look forward to sharing more about The Last of Us Part I PC version soon Endure and Survive. Naughty Dog :


The profusion of cases of developers dropping on their digital knees and folding their digital hands to beg for forgiveness was inevitably followed by parody apologies that cranked the absurdity of the situation up to 11.

HALD INFINITE www. . g TRUMENT is Pas WEBSTANTIAL Mat GOLLUM F ting AT THE Honor S detalja entiers, TAM T SA TE CI- ww CARINA MANUSIA ME S THOS Framin Paskie Sa - REDFALL 35


Anyway, there was a good reason for all of this, because while 2023 produced some of the best games, it was also the time of …

The Big Trash-Off

It's comical how the title of the "worst game of the year" passed from one game to another as the gaming industry managed to produce increasingly terrible games as 2023 progressed. When Redfall came out in May and got a meh 4 out of 10 from IGN, many firmly believed that it would end up as the worst notable game we saw in 2023.

However, less than a month later, the world witnessed the disastrous The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, which instantly drew the hit of the failed co-op shooter. The story repeated itself when Skull Island: Rise of Kong, featuring such technological advancements as a PNG in the middle of a cutscene, dropped in October, only to have its crown stolen again by The Walking Dead: Destinies.

wayneradiotv @wayneradiotv Are we really being blessed with a second gollum in the same year Rick @RickDaSquirrel. 16h Actual cutscene DO NOT BUY THE NEW KING KONG GAME. IT IS A COMPLETE SCAM 10:03 PM . Oct 16, 2023 582.9K Views .


Now when the dust has settled, it looks like we finally have the winner: The Day Before, which got a super F from pretty much every gaming website. Congratulations! 🎉🎉🎉

IGN✔✔ @IGN - Dec 11 The Day Before is a wholly disappointing online zombie survival shooter containing essentially nothing of what was originally promised over the years leading up to its disastrous early access release. Our review: bit.ly/3TkLchC THE DAY BEFORE THE DAY BEFORE REVIEW UNBEARABLE The Day Before is easily one of the worst games I've ever played, to the point where I'm afraid to continue running it on my PC - and if you didn't manage to try it yourself, you can probably count yourself as one of the lucky ones. ALT 947 3.7K Kenny @Disney+ ✔ @iKenny_J These 2 can relax now. 9:43 PM - Dec 11, 2023 178.5K Views 32K il₁4.8M 1 ۱۹۸ در ایران ...


Pizza Tower

Going back to games that were not only good but also inspired memes, fan art and all sorts of discussions, we have Pizza Tower, an indie gem that just kept on giving.

This Wario Land-inspired, high-energy action platformer about a severely depressed and mentally unstable pizzeria chef came into 2023 with an existing fandom thanks to early builds and demos. The release only propelled the game to exponentially larger heights of popularity.

4 References List Title zza Tower Angheft Auto V EA) orts Battlegrounds Mario Bros. 81D Te Wii Fit 7 a Tetris (1989) [¹] Pac-Man Sales 8,000,000,000[b] 170,000,000 100,000,000 82,900,000 $5,000,000 000,000 Series ♦ Pizza Tower Grand Theft Auto Tetris Wii PUBG Universe Super Mario Mario Kart Red Dead Tetris Pac-Man PC[c] Multi-platform Multi-platfor Wii Platf Multi-platfor Multi- -platfor Multi-platform Wii Game Boy / Multi-platfor


Besides endless fan art, animations and other content lovingly crafted by its fans, Pizza Tower also spawned its own meme formats, such as the “Special Guest” fan art trend and the notorious Peppino Scream.

1385²086 A THIRST FOR PIZZA! SPECIAL GUEST: PEPSIMAN! ペプシマン!


The inescapable ubiquity of the game in the digital space also led to its honorary inclusion into the Pizza Tower Ohio Rizz Gyatt slang overload format, which was something its fans were not too thrilled about. The perils of fame …

THIS ISNT EVEN POPPIN OFF WHAT THE BRUH IS WRONG WITH YOU MY FELLA


Moushley

Speaking of fan art, there's one video game character that seemingly left every other contender in the dust this year. We're talking, of course, about Ashley Graham from Resident Evil 4, a remake of which was released this year. There's a small caveat, though: Instead of drawing Ashley as a human (boring, uncool), artists opted to draw the President's daughter as a mouse (brave, avant-garde, appeals to furries) who's always craving for some cheese.

4) I CRAVE CHEESE LEON M M GOT SOME RARE CHEESE ON SALE STRANGER) HELP ME LEON


One possible explanation for why the Moushley trend got as big as it did is that Miss Graham does indeed have a very mouse-like personality, and an endless supply of cheese puns artists came up with just seemed to fit her very well.

Also, just look at those cute little ears, awww.


Crucified Koroks

Enough cuteness! It's time to talk about how people committed war crimes against Koroks in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom now.

Yes, we know, Koroks do not feel pain, nor can they die. Yes, they do look extremely crucifiable. Yes, the game gives you every tool to build elaborate machines that can torture Koroks by the dozen and that it encourages you to explore the limits of your morality what is achievable with the many tools it provides.


But ask yourself, "Is crucifying Koroks truly a victimless crime?" Yes, absolutely.

"Do you lose a part of your soul with every Korok you subject to brutal torture?" No.

"But is it really that fun?" Yes, both for you and for the Koroks too, probably, a win-win for every party involved.


Dagoth Ur

AI Preisdents were far from the only gaming meme powered by AI voice this year. The rise of Dagoth Ur (the final boss from the 2002 The Elder Scrolls: Morrowind) memes came unexpected for some, but if you've ever dabbed in The Elder Scrolls memery for any period of time, this sudden blast from the past shouldn't be half as surprising, considering how big the character has been in community's memes.


Now, after general Dagoth Ur posting has been enhanced with AI voicing capabilities, the presence of the character grew large enough to spill from the Elder Scrolls fandom onto gamers not familiar with the Awakened Lord of the Sixth House.

Listening to Dagoth Ur doing random, mostly unhinged stuff and ranting about everything on Earth has been endlessly entertaining even for those who had to learn about the memorable character in 2023. My lord, we bow to thee.


Fortnite Skins

While tech Twitter keeps talking about how cool some hypothetical metaverse will be in the future, we already have a perfectly fine metaverse developing in Fortnite.

"Imagine playing as any chara—" bro, we already have Thanos and Naruto fighting Chun-Li and John Wick in the same game, griddying gently as they go.


This year was particularly fruitful for Fortnite-inspired memes: seemingly every release of a new character skin was followed by a massive influx of memes.

This year alone, we had Futurama, Invincible, Jujutsu Kaisen, Eminem and, to top it all off, Peter Griffin himself coming to the game, with each bringing memes and giving players new options for in-game shenanigans. Seeing Ariana Grande finally unite with Peter brought a tear to our eyes fr fr.


Lethal Company

It seems like every year we get this one cooperative game that majestically brings every friend group together for a bonding experience of a shared adventure filled with camaraderie, laughs and strife to leave no good man behind.

This year it looks like Lethal Company, a survival co-op in which four dudes get to collect scrap in abandoned, monster-filled facilities across the galaxy, stepped up to fill this important niche.


Lethal Company's ideas may not be original, but they complement each other in a way that manages to instill primal fear in the bravest of boys.

Fittingly, Lethal Company memes are often tales of loss and fear, heroism and betrayal, and we're all here for that.


Baldur Gate 3 Memes

We could sing odes to Baldur's Gate 3 being a masterful achievement all day long, but there are plenty of other websites that fit the job better than we do.

Instead, we'll rather take another look at the meme legacy Baldur's Gate has already built, and will likely keep building for years to come.

* 20 8 CRITICAL SUCCESS Dum


Colorful companions, infuriating dice rolls, bear loveBaldur's Gate 3's meme presence has been a journey filled with many memorable stops.

I can take a bear In a fight, right? In a fight, right?


When the community discovered how well Tumblr posts fit Shadowheart, Astarion, Karlach, Gale and other characters, even voice actors from the game couldn't resist joining in on the fun.


All of that makes Baldur's Gate 3 one of the most impactful meme-producers of the year. Could it reach Fallout New Vegas levels of meme legacy one day?

Honorable Mentions

It would be unfair if looking back at 2023 we didn't give a shoutout to some gaming memes that weren't as big, as impactful, or as "gaming" but had their time in the spotlight anyway, so here are our honorable mentions:

Madcap, the Goncharov of Team Fortress 2.

Is meet the madcap archived anywhere? Or is it actually lost? 4 5 6 1:27 1:35 1:46 Meet the Engineer Valve Meet the Madcap Valve Meet the Demoman Valve Meet the Soldier


Mimi-Sentry, because one Team Fortress 2 meme is not enough.

ppppp! spy spy heavy mini sentry (engineer)


The Coffin of Andy and Leyley, a divisive indie game a whole family can enjoy.

You His best friend 11|||| The boy you like His first love His sister His girlfriend


Garten of Banban, the most innovative and revered game of the decade (or so the memes say).

AUBY PIE! ^ A^ @SWEETLEGIRL "Garten Of Banban or Poppy's Playtime themed birthday party. You have to call it.” 9:30 AM Mar 9, 202339 Views :


Elephant Peach, the spicier Bowsette of our era.


If X Had Roblox, which taught us about what Zumbo Sauce is.


And Tenacious D's 'Video Games,' a song for the gamers, by the gamers.




Looking for more of this year's best viral phenomena and memes? Be sure to check out our other 2023 meme roundups below:




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