A Baldur’s Gate 3 fan celebrated Neil Newbon’s Best Performance win at The Game Awards with an artistic rendition of Astarion accepting his trophy.
The fan art, dropped on X mere minutes after Newbon’s name was summoned onto The Game Awards’ stage, came courtesy of prolific Astarion fan illustrator Xun. In response to a comment about the celebratory art’s incredibly fast turnaround, Xun disclosed that the piece had been made in advance, with the anticipation of Newbon’s Best Performance win. The art itself imagines the Baldur’s Gate 3 companion in striking award show formal, bearing his fangs and bat lapel pin as he clutches his award with the affirmation “Astarion extremely approves” displayed in the top left corner.
As for the actor behind the beloved character, Newbon expressed profound gratitude toward the fan community at the heart of Baldur’s Gate 3’s continued success in his speech. Unfortunately, Newbon was one of The Game Awards many winners shuffled off stage quickly and therefore was unable to elaborate much further on the game’s overall cultural impact. However, the collective thrall that Newbon’s character has had on audiences since Baldur’s Gate 3’s release stands as a testament to the point the actor started to broach near the end of his Best Performance acceptance speech.
Baldur’s Gate 3’s fan community remains vibrant, with the game inspiring countless works of art, cosplay, fanfiction, and even providing Dungeons & Dragons players with tabletop inspiration. While Astarion and his highly sought-after romance have been one outlet of fan obsession, each of Baldur’s Gate 3’s companions have attracted their own devoted audience. From Muppet-inspired art to Gale actor Tim Downie’s Cameos, fans continue to grow and engage in a community outside the confines of the game itself. Not only did Newbon praise the strength of Baldur’s Gate 3’s community in his speech, but their collective fervor was likewise recognized formally with wins including Golden Joystick’s Best Community award and the Game Awards’ Best Community Support award.
In addition to Best Performance and Best Community Support, Baldur’s Gate 3 took home Best RPG and the coveted Game of the Year title at this year’s Game Awards. Xun’s artistic reimagining of the evening epitomized the collective joy and celebration among Baldur’s Gate 3’s fans across social media. The ceremony also brought a sigh of relief to Xbox users, with the news that the newly crowned Game of the Year has been made available on the system.
