Lena Vogt
The Golden Joystick Awards 2026 are entering the final stretch: public voting for the most important category, Ultimate Game of the Year, ended on October 30. Twelve games are competing for the biggest player-voted gaming award of the year, and honestly, the line-up was so strong that I found it really hard to decide.
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Golden Joystick Awards 2026: these 12 games are nominated
The Golden Joystick Awards are the longest-running video game awards in the world, and 2026 marks their 44th edition. What makes them special: the winners are chosen by players themselves. Organizer Future announced the nominees for Ultimate Game of the Year on October 26, 2026. They were revealed in an official post by the Golden Joysticks on X. These twelve games made the list:
- 007 First Light
- Big Walk
- CONTROL Resonant
- Crimson Desert
- Dispatch
- Forza Horizon 6
- Phantom Blade Zero
- Pokémon Pokopia
- PRAGMATA
- Resident Evil Requiem
- STAR WARS: Galactic Racer
- The Blood of Dawnwalker
I like the mix: alongside heavyweights like Pokémon Pokopia, Resident Evil Requiem and 007 First Light, smaller productions such as Big Walk and Dispatch also made the list. The organizers themselves describe it as a cross-section of the industry in 2026, with small indie teams standing shoulder to shoulder with huge brands like Pokémon, Star Wars and James Bond.
What also stands out is how broad the genre spread is. Forza Horizon 6 represents racing games, and STAR WARS: Galactic Racer is even a second one. Resident Evil Requiem and PRAGMATA put Capcom on the list twice, joined by action RPGs like Crimson Desert, The Blood of Dawnwalker and Phantom Blade Zero. CONTROL Resonant brings Remedy into the race, and Dispatch shows that an episodic story game can compete at the very top. As a cozy fan, Pokémon Pokopia is of course my secret favorite on the list, because it shows that relaxed games also have a real chance at an award like this.
Voting has closed: how the vote worked
At the Golden Joystick Awards, Ultimate Game of the Year is voted on in a separate window. This is meant to give the judges and the public more time with the big autumn releases. Voting ran from October 26 until 11:59 pm GMT on October 30, 2026, which was just before 1 am CET on October 31 in Germany. Voting in the other 21 public categories, such as PC Game of the Year, Best Visual Design and Most Wanted Game, had already closed on October 23.
Games released between November 8, 2025 and October 25, 2026 were eligible. According to the rules, exceptions are made for titles that release shortly afterwards if the judges have already been able to play them extensively. That explains why Phantom Blade Zero is included, even though it only released on October 28, 2026.
When is the Golden Joystick Awards 2026 ceremony?
The winners will be announced on November 11, 2026 at a live show in London. The show will be streamed live on YouTube, Twitch and X. It will be hosted by actress Alix Wilton Regan, who voices Lara Croft in Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and Tomb Raider Catalyst, among other roles. An exact start time for the show has not been announced yet; I will add it as soon as it is official.
For comparison: last year, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won Ultimate Game of the Year and took home seven awards in total. Let's see whether one game dominates like that again in 2026.
My pick for Ultimate Game of the Year
As a cozy fan, I am of course rooting for Pokémon Pokopia, even if I stay realistic: against giants like Forza Horizon 6 or Resident Evil Requiem, it will be tough. I also find The Blood of Dawnwalker exciting with its "human by day, vampire by night" concept. Which game would you have picked this year? Let me know in the comments.
Images of the nominees
