Key Highlights:
- Twelve games are competing for the Golden Joystick Awards’ 2026 Ultimate Game of the Year.
- Voting closes on 30 October, with the winners announced on 11 November.
- 007 First Light and Big Walk lead the nominations, with six each.
The Golden Joystick Awards have officially revealed their 12 nominees for Ultimate Game of the Year 2026, with public voting now open until 30 October. The shortlist includes Resident Evil Requiem, 007 First Light, Pokémon Pokopia and several other major releases from the past year.
Announced on 26 October, the nominations mark the final public voting category for the 44th annual awards ceremony. Both 007 First Light and Big Walk have now received six nominations each across this year’s awards, followed by Resident Evil Requiem with four.
The complete list of Ultimate Game of the Year nominees is:
- 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
Players can cast their votes through the official Golden Joystick Awards voting page, with the deadline set for 11:59pm GMT on Friday, 30 October 2026.
The organiser’s official website, goldenjoysticks.com, redirects to this GamesRadar+ page, where visitors can select ‘Start Voting’ and complete the ballot. This is the confirmed official voting route, rather than a poll hosted on the organisers own site.
There is also a bonus for taking part. Voters who register their selections with an email address can claim a free gaming ebook worth up to £12.99, choosing from a selection that includes The History of Videogames and 100 Retro Games to Play Before You Die.
Interestingly, the Ultimate Game of the Year vote takes place separately from the other 21 publicly voted categories, which closed on 23 October. According to the organisers, the additional voting window gives players and judges more time to consider major autumn releases.
That’s particularly relevant to Phantom Blade Zero, which has secured a nomination despite not launching until 29 October, just one day before voting closes.
The published eligibility rules normally cover games released between 8 November 2025 and 25 October 2026, although exceptions can be made for titles arriving during the voting period. Phantom Blade Zero therefore enters the competition with considerably less time for the wider public to experience it than most of its rivals.
I find that one of the more interesting aspects of this year’s shortlist. Including a game before its official release creates an unusual situation where some voters may have to judge it through previews and existing coverage, rather than their own completed playthroughs.
Elsewhere, Resident Evil Requiem has become one of Capcom’s strongest contenders. In our Resident Evil Requiem PS5 review, I awarded the survival horror game 8.5/10, praising its combination of Grace Ashcroft’s vulnerable survival gameplay and Leon Kennedy’s action-focused combat.
James Bond’s return has also enjoyed significant commercial success. GLN previously reported that 007 First Light sold 2.7 million copies in its first week, with developer IO Interactive subsequently confirming that sales had passed four million by August.
However, sales figures and critical reception do not determine the winner. A judging panel selects the Golden Joystick Awards shortlist before the public votes for its preferred nominees. Some additional awards, including Critics’ Choice and Breakthrough, are selected separately by industry judges.
Last year’s ceremony attracted more than 21 million public votes, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 winning seven awards, including Ultimate Game of the Year. The role-playing game also went on to win 9 awards including GOTY at the Game Awards.
The 2026 Golden Joystick Awards ceremony takes place on Wednesday, 11 November, at Troxy in London, with Alix Wilton Regan, the voice of Lara Croft in Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and Tomb Raider Catalyst, hosting the show.
Fans will be able to watch the winners announced live through YouTube, Twitch, X and GamesRadar+. Voting for Ultimate Game of the Year remains open until 11:59pm GMT on 30 October.
