The race for gaming’s biggest Golden Joystick is officially underway! Voting for the 2026 Golden Joystick Awards Ultimate Game of the Year opened Monday, October 26, giving players just a few days to choose their favorite from a field of 12 nominees.
The shortlist features major franchises, ambitious new properties, and a few unexpected contenders. Resident Evil Requiem, Crimson Desert, 007 First Light, and Forza Horizon 6 are among the games competing for the award.
The 12 Ultimate Game of the Year Nominees
- 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
Voting remains open through October 30, with the winners scheduled to be announced November 11 at the 44th annual Golden Joystick Awards ceremony in London.
Players can cast their votes through the official Golden Joystick Awards website.
Titan’s Take: Who Deserves the Golden Joystick?
It’s an interesting field, especially with Capcom’s Resident Evil Requiem competing against ambitious titles such as Crimson Desert and The Blood of Dawnwalker. There’s also a healthy mix of established franchises and games trying something different.
Of course, no Game of the Year shortlist is going to satisfy everyone. That’s half the fun of awards season. Everybody has a favorite, everybody has a game they think was robbed, and somebody inevitably insists the entire thing is a popularity contest.
At least with the Golden Joysticks, players get a direct say in the outcome.
So, which game gets your vote? And which title do you think deserved a nomination but didn’t make the cut?
