Golden Joystick Awards 2026: Every Nomination for the RPGs We Cover
Ten games we cover are on the Golden Joystick Awards 2026 shortlist, led by The Blood of Dawnwalker with three nominations. Here is every category, who they face, and how to vote before October 23.
By Jener Anolin, Head of EditorialPublished 5 min read
Ten games we cover appear on the shortlist for the Golden Joystick Awards 2026, revealed on September 25. The Blood of Dawnwalker leads them with three nominations, and three more RPGs have two each. The winners are decided by public vote, which stays open until October 23.
Nominations at a glance
Game | Nominations | Categories |
|---|---|---|
3 | PC Game of the Year, Best Storytelling, Best Lead Performer | |
2 | PC Game of the Year, Best Soundtrack | |
2 | Console Game of the Year, Best Storytelling | |
2 | Console Game of the Year, Best Audio Design | |
1 | Best Remake / Remaster |
Five more games we cover are on the same lists: Esoteric Ebb and Valheim in PC Game of the Year, Nioh 3 in Console Game of the Year, and Gothic 1 Remake and Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter in Best Remake / Remaster.
The Blood of Dawnwalker: three nominations
Rebel Wolves' vampire RPG is up for PC Game of the Year, Best Storytelling and Best Lead Performer, the last for Will de Renzy-Martin as Coen. Only 007 First Light and Big Walk received more nominations, with five each.
It is a strong result for a debut RPG that launched on September 3. The studio was founded by veterans of The Witcher 3, and the game is built around Coen, who is human by day and a vampire by night.
Crimson Desert: two nominations, and two names
Pearl Abyss's open world adventure is nominated for PC Game of the Year and Best Soundtrack. The studio confirmed both in a September 28 announcement.
The organizer lists the nominee as Crimson Desert, while Pearl Abyss calls it Crimson Desert Enhanced. Enhanced is the name of the free update released for existing owners in August, which added story moments and expanded language support. It is not a separate game that players need to buy to follow these nominations.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword: two nominations
Capcom's first new Onimusha in 20 years is nominated for Console Game of the Year and Best Audio Design. It launched on September 4, 2026, putting Miyamoto Musashi in a supernatural Edo period Kyoto.
The two nominations reflect both sides of the game: deliberate swordplay against the Genma, and the sound of every parry and Issen counter that goes with it.
Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave: two nominations
Intelligent Systems' tactical RPG is nominated for Console Game of the Year and Best Storytelling. It is the only tactical RPG in either category.
Fortune's Weave launched on September 17, 2026. Set in the same world as Fire Emblem: Three Houses, it follows four heroes through turn based grid battles and lets players use Fortuna's power to rewind a bad decision. Best Storytelling also puts it head to head with The Blood of Dawnwalker.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered: one nomination
CD PROJEKT RED's remaster is nominated for Best Remake / Remaster, the category with the most RPGs in it this year.
The timing is unusual. The shortlist was revealed four days before the remaster launched on September 29. The awards' rules allow exceptions for games the judges have already played ahead of release. The remaster is a free upgrade for existing owners on qualifying platforms, includes both expansions, and brings the game to Nintendo Switch 2.
Who they are up against
PC Game of the Year: Big Walk, Crimson Desert, Escape from Tarkov, Esoteric Ebb, MECCHA CHAMELEON, Mewgenics, Order of the Sinking Star, STAR WARS Zero Company, The Blood of Dawnwalker and Valheim.
Console Game of the Year: 007 First Light, Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave, Forza Horizon 6, LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, Nioh 3, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Pokémon Pokopia, PRAGMATA, Resident Evil Requiem and SAROS.
Best Storytelling: 007 First Light, Dispatch, Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave, SILENT HILL: Townfall, The Blood of Dawnwalker and ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies.
Best Lead Performer: Aaron Paul (Dispatch), Angela Sant'Albano (Resident Evil Requiem), Anna Demetriou (Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy), Liam McIntyre (Marvel's Wolverine), Patrick Gibson (007 First Light) and Will de Renzy-Martin (The Blood of Dawnwalker).
Best Audio Design: Big Walk, Marathon, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Rhythm Heaven Groove, SAROS and STAR WARS: Galactic Racer.
Best Remake / Remaster: Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, Gothic 1 Remake, METAL GEAR SOLID: MASTER COLLECTION Vol.2, Star Fox, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered and Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter.
How to vote and when winners are named
Public voting: open now on the official Golden Joystick Awards page until October 23.
Ultimate Game of the Year: a separate vote runs from October 26 to 30.
Winners: revealed at the live show at Troxy, London, on Wednesday, November 11.
The organizer has not yet confirmed the start time of the show. We will add it, with times for Asia, once it is announced.
NEXTARCA's take
RPGs have a real presence on this shortlist. Four games we cover share PC Game of the Year, three share Console Game of the Year, and half of the remake category is RPGs. The Blood of Dawnwalker stands out: three nominations a month after launch is rare for a new studio's first game.
Because the public decides, a nomination tells you a game was noticed, not how it will place. We would not read more into it than that until November 11.
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