One of the first awards shows of the season, the Golden Joysticks 2026 nominees have now been announced!
It's the 44th edition of the event, which began way back in 1983, and plenty of studios will be hoping to replicate Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's spectacular sweep last year!
We at are privileged to be media partners for this year's event, so we'll be there to cover the whole event.
But if you want to know who the nominees are for this year's Golden Joystick Awards, here's the full list and how you can cast your votes.
When is the Golden Joysticks 2026?
The Golden Joysticks Awards 2026 take place on Wednesday 11 November 2026.
This year's event will be held at Troxy in London's East End, with the whole show being streamed live online.
Unlike The Game Awards, the trailers aren't the focal point, with the night largely being devoted to doling out awards and celebrating the best of the best in the game industry!
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Who is hosting the Golden Joysticks 2026?
The host of the Golden Joysticks 2026 has not been announced yet.
Last year saw the inimitable Maggie Robertson host the show, best known as Lady Dimitrescu in Resident Evil Village, a role for which she won her own Golden Joystick back in 2021.
Throughout the evening, she was joined by a collection of special guest presenters including Alix Wilton Regan (Tomb Raider), Doug Cockle (The Witcher), Ciara Berkley (The Witcher 4), Ben Starr (Expedition 33, Final Fantasy 16) and more.
Full list of the Golden Joysticks 2026 nominees
The full list of nominees for the Golden Joysticks 2026 is as follows:
Ultimate game of the year
The nominees for ultimate game of the year will be officially announced on 26 October 2026.
Best early access game
- Slay the Spire 2
- Dead as Disco
- skate.
Best visual design
- Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy
Best multiplayer game
Still playing (mobile)
- Sky: Children of the Light
- Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Mobile
Most wanted game
- The Witcher 4
- God of War Laufey
- The Expanse: Osiris Reborn
- Tides of Annihilation
- Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis
PC game of the year
- Escape from Tarkov
- The Blood of Dawnwalker
- Order of the Sinking Star
Console game of the year
- 007 First Light
- Onimusha: Way of the Sword
- LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight
Best indie game
- Order of the Sinking Star
- Mouse: P.I. For Hire
Best game adaptation
Best remake / remaster
- Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter
- Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered
- Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.2
Best game trailer
- Big Walk – Release Date Announcement
- Resident Evil Requiem – Evil Has Always Had A Name
- Mouse: P.I. For Hire | Official Launch Trailer
- Prove You're Human – Announcement Trailer
- Battlefield 6 x Top Gun: Carrier Strike Cinematic Trailer
Best supporting performer
- Troy Baker – Nathaniel Essex in Marvel's Wolverine
- Vic Michaelis – Runa Blask in Star Wars Zero Company
- Lennie James – John Greenway in 007 First Light
- Terry O'Quinn – Richard in Silent Hill: Townfall
- Frankie Kevich – Zoe de Vera in Control Resonant
- Grace Saif – Diana in Pragmata
Still playing (PC & console)
- World of Warcraft
- Call of Duty: Warzone
Best gaming hardware
- Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II
Best game expansion
- Doom: The Dark Ages | Revelations
- World of Warcraft: Midnight
- Dave the Diver – In the Jungle Content Pack
- Quake: Dawn of the Machine
- The Alters: Last Variable
- Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven
Best audio design
- Onimusha: Way of the Sword
Best storytelling
- 007 First Light
- The Blood of Dawnwalker
- Zero Parades: For Dead Spies
Best soundtrack
- 007 First Light
Best lead performer
- Liam McIntyre – Wolverine in Marvel's Wolverine
- Patrick Gibson – James Bond in 007 First Light
- Aaron Paul – Robert Robertson III in Dispatch
- Angela Sant'Albano – Grace Ashcroft in Resident Evil Requiem
- Will de Renzy-Martin – Coen in The Blood of Dawnwalker
- Anna Demetriou – Sophia in Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy
Best indie game – self published
- Mina the Hollower
- Perfect Tides: Station to Station
- The Incident at Galley House
- Fields of Mistria
- Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard from Vampire Survivors
Studio of the year
How to vote for the Golden Joysticks 2026 explained
To cast your votes for this year's Golden Joysticks, you'll need to head to the official page for the awards on GamesRadar's website. Scroll down, and you'll find a box with the option to 'Start Voting'.
Voting will be open to the public until 23 October 2026, with ultimate game of the year voting taking place separately from 26-30 October.
Then, we've got a couple of weeks of waiting until the awards are doled out at the live show on 11 November.
Check out more of our to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to .