Predicting The Game Awards 2026 Winners - Main Categories

The Game Awards ceremony will take place on December 10 in Los Angeles, and according to the official website, the list of nominees will be announced in mid-November. Fans are already guessing which games will be nominated and, more importantly, which ones deserve to win.

2026 has been packed with big releases, and the biggest is still ahead: GTA 6, the most anticipated game in years, comes out in three weeks. Besides Rockstar’s title, quite a few strong games have come out over the past eight months. Below, you’ll see which of them deserve to win in the major categories at The Game Awards 2026.

Game of the Year - GTA 6

To get straight to the main point, it’s quite likely GTA 6 will take home Game of the Year at the TGA 2026. There were worries that its late release date might make it ineligible, but those worries were recently put to rest. Predictions are risky, but Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTA 5 both have a Metacritic score of 97, so GTA 6 has a good chance of scoring at least in the mid-90s. Judging by the gameplay and scale, Rockstar is clearly building one of the most detailed and realistic open worlds ever, and the story, which runs for several dozen hours, promises to be as emotional as RDR 2’s.

It remains to be seen whether Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive will want GTA 6 at The Game Awards this year. If not, Resident Evil Requiem has a good chance of winning Game of the Year. Released this February, the ninth game in the series delighted players with an epic, emotional story, impressive visuals, varied gameplay, and strong actor performances. It deserves the award just as much as GTA 6.

Best Game Direction - Resident Evil Requiem

Speaking of Requiem, it seems the game also deserves to win in the Best Game Direction category. Capcom made the game feel varied: it plays almost like survival horror as Grace and like nonstop action as Leon. It is also more cinematic and better directed, with staging that recalls big-budget action movies.

Best Narrative - GTA 6

And once again, we return to GTA 6. We haven’t seen much of the gameplay, but from what we know, Rockstar wants to make the most dynamic sandbox we’ve ever seen. The game is linear, but the choices of Jason and Lucia will affect their relationship, the gameplay, and the story. Rumor says this will impact the ending, with several possible outcomes. Knowing Rockstar, the level of detail will likely be huge. By the way, Red Dead Redemption 2 won in this category in 2018.

Best Art Direction - Control Resonant

Other games deserve a mention too, like Control Resonant, and Remedy’s game deserves to win Best Art Direction. The developers show Manhattan under the influence of paranormal beings. Some locations resemble Christopher Nolan’s Inception, others have islands shaped like city districts floating in the sky, and some places distort time. The enemy designs are varied too, and some enemies are humans infected by sinister creatures.

Best Audio Design - Resident Evil Requiem

Sound design is also one of Resident Evil Requiem’s biggest strengths, which makes it a clear favorite in its category. Capcom put a lot of work into how sound bounces off walls and rooms, which adds to the immersion. The sounds of breathing, creaking, footsteps, and more make you feel constantly hunted and create a terrifying atmosphere.

For the related Best Score and Music category, we don’t yet know how things will go with two potential frontrunners, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and GTA 6. Even without them, there are plenty of contenders, such as Pragmata, Control Resonant, Mixtape, Life is Strange: Reunion, The Blood of Dawnwalker, and Silent Hill: Townfall.

Best Performance - Liam McIntyre in Marvel’s Wolverine

Marvel’s Wolverine may be the most controversial game of the year, but one of its biggest strengths is the performance of Liam McIntyre as Logan. Thanks to him, Wolverine’s story feels cohesive and emotional, and it may be the best version of the character since Hugh Jackman.

Best Action Game - GTA 6

For many players, GTA is mostly about action, and Rockstar Games will surely take that to a new level in the sixth game. The official footage shows car, helicopter, and airplane chases, plus shootouts and fistfights, so the studio will likely deliver an unforgettable, high-quality experience.

Best Action/Adventure Game - 007 First Light

The action/adventure genre has plenty of contenders this year, but 007 First Light looks like it deserves the prize. Few people expected IO Interactive to deliver such a spectacular and varied James Bond game that takes the best elements from the movies and is clearly inspired by Naughty Dog’s Uncharted. Even with some awkward car chases, it is one of the best action/adventure games of this generation.

Best Role Playing Game - Phantom Zero Blade

2026 was also a great year for RPGs. Crimson Desert, The Blood of Dawnwalker, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered, and Onimusha: Way of the Sword are all in the running, but Phantom Blade Zero seems to have the best shot. It came out today, and critics have already called it a top contender for the GOTY award, praising its very varied combat, unique bosses, and acting. It might really have been a GOTY contender if not for its average story.

Most Anticipated Game - Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet

However packed 2026 is, the coming years promise to be just as busy. Everyone probably has a favorite for “most anticipated game,” but Naughty Dog seems to be cooking up something incredible with Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. The studio behind The Last of Us, one of the best franchises in history, is working on its most ambitious project yet, and in its own genre it will likely stand alongside GTA 6.

As reported earlier, all nominees for The Game Awards 2026 will be announced in mid-November, and then it should be easier to predict the winners. Meanwhile, you can vote for the best game of 2026 at the 2026 Golden Joystick Awards. Voting ends tomorrow, October 30, and the winners in all 22 categories will be announced on November 11.