Golden Joysticks 2026: And The Winner Isn’t… GTA 6

Published September 23, 2026 10:07 AM by Psy

Last Updated September 23, 2026 10:07 AM

Grand Theft Auto VI won't be eligible for this year’s Golden Joystick Awards, with the ceremony taking place eight days before the game officially launches.

The 44th annual Golden Joystick Awards will take place on November 11, 2026, eight days before GTA 6 is scheduled to release on November 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

As GamesRadar reports, the timing means Rockstar's latest game will be unable to compete for this year's awards, including the prestigious Ultimate Game of the Year.

GTA 6 Misses Out

Voting for most of this year's Golden Joystick categories begins on September 25 and closes on October 23. Voting for Ultimate Game of the Year then takes place between October 26 and October 30, several weeks before GTA 6 becomes available to the public.

While GTA 6 can compete at the 45th annual awards in 2027, its late 2026 release means it will miss out on the potential full set of gaming awards for this calendar year.

GamesRadar explains that GTA 6 is now unable to complete what it describes as the "Big Five" Game of the Year sweep within a single awards season.

Those five awards are the Golden Joysticks, The Game Awards, DICE Awards, Game Developers Choice Awards and BAFTA Games Awards, which are typically spread between November and the following spring.

Baldur's Gate 3 previously won Game of the Year across all five during the same awards cycle, a feat subsequently matched by Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Even if GTA 6 were to collect Game of the Year awards elsewhere following its November launch and then win Ultimate Game of the Year at the Golden Joysticks in 2027, its Golden Joystick would technically belong to a different awards season.

GTA 6 Won Two Golden Joysticks Last Year

Despite not yet being released, GTA 6 is already a multiple Golden Joystick winner.

At the 43rd Golden Joystick Awards in 2025, GTA 6 won both Most Wanted Game and Best Game Trailer, with Trailer 2 taking the latter prize.

The unusual timing, which is 9 days earlier than last year, therefore means Rockstar will go from winning two awards for GTA 6 in 2025 to winning nothing in 2026 despite launching just days later in the same year.

Golden Joystick Awards Winner GTA VI - Most Wanted Game

Sources

About The Author

Psy

Simon 'Psy' Elliott is an experienced web developer who previously worked at Rockstar North (2012-2014), helping to develop the Rockstar Games Social Club in the run-up to the release of GTA V.

A Rockstar Games and Grand Theft Auto fan for more than 25 years, Psy has been building GTA fan sites and writing news, guides and other content about the series since the early 2000s. Despite having experienced GTA from both sides of the fence, he remains as passionate about the series as ever - whether replaying the classics, digging into the latest news or counting down to the next release.

View Profile & Contributions

This article has been viewed 177 times. Thanks for your support!

More GTA VI News

WWE Abandons “Vice City” Trademark Filing

WWE has quietly dropped its “Vice City” trademark application, with the filing being abandoned just as Rockstar updates its own GTA 6 trademark details to include the name.

GTA 6 Sign Installation Begins at Kaseya Center

Grand Theft Auto 6’s “Welcome to Vice City” rooftop sign is going up at the Kaseya Center in Miami, as a heavy-lift helicopter begins moving parts of the signage onto the arena’s roof.

Rockstar Quietly Updates GTA 6 Store Descriptions on XBOX and PlayStation

Rockstar quietly updated the GTA 6 store descriptions on XBOX and PlayStation earlier this month, primarily for the Ultimate Edition of the game, with clearer dates, revised descriptions and a correction to “Macca the Gator”.

Rockstar Reportedly Reminds GTA 6 Actors Their NDAs Last Until Release Day

Rockstar Games has reportedly reminded performers working on GTA 6 that they remain unable to publicly announce their involvement with the game until its November 19 release date.

GTA 6 Album Songs Hit 4.1 Million Spotify Streams in First 24 Hours

The first six songs released from Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album generated a combined 4.1 million streams on Spotify in their first 24 hours, according to newly released figures.

All GTA VI News

More GTA VI Info

GTA VI Landmarks

Grand Theft Auto VI draws inspiration from numerous real-life buildings and locations for its portrayal of Vice City and the state of Leonida. Explore a compilation of the real-world landmarks we've identified in the game so far.

GTA VI Characters

Read everything we know about the characters of GTA 6, including protagonists Jason Duval, Lucia Caminos and their possible voice artists.

Morgan Wallen - Last Thing You Need Lyrics | GTA VI: The Album

“Last Thing You Need” by Morgan Wallen is one of the tracks featured on GTA VI: The Album. The song was released as one of the album's first six singles on September 17, 2026. Listen to the track and read the full lyrics below.

Travis Scott - RHYNO Lyrics | GTA VI: The Album

“RHYNO” by Travis Scott is one of the tracks featured on GTA VI: The Album. The song was released as one of the album's first six singles on September 17, 2026. Listen to the track and read the full lyrics below.

Keith Richards - Bright Lights, Big City Lyrics | GTA VI: The Album

“Bright Lights, Big City” by Keith Richards is one of the tracks featured on GTA VI: The Album. The song was released as one of the album's first six singles on September 17, 2026. Listen to the track and read the full lyrics below.

All GTA VI Info

Advertisements