The 44th Golden Joystick Awards is getting ready to celebrate the best of the gaming industry in 2026, with the winners set to be revealed during a special live ceremony on Wednesday, 11th November 2026.
The event will begin at 6pm GMT (1pm ET / 10am PT / 7pm CEST) and will be hosted by actor Alix Wilton Regan, best known to gaming fans for her role as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis.
Joining her will be a collection of special guests and presenters from across the gaming industry, including developers, composers, actors and creative talent.
Golden Joystick Awards 2026 Presenters Revealed
The guest presenter line-up includes:
- Chloe Kwok – Composer, Rare Ltd.
- Rex Crowle – Art and Creative Director.
- Mateo Covic – Developer, Paddle Paddle Paddle.
- Alices Pixels – Interviewer, actor and presenter.
- Nick Apostolides – Actor in Resident Evil Requiem.
- Richard Summers-Calvert – Actor in STAR WARS: Galactic Racer and wrestling personality Mr. Charles Crowley.
- Malgorzata Mitrega – Production Director, CD PROJEKT RED.
- Richard Jacques – Composer.
- Frankie Kevich – Actor in CONTROL Resonant.
Where to Watch the Golden Joystick Awards 2026
Gamers around the world will be able to watch the ceremony live across a wide range of streaming platforms and gaming outlets.
The broadcast will be available through:
- YouTube
- Twitch
- Steam
- TikTok
- X
- Future Games Show
- PC Gamer
- WhatCulture Gaming
- IGN
- Ginx TV
- eClutch
- Niconico
- Kuaishou
- Bilibili
With so many platforms carrying the event, there should be no shortage of ways to catch the announcements and see which games take home the awards.
Major Games Competing for Golden Joystick Awards
This year’s nominations feature a broad selection of games, from independent releases and emerging developers to some of the biggest franchises in the industry.
Among the nominated titles are:
- 007 First Light
- Big Walk
- Crimson Desert
- CONTROL Resonant
- Dispatch
- Forza Horizon 6
- MECCHA CHAMELEON
- Mewgenics
- Resident Evil Requiem
- Phantom Blade Zero
- Pokémon Pokopia
- SAROS
- STAR WARS: Galactic Racer
- The Blood of Dawnwalker
- Valheim
There are plenty of familiar names competing alongside smaller projects, highlighting the variety of games that have made an impact throughout 2026.
25 Award Categories, Including New Developers’ Choice Award
The 2026 Golden Joystick Awards feature 25 categories, with 22 decided by votes from the global gaming public.
The remaining three are selected by critics and industry representatives, comprising Streamers’ Choice, Critics’ Choice and a brand-new Developers’ Choice Award.
The new category gives the people responsible for creating games an opportunity to recognise the outstanding achievements of their fellow developers.
First established in 1983, the Golden Joystick Awards remains the world’s longest-running publicly voted gaming awards ceremony.
Alix Wilton Regan Excited to Host the 2026 Awards
Speaking about hosting this year’s ceremony, Alix Wilton Regan said:
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be your host for this year’s Golden Joystick Awards on November 11th. We’re celebrating the greatest games of the past 12 months – and, more importantly, the incredibly talented teams who made them happen.”
She also promised special guests, spectacular games and plenty of silly jokes before the winners are finally unveiled.
Daniel Dawkins, Content Director of the Golden Joystick Awards, also highlighted the diversity of this year’s nominations, with independent developers standing alongside major franchises such as Pokémon, Resident Evil, STAR WARS and James Bond.
The Golden Joystick Awards are particularly significant because the majority of the winners are decided by the players themselves, making the public vote an important part of the celebration.
The 44th Golden Joystick Awards takes place on 11th November 2026 at 6pm GMT. You can find the full list of nominees over at GamesRadar+.
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