Polygon’s early Game Awards 2026 predictions place Resident Evil Requiem first and Big Walk second among likely Game of the Year nominees.

– Resident Evil Requiem leads because of the series’ awards record, its polished action-horror appeal and broad accessibility, although review scores in the high 80s may be slightly low for a winner.
– Big Walk has the strongest critic score cited, 92 on Metacritic, and benefits from enthusiasm for co-operative games and House House’s reputation after Untitled Goose Game.
– Grand Theft Auto 6 could dominate the race, but a release delay beyond the eligibility deadline would rule it out; a very late release could also limit jurors’ time to assess it.
– The Game Awards jury is drawn from international games media, with fan votes contributing 10%; historically it favours highly rated narrative-led role-playing games and action adventures.