GTA 6 Barely Makes the Cut for The Game Awards’ Game of the Year Vote
Developing story first seen 2 hours ago
The Game Awards’ eligibility deadline is 20 November, one day after Grand Theft Auto 6 is due to launch, making it eligible for this year’s awards if the release date holds. The timing has fuelled online claims that the organisers set the deadline to include the game, though the dates from previous years offer context against that suggestion.
Games released after the cutoff cannot be considered, and nominees are chosen by an international jury of media and influencers. The deadline was 21 November in 2025 and 22 November in 2024; the article’s author says it could have moved later if Rockstar had picked a later release date. GTA 6 is expected to be a major contender, but its quality and chances of winning remain uncertain.
- GTA 6 is due a day before the 20 November eligibility cutoff.
- The deadline was 21 November in 2025 and 22 November in 2024.
- Online claims of special treatment are not supported by those earlier dates.
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The Game Awards is an annual event that recognises video games, including through its Game of the Year award. Games must be released by an eligibility deadline to be considered, and an international jury of media and influencers selects the nominees.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is the next entry in Rockstar Games’ long-running Grand Theft Auto series. Its planned release date is close to this year’s cutoff, prompting questions about whether it can qualify and claims online that the rules were changed for it.
The deadline has also fallen in late November in recent years, so the timing alone does not show that it was set for this game. Qualification would make the game eligible for consideration, but does not guarantee a nomination or award.
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The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A 20 November deadline is consistent with the late-November cut-offs used in recent years, so the available evidence does not show that the rules were changed to favour GTA 6. Including a game released on 19 November also applies the stated eligibility rule evenly, while leaving its selection and chances of winning to the jury.
The case against
Even if the deadline follows recent practice, setting it one day after GTA 6’s planned release makes the game eligible when a slightly earlier cut-off would exclude it. Given the game’s profile and the attention it is expected to attract, organisers should be especially clear about how and when the deadline was set so the timing does not create a reasonable impression of preferential treatment.
More coverage
- GameSpot — Put Down Your Pitchforks, GTA VI Was Always Eligible For The Game Awards This Year
- IGN — GTA 6 Will Make The Game Awards Cutoff Date for Eligibility by the Skin of Its Teeth, Confirming It Has a Chance at 2026 Game of the Year