Why wasn’t GTA 6 at the Golden Joystick Awards?

GTA 6 was absent from the 2026 Golden Joystick Awards because it fell outside the show’s release-date eligibility window. The game is due to launch after that window closed, so it could not compete in the main categories.

Most main-category nominees had to release between 1 November 2025 and 25 September 2026; the Ultimate Game of the Year window ran to 25 October, while jury-voted awards accepted games released by 11 November. GTA 6 was technically eligible for Most Wanted, but was not nominated after winning that award in 2024 and 2025. It can compete at The Game Awards on 10 December and is expected to be eligible for the 2027 Golden Joysticks and other major awards held in 2027.