GTA 6 missed Golden Joystick Awards due to eligibility rules
Rockstar's upcoming title was not nominated because its release falls just after the awards' cutoff date.
The Golden Joystick Awards 2026 took place without Grand Theft Auto 6, but the absence was not a snub. According to the awards' eligibility rules, GTA 6 was not eligible for the main categories because its release date falls outside the qualifying window.
To be considered for most categories, a game had to launch between November 1, 2025 and September 25, 2026. The window for Ultimate Game of the Year extended to October 25, and jury-voted categories accepted entries up to the ceremony date on November 11. GTA 6 arrives next week, eight days after the eligibility period ended.
The game was technically eligible for the Most Wanted award, but Rockstar had already won that prize in 2024 and 2025, and with the launch so close, it was not nominated in that category this year.
GTA 6 will be eligible for The Game Awards on December 10, since that show uses jury voting and some jurors might have had copies of the game before that show. The next major awards—DICE, GDC, and BAFTA—take place in early 2027, where GTA 6 will likely be a major contender. It will also qualify for the 2027 Golden Joystick Awards.
Source: GamesRadar+