It’s been a minute since Resident Evil Requiem has been back in the spotlight, but Capcom’s latest entry in its beloved horror series has taken home a coveted award: The Golden Joystick’s Ultimate Game of the Year. Resident Evil Requiem was one of the first big hits of the year, so it’s not too surprising that the game received such a big award. However, the most surprising part about the event was just how close the race was, and that race is only going to get tighter as the year continues.
Resident Evil Requiem was one of several Golden Joystick Awards nominees that was worthy of being chosen, but Leon and Grace’s terrifying journey was almost beaten by two other games. This year has seen the debut of a lot of great titles, so a tight race keeps things exciting. There’s nothing wrong with some good, solid competition, but Resident Evil Requiem‘s chances at winning more awards as the year continues are going to be put to the test once GTA 6 debuts.
Resident Evil Requiem Now Has One of the Year’s Biggest Awards, But GTA 6 Is Coming in Hot
Resident Evil Requiem narrowly beat Phantom Blade Zero and Crimson Desert. The super-tight race saw Requiem gain 17% of the vote, while Phantom Blade Zero amassed 16% and Crimson Desert got 15% of the vote. Those numbers are just a small taste of just how competitive this year has been. Games like Crimson Desert brought a vast open-world adventure to gamers, and Phantom Blade Zero has proven to be a beautiful action-packed RPG.
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As interesting as those two games are, Resident Evil Requiem was the more well-rounded of the bunch, and being one of the most popular horror franchises in the industry definitely helped, too. Requiem is one of the best Resident Evil games that Capcom has released in a while. Between the intense action and hardcore scares, the game was a wonderful balance of everything the franchise has become so well-known for in its 30 years. Having such a major award under its belt now puts Resident Evil Requiem in an incredibly strong position for the other upcoming awards ceremonies, but it’s hard to imagine a world where it beats GTA 6 at future events.
GTA 6 Is Expected to Sweep This Year’s Game Awards
- GTA 6 did not qualify for the Golden Joystick Awards.
- GTA 6 recently qualified for The Game Awards.
- The Game Awards air on December 10.
There were a lot of questions earlier this year about whether GTA 6 would qualify for the 2026 Game Awards or not, and gamers recently got an answer. The GTA 6 release date falls on November 19, while The Game Awards cutoff is November 20. This cutoff time definitely feels like it was by design, but there is still a possibility that it could simply be a coincidence. Regardless, Rockstar’s long-awaited game feels destined to be among the event’s Game of the Year nominees.
If GTA 6 secures a Game of the Year nomination, then Resident Evil Requiem‘s time in the victory spotlight is more than likely going to be short-lived. GTA 6 pre-orders alone are breaking records, so there’s no telling the wave it will create once the game is finally here. Even gamers who aren’t interested in GTA 6 understand the cultural impact that this release will have on the world, and that’s hard to overlook when considering which games deserve to win a title as big as Game of the Year. Even if Resident Evil Requiem doesn’t win any other major awards, the fact that it managed to secure this kind of accolade in the same year that GTA 6 launched is worth celebrating.
2026’s Game of the Year Showdown Will Be Between GTA 6 and Ocarina of Time
It’s been a good year for games. 007 First Light, Pragmata, Control Resonant, Forza Horizon 6, The Blood of Dawnwalker, and Mina the Hollower are just a few of the other games that have made 2026 a strong year for gaming. Resident Evil Requiem kicked the year off in a thrilling way, but the hard truth is that the game secured the Golden Joystick because both GTA 6 and the Ocarina of Time remake missed the cutoff.
GTA 6 taking home the Game of the Year award at The Game Awards feels like a given, but the Ocarina of Time reviews might hint at a far more competitive head-to-head battle than many have expected. After all, Red Dead Redemption 2 was beaten by God of War at the 2018 Game Awards. Both clearly deserved the nomination, but it also serves as a reminder that a Rockstar game isn’t a guaranteed winner. Ocarina of Time is now the highest-rated game of the year so far, and that makes the next few months even more competitive than the year already has been.
- Released
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February 27, 2026
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases
