Grace Ashcroft looks back over her shoulder in Resident Evil Requiem key art
Game News

Golden Joystick Awards 2026 Winners: Resident Evil Requiem Is Game of the Year, and Meccha Chameleon Matches Its Four Wins

Every Golden Joystick Awards 2026 winner: Resident Evil Requiem is Ultimate Game of the Year, Crimson Desert wins PC Game of the Year, Capcom wins seven.

By David Ware 4 min read
Image: Capcom
Grace Ashcroft aims a pistol in a dark room in Resident Evil Requiem
Image: Capcom

The Golden Joystick Awards 2026 winners are in, and Resident Evil Requiem is the Ultimate Game of the Year. Capcom's horror sequel won four awards on the night of Wednesday, November 11, and Capcom took seven awards in total, including Studio of the Year. Tiny hide-and-seek hit MECCHA CHAMELEON matched Resident Evil's four wins, Crimson Desert won PC Game of the Year and The Witcher 4 is the Most Wanted Game. Here's the full list.

Golden Joystick Awards 2026 at a glance

DateWednesday, November 11, 2026
Edition44th Golden Joystick Awards, presented by Pot Noodle
WhereA ceremony in London, streamed worldwide
HostAlix Wilton Regan
Categories25 (22 public vote, 3 chosen by a jury)
Ultimate Game of the YearResident Evil Requiem
Most winsResident Evil Requiem and MECCHA CHAMELEON, 4 each
Top studioCapcom, 7 awards

Who won Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards 2026?

Resident Evil Requiem won Ultimate Game of the Year, the biggest prize of the night, voted for by the public. It also won Console Game of the Year, Best Game Trailer for the live-action "Evil Has Always Had A Name", and Best Lead Performer for Angela Sant'Albano as Grace Ashcroft. Requiem launched on February 26, 2026 on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Golden Joystick Awards 2026: every winner

CategoryWinner
Ultimate Game of the YearResident Evil Requiem
Console Game of the YearResident Evil Requiem
PC Game of the YearCrimson Desert
Critics' Choice (jury)Big Walk
Most Wanted GameThe Witcher 4
Studio of the YearCapcom
Best StorytellingDispatch
Best SoundtrackDispatch
Best Audio DesignOnimusha: Way of the Sword
Best Visual DesignCONTROL Resonant
Best Multiplayer GameMECCHA CHAMELEON
Best Indie Game - Self-PublishedMECCHA CHAMELEON
Streamers' Choice (jury)MECCHA CHAMELEON
Developers' Choice (jury)MECCHA CHAMELEON
Best Indie GameValheim
Best Early Access GameSubnautica 2
Best Game ExpansionDOOM: The Dark Ages
Best Remake / RemasterThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Remastered
Best Game TrailerResident Evil Requiem, "Evil Has Always Had A Name"
Best Lead PerformerAngela Sant'Albano (Grace Ashcroft, Resident Evil Requiem)
Best Supporting PerformerGrace Saif (Diana, PRAGMATA)
Best Game AdaptationIron Lung
Best Gaming HardwareSteam Controller
Still Playing - Consoles & PCMinecraft
Still Playing - MobileBalatro

Source: the official Golden Joystick Awards winners press release. Every award was voted for by the public except Critics' Choice, Streamers' Choice and Developers' Choice, which were chosen by a jury.

Why did Capcom win seven Golden Joysticks?

Capcom's seven awards were Resident Evil Requiem's four (Ultimate Game of the Year, Console Game of the Year, Best Game Trailer and Best Lead Performer), plus Best Audio Design for Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Best Supporting Performer for Grace Saif as Diana in PRAGMATA, and Studio of the Year.

A player disguised as part of a painting on a green patterned wall, with a colour picker open, in Meccha Chameleon
Image: lemorion_1224

What is MECCHA CHAMELEON?

The surprise of the night. MECCHA CHAMELEON is a hide-and-seek game where you paint your plain white body to blend into the level and fool the Seekers, made by solo developer lemorion_1224 and released on Steam on June 9, 2026. It won Best Multiplayer Game and Best Indie Game - Self-Published from the public vote, plus two of the three jury awards: Streamers' Choice and Developers' Choice.

A warrior rides on a dragon's back high above a valley in Crimson Desert
Image: Pearl Abyss

Which game won PC Game of the Year?

Crimson Desert, Pearl Abyss's open-world action-adventure set on the continent of Pywel, which launched in March 2026. The jury's Critics' Choice went to Big Walk.

What else won at the Golden Joysticks 2026?

  • Dispatch won Best Storytelling and Best Soundtrack.
  • The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Remastered won Best Remake / Remaster, and The Witcher 4 won Most Wanted Game.
  • DOOM: The Dark Ages took Best Game Expansion and CONTROL Resonant Best Visual Design.
  • Survival favorites did well: Valheim won Best Indie Game and Subnautica 2 won Best Early Access Game.
  • Valve's Steam Controller won Best Gaming Hardware.
  • Minecraft and Balatro won the Still Playing awards for consoles and PC and for mobile.

How can I watch the Golden Joystick Awards 2026?

The show was streamed live on YouTube, Twitch, Steam, TikTok and X, hosted by actor Alix Wilton Regan. Replays are linked from the official Golden Joystick Awards page and GamesRadar+'s winners round-up (GamesRadar+ runs the awards).

What's next: The Game Awards 2026

Awards season continues with The Game Awards 2026 on December 10, with nominees due in mid-November.

More on iGame Magazine

FAQ

ShareXfr/
David Ware
Written by

David Ware

Editor-in-Chief

1,126 articlesWriting for iGame since 2024

David Ware is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of iGame Magazine. Since 2024 he has built igamemag.com into a trusted online destination for gamers and tech enthusiasts, covering the latest gaming news, in-depth game reviews, hardware and tech breakdowns, and practical guides.

How we write: every article is researched from official sources, such as developer posts, store pages and press releases, then fact-checked and edited by David Ware before it's published. We use AI tools to help with research and drafting.

Read our editorial policy · Spotted a mistake? Tell us