The year's first GOTY winner crowned as GTA 6 doesn't get a look in

We’re still several months away from Geoff Keighley’s The Game Awards, but another ceremony has already crowned its ‘Game of the Year’ winner for 2026.

The Japan Game Awards has officially handed the accolade to Game Freak and Koei Tecmo’s Pokémon Pokopia.

At many year-end events, it’s expected that Grand Theft Auto VI will sweep up any and every award it's nominated for.

Here's hoping that some other titles do get the flowers they deserve though as 2026 has delivered us bangers like Resident Evil Requiem, The Blood of Dawnwalker, 007 First Light, Big Walk, Crimson Desert and LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight.

GTA VI wasn’t represented at the Japan Game Awards as, quite obviously, it’s not out yet.

Despite representing the Japanese gaming industry, titles from across the world can be nominated at the show.

At this year’s event, Pokémon Pokopia was crowned GOTY which, we’re sure, will thrill Nintendo.

Shigeru Ohmori collected the award on behalf of the teams at Game Freak and Koei Tecmo.

Nintendo

Here at GAMINGbible, we awarded Pokémon Pokopia a perfect score of 10, writing, “Pokémon Pokopia is a true adventure that boasts a refreshing sense of freedom. Totally devoid of grind, this experience rewards the curious with heaps of content on offer. You’ll be hard pressed to put it down, and it's certainly a title that we’ll all be discussing when this year’s GOTY discussion rolls around.”

If you’re wondering why the Japan Game Awards crowned its winner so early, the show works on a September to September schedule and is held to coincide with the Tokyo Game Show.

READ MORE: Pokémon Pokopia reveals new DLC wave with additional 'mon and accessories

Full Japan Game Awards 2026 Winners List

• Grand Award (GOTY) - Pokémon Pokopia
• Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award - Pokémon
• Breakthrough Award - Pragmata
• Movement Award - Meccha Chameleon
• Game Designers Award - Word Game
• Special Award - The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
• Award for Excellence - Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Digimon Story: Time Stranger, Donkey Kong Bananza, Ghost of Yotei, Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road, Kirby Air Riders, Magical Girl Witch Trials, Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse, Pokemon Pokopia, Pragmata, Resident Evil Requiem, Silent Hill f

As for Geoff Keighley’s The Game Awards, that’s due to be held on Thursday December 10 or in the early hours of Friday December 11 if you’re in the UK. We'll be here reporting all of the occasion's big reveals and wins.