gta 6 might not win game of the year and i'm okay with that

Dexerto put up a piece today about GTA 6 possibly missing out on Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2026. The whole thing is basically one sentence, but it got me thinking.

The game drops November 19, so it'll be out before the show. That's not the issue. It's more that awards season gets weird for games this massive. Everyone expects it to sweep, and when expectations are that high, any small thing becomes a talking point.

I don't think Rockstar cares about GOTY. They've never needed it. RDR2 lost to God of War in 2018 and that debate still gets brought up. These games are judged on their own timeline, not a December awards show.

Still, the hype around GTA 6 is different. It's been over a decade since a new entry. The extended look in August did a lot to get people on board. If the game lands and it's as good as the trailers suggest, it'll be hard for voters to ignore. But The Game Awards has its own politics, and open world crime games don't always get the critical love they deserve.

I'd rather the game be great than collect trophies. If it wins, cool. If not, we'll still be playing it in 2036.

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Source: Dexerto · Curated content.