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Cast the first vote in 1 tap — pick #1 Resident Evil Requiem or #2 MECCHA CHAMELEON to reveal the live split:
Requiem and MECCHA CHAMELEON each picked up four awards. Which would you put first? This editorial selection covers ten distinct winners from the 44th Golden Joystick Awards. Associated award count carries 70%, including trailer and…
performance awards where applicable. Winning Ultimate Game of the Year adds 20%. The last 10% reflects release recency, with years scored on a linear scale from the oldest to newest entry in this selection. Ties use editorial judgment about breadth of the award and audience fit. The organiser’s results cover all 25 categories. Big Walk won Critics’ Choice. The selection reserves the final places for the two Still Playing categories.
WiNG (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Starting order. Vote up or down to reorder this list.
| Item | Top award | Award count | Release year |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1Resident Evil Requiem | Winner | 4 | 2026 |
| #2MECCHA CHAMELEON | Other category winner | 4 | 2026 |
| #3Dispatch |
Overview Capcom’s ninth main Resident Evil game pairs Grace Ashcroft with Leon S. Kennedy. Grace gives the story a way to build tension around a character with less experience, while Leon brings a familiar action lead. That pairing makes the game an interesting pick for readers who like the series for different reasons. Its four Joystick wins span the overall prize, console game, trailer and a performance award.
Pros: Two protagonists offer different approaches to horror; the lead performance earned its own award; the campaign gives solo players a clear starting point.
Cons: The subject matter is intense; there is no group mode in this comparison; returning characters can be more meaningful to series regulars.
Best for Players choosing a solo horror campaign who want both tension and action.
Things to watch out for The four awards count the trailer and lead performance as recognitions associated with the game.
Vote Question: Does Grace and Leon’s contrast make Requiem the strongest winner, or would you pick a game that does one thing exceptionally well?
Overview Players colour their chameleons to blend into the scenery in lemorion_1224’s online hide-and-seek game. The rules make colour and positioning part of the joke: a disguise can be clever even when somebody sees through it. It earned four Joystick awards, including two voted on by the public and separate selections from streamers and developers. It is the clearest party-game choice in this group.
Pros: The objective is easy to explain; disguises invite experimentation; it gives friends a competitive group option.
Cons: The appeal depends on enjoying hide-and-seek; online play adds coordination; it offers a different kind of depth from a scripted campaign.
Best for Groups looking for a competitive game with a simple premise.
Things to watch out for The multiplayer award is evidence of reception at the ceremony. Check the store for the current online play requirements.
Vote Question: Would you give the overall prize to the game your friends would play together?
Overview Dispatch casts the player as a superhero dispatcher who has to make decisions about both missions and the people sent on them. Its workplace comedy gives the cast a reason to clash outside the usual villain-of-the-week setup. The game debuted on PC and PS5 and tells its story across eight episodes. At the 2026 awards it won both Best Storytelling and Best Soundtrack.
Pros: The episode structure offers natural stopping points; the workplace premise distinguishes its cast; its soundtrack earned separate recognition.
Cons: Players seeking direct superhero combat may prefer another game; much of the appeal depends on the writing; its episodic rhythm can interrupt a long play session.
Best for Players who like character-driven stories with decisions and manageable session breaks.
Things to watch out for The 2026 award year differs from its initial 2025 release year.
Vote Question: Would you rather play an award-winning story in eight episodes or a larger campaign in one continuous arc?
Overview Pearl Abyss built Crimson Desert as an open-world action adventure on its BlackSpace Engine. Its March 2026 launch covered PC, console and Mac storefronts. Exploration includes climbing and gliding, and combat combines melee and ranged options. It fits readers who want to set their own pace through a large world. The Golden Joystick PC award is a useful reason to look at it alongside the ceremony’s more specialised winners.
Pros: Climbing and gliding give exploration more options; melee and ranged combat suit different approaches; the launch covered several platforms.
Cons: An open world asks for more navigation; the breadth can be a drawback for readers who prefer episodes; system requirements matter on PC.
Best for PC players who want a broad exploration and combat game.
Things to watch out for Check performance and input options on your own device before picking a storefront.
Vote Question: Would you pick Crimson Desert’s open-world freedom over the focus of an award-winning episode or campaign?
Overview Remedy’s follow-up puts Dylan Faden in a distorted Manhattan, facing the shapeshifting Aberrant. The setting makes visual design part of navigation and combat, because familiar city spaces can become hard to read. The game released in September 2026 as a single-player title. The Joystick award for Best Visual Design recognises an aspect players can judge directly from its environments and enemy designs.
Pros: The Manhattan setting supplies a recognisable baseline; supernatural changes give spaces a distinct identity; the single-player focus keeps the experience personal.
Cons: Disorienting spaces can be a drawback; there is no co-op option in this comparison; readers may want context on the earlier Control.
Best for Players who prioritise atmosphere and art direction in a solo game.
Things to watch out for See the developer’s launch material for a sense of the camera and visual effects before buying.
Vote Question: Which shapes a game’s atmosphere more, CONTROL Resonant’s distorted city or Onimusha’s audio design?
Overview Capcom sets this Onimusha in a supernatural version of Edo-period Kyoto. The campaign uses sword combat, the Oni Gauntlet and encounters with the Genma. The sound category is a useful lens for a sword game: weapon impacts and enemy cues can affect how clearly a fight communicates what just happened. Capcom dates the release to September 2026, and the organisers named it the Best Audio Design winner.
Pros: Sword combat gives audio cues a practical role; the Kyoto setting supplies a strong identity; its campaign offers a solo alternative to the group games.
Cons: Close-range combat may limit its appeal; the supernatural setting is dark; the audio achievement is less relevant if you mainly want co-op.
Best for Players who listen for combat cues and prefer a focused sword game.
Things to watch out for Store dates can differ by time zone. Capcom’s launch announcement is the release reference here.
Vote Question: Would you give Best Audio Design to the sounds that help you fight or the sounds that build the setting?
Overview Unknown Worlds takes Subnautica to another alien world, where exploration, gathering and base building sit alongside underwater travel. The sequel offers solo play and co-op for up to four players in total. Its Golden Joystick award was for Early Access, so the relevant question is how much enjoyment the existing version offers while development continues. The underwater setting separates it from the other crafting and survival games in this selection.
Pros: Up to four players can share exploration; solo play remains available; underwater travel gives base building a distinctive context.
Cons: Early Access can bring changes; unfinished systems may affect a playthrough; underwater exploration is a poor fit for players who prefer dry-land building.
Best for Players who want underwater exploration with the option to bring friends.
Things to watch out for Read the latest Early Access notes and treat planned features as plans.
Vote Question: Would four-player co-op persuade you to start Subnautica 2 before it reaches 1.0?
Overview Balatro takes poker hands as a scoring language and gives the player Jokers that change how those hands score. The Steam listing describes 150 Jokers, 15 decks and 22 Tarot cards, giving returning players several ways to pursue a run. Its award was for continued mobile play in 2026. That category makes it a good candidate for readers comparing something they can return to between longer games.
Pros: Poker hands offer familiar starting rules; Jokers change which hands are valuable; a run gives players a discrete goal.
Cons: Random draws can disrupt a plan; score combinations take time to learn; the core experience is solo.
Best for Players who want a repeatable strategy game with relatively little story overhead.
Things to watch out for The content counts come from the Steam listing. Check the mobile edition’s listing for device and purchase details.
Vote Question: Does Balatro’s ability to make the next run feel different earn it your vote over a larger sandbox?
Overview Iron Gate’s survival game began Early Access in 2021 and reached version 1.0 in September 2026. The full release added the Deep North alongside new weapons, armour and construction pieces. That history makes Valheim an unusual 2026 winner: the award recognises a game with years of play behind it and a new full release. It suits players who want to shape a shared world through crafting and exploration.
Pros: The 1.0 release gives new players a clear entry point; construction supports long projects; exploration gives groups something beyond base building.
Cons: Survival progression requires time; gathering can become repetitive; group sessions take coordination.
Best for Players who like combining exploration with a shared building project.
Things to watch out for The initial release year in this comparison is the Early Access year. Use the developer update to see what arrived in 1.0.
Vote Question: Would you choose Valheim’s full release or take a chance on a new survival game in Early Access?
Overview Minecraft lets players decide whether to build, explore or survive. Its Java and Bedrock editions differ in compatibility and features, so the first useful choice is often deciding which edition your friends use. The Still Playing award for consoles and PC speaks to the game’s continuing appeal. Readers who want a project they can return to over months may prefer it to more tightly structured winners in this list.
Pros: Players set their own goals; multiplayer supports shared projects; Java and Bedrock give buyers choices based on their devices.
Cons: Open goals can feel vague; Java and Bedrock players cannot normally join the same games; server and edition choices take planning.
Best for Players looking for a flexible building project they can share.
Things to watch out for Check edition compatibility before buying for a group, particularly if members play on different devices.
Vote Question: Would you move Minecraft to the top for the number of different ways friends can play it together?
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Create a list with AI →Debating whether #1 Resident Evil Requiem holds the top spot against #2 MECCHA CHAMELEON.
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| Other category winner |
| 2 |
| 2025 |
| #4Crimson Desert | Other category winner | 1 | 2026 |
|---|
| #5CONTROL Resonant | Other category winner | 1 | 2026 |
|---|
| #6Onimusha: Way of the Sword | Other category winner | 1 | 2026 |
|---|
| #7Subnautica 2 | Other category winner | 1 | 2026 |
|---|
| #8Balatro | Other category winner | 1 | 2024 |
|---|
| #9Valheim | Other category winner | 1 | 2021 |
|---|
| #10Minecraft | Other category winner | 1 | 2011 |
|---|
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