Gamers Debate Year's Top Titles Without GTA 6

Golden Joysticks 2026 has released its list of 12 nominees for Ultimate Game of the Year, and Grand Theft Auto 6 is not on it. The list includes 007 First Light, Big Walk, Control Resonant, Crimson Desert, Dispatch, Forza Horizon 6, Phantom Blade Zero, Pokémon Pokopia, Pragmata, Resident Evil Requiem, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, and The Blood Of Dawnwalker. Readers noted that the award dates differ from The Game Awards, which is why the Rockstar title is excluded despite its massive hype.

One reader, Gadfly, identified 007 First Light, Resident Evil Requiem, and Star Wars: Galactic Racer as the strongest contenders. Gadfly leaned toward Resident Evil Requiem but called it a close decision with the 007 entry. The reader acknowledged that second place would be important this year because GTA 6 will likely dominate other award ceremonies.

Another correspondent, Olliephant, wondered what would happen if GTA 6 suffered a bad launch similar to Cyberpunk 2077. Olliephant recalled how the 2020 release was unplayable on consoles and nearly ended CD Projekt Red, with Sony keeping it off the PlayStation Store for a long time. While Rockstar is less likely to make that mistake, the reader admitted a part of them wanted to see the chaos that would follow.

Concerns about the state of the industry also surfaced in the letters. Purple Ranger expressed disbelief at a recent story about indie developers being blackmailed with AI clones of their games. The reader described the situation as dystopian madness and questioned how publishers can make money if everything gets cloned within minutes.

The Resident Evil franchise drew specific criticism for its narrative consistency. A reader named PhantomZ noted that the setup in Resident Evil Village seemed forgotten in Requiem, which contradicted itself within the same game. PhantomZ also complained about the lack of Jill Valentine, whose last mainline appearance was in Resident Evil 5, almost two decades ago. The reader urged the developers to give Jill a starring role in the next entry and ensure the story makes sense.

Nimble offered a different perspective on the recent shutdown of BioWare. The reader argued that the studio should share some blame for the failure of Anthem, which was originally their idea to compete in the live service market. Nimble noted that Dragon Age: The Veilguard received unfair criticism due to poor marketing and a release date just before Christmas. The letter suggested that it has been over a decade since BioWare had a hit, a gap few companies tolerate.

Eaglefan discussed the potential for a Majora's Mask remake. The reader loves the game's creepy atmosphere but wants improvements to the final section, which they felt was an anti-climax with a weak boss fight. Eaglefan also suggested adding extra dungeons to address the game's short length. The reader expressed hope that the new version would look as good as the Ocarina of Time remake.

Two other readers, collectively known as Two Mack's, asked about the review process for GTA 6. They wanted to know if publications would receive the game early or on release day. The publication responded that they could not say either way. Another reader, Renfield, expressed nostalgia for the transparent Nintendo 64 consoles, noting that Sony is now copying that design despite the original looking a bit ugly to modern eyes.