GTA 6 Will Make The Game Awards Cutoff Date for Eligibility by the Skin of Its Teeth, Confirming It Has a Chance at 2026 Game of the Year

GTA 6 is officially in with a chance of winning the 2026 Game of the Year award at this year’s The Game Awards, after the show confirmed the cutoff date for eligibility.

According to a FAQ on The Game Awards website, to be in with a chance of winning an award a game must be released on or before Friday, November 20, 2026. GTA 6’s release date is currently November 19, 2026, which means it’s made the cutoff date by just a single day.

Here’s the official blurb:

What is the Cutoff Date for Eligibility?

Games must be made commercially available to customers on or before Friday, November 20, 2026, at 9 p.m. PT. In the Players’ Voice category, games must ship on or before November 30, 2026.

In Pictures: How GTA 6’s Jason and Lucia Have Evolved Since 2023

Nominations for this year’s awards haven’t been announced yet, of course, but it’s hard to imagine a situation where GTA 6 doesn’t show up for most, if not all, the categories it’s eligible for. Sandfall Interactive’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 holds the world record for the most wins at The Game Awards, taking home a whopping nine awards at last year’s show. Will GTA 6 beat it?

And given GTA Online 2 or whatever the multiplayer mode ends up being called is reportedly due out next year, perhaps alongside a PC version, we could see GTA 6 back in contention at The Game Awards 2027.

While we wait for this year’s nominations, we’ve got plenty more on GTA 6 for you to check out, including our in-depth interview with Rockstar North’s Rob Nelson, our report on what sounds like the end of Cyberleek, and confirmation of GTA 6’s sweat system.