gamescom award Cologne – User Voting
The nominations for the gamescom award 2026 have been announced – online user voting is now open
User voting for the gamescom award 2026 is live! ... from Wednesday, August 26, to Thursday, August 27, at 2:00 PM (CEST) (ENGLISH, DEUTSCH)
gamescom award Cologne. A professional jury of gaming experts, together with the community (voting online), will determine the winners of the 2026 award. The world's largest gaming event and the most important business platform for the international games industry ;) ... Online voting has been open since 9:00 AM this morning (August 26): users can select their top choices across 15 gamescom award categories! Find out more at: www.gamescom.global/de/program/gamescom-award ... From Wednesday, August 26, to Thursday, August 27, at 2:00 PM (CEST), gamescom fans and visitors can vote for their favorites in the ARTS and PLATFORM categories, as well as in the Best Booth (Consumer Award), Best Merch, and Best Trailer/Announcement categories. Voting takes place both online via gamescom.global and on-site using a QR code. We list the nominees for the gamescom award 2026 below:
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| Immersing yourself in the gaming world – Ocean depths from the book "Roberto, the Talking Turtle" – Drawing: Helga Wäß |
A total of eight nominations for SEGA titles
An international jury of leading games journalists and content creators has selected the most exciting titles from a multitude of submissions; these games will be playable in the entertainment area at gamescom 2026.
*METRO: 2039* by 4A Games and Deep Silver tops the list with five nominations. The game not only secured nominations in the "Best Visuals" and "Most Epic" categories but was also nominated across all platforms on which it is being released.
The indie game *Denshattack!* by Undercoders and Fireshine Games—announced during last year’s gamescom Opening Night Live—received a total of four nominations.
*Alien: Isolation 2* by Creative Assembly and SEGA also received four nominations.
With two nominations each for *Total War: WARHAMMER 40,000* (also by Creative Assembly) and *STRANGER THAN HEAVEN* (by RGG Studio), SEGA has garnered a total of eight nominations as a publisher.
Here are the nominees for the gamescom award 2026:
ARTS category group:
Best Visuals
- Alien: Isolation 2 – Creative Assembly/SEGA
- DEPERSON – Error Thing/Parco Games
- Forza Horizon 6 – Playground Games/Xbox Game Studios
- Inkblood – HeyBird!/Critical Reflex
- METRO 2039 – 4A Games/Deep Silver
Best Audio
- Alien: Isolation 2 – Creative Assembly/SEGA
- Cairn – The Game Bakers
- Denshattack! – Undercoders/Fireshine Games
- Forza Horizon 6 – Playground Games/Xbox Game Studios
- There are No Ghosts at the Grand – Friday Sundae
Best Gameplay
- Alien: Isolation 2 – Creative Assembly/SEGA
- Cairn – The Game Bakers
- Denshattack! – Undercoders/Fireshine Games
- Onimusha: Way of the Sword – Capcom
- The Blood of Dawnwalker – Rebel Wolves/Bandai Namco Entertainment
Most Entertaining
- Bad Magpie – Milktooth
- Denshattack! – Undercoders/Fireshine Games
- Escape from Duckov – Team Soda/bilibili
- There are No Ghosts at the Grand – Friday Sundae
- Wanderburg – Randwerk/Sidekick Publishing
Most Epic
- Crimson Desert – Pearl Abyss
- METRO 2039 – 4A Games/Deep Silver
- STRANGER THAN HEAVEN – RGG Studio/SEGA
- Tides of Annihilation – Eclipse Glow Games
- Total War: WARHAMMER 40,000 – Creative Assembly/SEGA
Most Wholesome
- Age Twisters – Piccolo Studio/KRAFTON
- Book Nook – Malapata Studios/Wings
- Finding Polka – lidlocks/Parco Games
- Garden Ink – Kranich Games
- OPUS: Prism Peak – Sigono/ Shueisha Games
Games for Impact
- Fishbowl – imissmyfriends.studio/Wholesome Games Presents
- Media Circus – Papercoda Games
- OPUS: Prism Peak – Sigono/ Shueisha Games
- SOKO 1977: Anti-Terror Task Force – Paintbucket Games/Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung
- The Regreening – Positive Impact Games/ByteRockers' Games
Category group PLATFORM:
Best Microsoft Xbox Game
- Forza Horizon 6 – Playground Games/Xbox Game Studios
- Gears of War: E-Day – The Coalition/ Xbox Game Studios
- Halo: Campaign Evolved – Halo Studios/Xbox Game Studios
- METRO 2039 – 4A Games/Deep Silver
- STRANGER THAN HEAVEN – RGG Studio/SEGA
Best PC Game
- Alien: Isolation 2 – Creative Assembly/SEGA
- Crimson Desert – Pearl Abyss
- Guns of Eschaton – Eschatology Entertainment/ 4Divinity
- METRO 2039 – 4A Games/Deep Silver
- Total War: WARHAMMER 40,000 – Creative Assembly/SEGA
Best Sony PlayStation Game
- Dragon's Dogma 2 Dark Arisen – Capcom
- METRO 2039 – 4A Games/Deep Silver
- Onimusha: Way of the Sword – Capcom
- The Blood of Dawnwalker – Rebel Wolves/Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Tides of Annihilation – Eclipse Glow Games
Best Nintendo Switch 2 Game
- Denshattack! – Undercoders/Fireshine Games
- Mega Man: Dual Override – Capcom
- Nintendo Switch Sport Resort – Nintendo
- OPUS: Prism Peak – Sigono/Shueisha Games
- Rayman Legends Retold – Ubisoft
Best Mobile Game
- Arknights: Endfield – Hypergryph
- Genshin Impact – HoYoverse
- Silver Palace – Elementa
- Where Winds Meet – Everstone Studio/NetEase Games
- Zenless Zone Zero – HoYoverse
GLOBAL Category Group:
Best Lineup (Jury Award)
In the Best Lineup category, the exhibiting company that particularly impresses the jury with the overall portfolio of titles it presents receives the award.
Best Booth (Jury Award)
This award recognizes the booth that stands out through originality, innovation, and attention to detail. It honors a booth that excels in the interplay of concept, design, and creative execution.
Best Business Booth (Jury Award)
This category honors the most outstanding booth in the business area, recognizing one that impresses with its original, innovative design and well-conceived execution. Key criteria include creativity, attention to detail, innovation, and a thoughtfully designed presentation.
HEART OF GAMING Award (Special Jury Award)
All gamescom highlights are eligible for this special jury award: this includes not only games, expansions, and technologies, but also individuals, institutions, companies, concepts, or terms.
Best Booth (Consumer Award)
This award recognizes the most impressive booth from the community's perspective. It honors the exhibition space that attracts significant attention, stands out due to its size, design, or level of fan engagement, and leaves the best overall impression on visitors.
A wide range of booths in the gamescom entertainment area are up for selection.
Voting takes place from Wednesday, August 26, to Thursday, August 27 (at 2:00 PM).
Best Merch (Consumer Award)
The "Best Merch" category recognizes products that stand out through creative design, originality, and a clear connection to a game or franchise. Eligible entries include, for example, exclusive trade fair items or innovative products that visitors enjoy using and showing off. Voting takes place from Wednesday, August 26, to Thursday, August 27 (at 2:00 PM).
Best Trailer / Announcement (Consumer Award)
Gamescom fans and visitors vote for the best game trailer or the best new game announcement revealed during gamescom. All trailers and announcements shown during gamescom Opening Night Live are eligible for the vote.
Voting is open here from Wednesday, August 26, to Thursday, August 27 (2:00 PM).
August 26–30, 2026 – gamescom Cologne
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| Pingi, from the book *Roberto, the Talking Turtle*; drawing by Helga Waess |
gamescom Cologne – featuring over 1,700 exhibitors at the world's largest gaming event – with many program highlights also available digitally and free of charge... gamescom is the world's largest gaming event and the most important business platform for the international games industry
Upcoming international events
gamescom, Cologne, Germany, August 26–30, 2026; August 25, 2026: gamescom Opening Night Live
gamescom asia x Thailand Game Show, Bangkok, Thailand, October 29 – November 1, 2026
gamescom lan, Cologne, Germany, February 19–21, 2027
gamescom latam, São Paulo, Brazil, April 22–25, 2027
