As we inch ever closer to the tidal wave that is Grand Theft Auto VI approaching over the horizon, some minds are turning to awards season and how many awards Rockstar's next epic will catch in its wake. Some, like Insider Gaming, are beginning to report that--just barely--GTA will be eligible for The Game Awards, Geoff Keighley's annual December extravaganza, which has led others to wonder if that was by some nefarious design.
The official website for The Game Awards lists November 20, 2026 at 9 PM PT as the cutoff date for this year's ceremony, which means that any game that launches before that time can be considered for nomination. As GTA VI is scheduled to launch one day earlier on November 19, that means GTA VI and TGA '26 will likely be intertwined this year.
Now, before torches are lit and pitchforks are sharpened, evidence suggests that date was not put in place specifically for GTA to be eligible this year. If anything, it was Rockstar that planned around Keighley's schedule, as the Friday before Thanksgiving has routinely been the cutoff for TGA nominations.
Last year, the cutoff was November 21, as referenced in this Polygon article regarding Dispatch's eligibility. In 2024, eligibility was cut off on November 22, as evidenced in this Polygon article exploring the games that missed 2024 and were eligible in 2025.
2018 was the last time a Rockstar project was eligible for The Game Awards, as Red Dead Redemption II landed 10 nominations and four wins. Notably, one of those wins was not Game Of The year, which went to Sony Santa Monica for the God of War reboot.
Grand Theft Auto VI's eligibility for TGA 2026 was never in doubt--well, unless it got delayed again. Now that we're likely clear of that scenario, it's only a matter of time until we see just how many trophies are headed to Vice City.