Alix Wilton Regan announced as Golden Joystick Awards host as Ultimate Game of the Year voting goes live

Alix Wilton Regan, aka Lara Croft in Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and Tomb Raider Catalyst, and most recent guest on our G+RLS podcast, will be the host for the Golden Joystick Awards 2026.

Alix will be joined by guest presenters from across the gaming industry when the event happens on November 11, which is both an in-person event and live streamed across YouTube, Twitch and X, as well as Future Games Show, PC Gamer, and of course right here on GamesRadar+.

"I’m absolutely thrilled to be your host," said Alix. "We’re celebrating the greatest games of the past 12 months - and, more importantly, the incredibly talented teams who made them happen. The people who put in thousands of hours creating virtual worlds for us to get hopelessly lost in. Get ready for an evening of special guests, spectacular games and plenty of silly jokes. If you haven’t cast your vote yet, now’s the time to vote for your Ultimate Game of the Year. See you on November 11th when we will unveil your winners!'

Which is excellently timed, Alix, because the vote for the Ultimate Game of the Year category just went live!

The nominees for Ultimate Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards 2026 are...

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
The Blood of Dawnwalker

VOTE NOW

The voting for the Ultimate Game of the Year for the Golden Joystick Awards 2026 will run until 5pm PT / 8pm ET / midnight GMT on Friday, October 30, 2026, so you've only got a few days to decide which of these games is your number one this year.

"This year’s shortlist offers a fascinating cross-section of our industry in 2026, with the work of small teams of indie developers sitting shoulder to shoulder with titanic gaming franchises like Pokémon and Resident Evil, as well as huge IPs like STAR WARS and James Bond," adds Daniel Dawkins, Content Director on the Golden Joystick Awards. "The Golden Joystick Awards are the only games awards show chosen by the players - and we can’t wait to see who the public vote for as their Ultimate Game of the Year."

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Sam Loveridge is the Brand Director and former Global Editor-in-Chief of GamesRadar. She joined the team in August 2017. Sam came to GamesRadar after working at TrustedReviews, Digital Spy, and Fandom, following the completion of an MA in Journalism. In her time, she's also had appearances on The Guardian, BBC, and more. Her experience has seen her cover console and PC games, along with gaming hardware, for a decade, and for GamesRadar, she's in charge of the site's overall direction, managing the team, and making sure it's the best it can be. Her gaming passions lie with weird simulation games, big open-world RPGs, and beautifully crafted indies. She plays across all platforms, and specializes in titles like Pokemon, Assassin's Creed, The Sims, and more. Basically, she loves all games that aren't sports or fighting titles! In her spare time, Sam likes to live like Stardew Valley by cooking and baking, growing vegetables, and enjoying life in the countryside.