Put Down Your Pitchforks, GTA 6 Was Always Eligible For The Game Awards This Year

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 …