Could GTA 6’s Affect Future Award Seasons?

It’s fair to say that just about everyone will be talking about the GTA 6 delay that occurred yesterday for a long time. And yes, that includes us here at GameRanx. After all, it’s the biggest news of the month, which is saying something, as it’s already been an exciting November news-wise, and the effects of this delay will reach far and wide. However, one that you might not have caught when the announcement was made, likely due to the shock of the delay, is that this will heavily affect the next couple of years of award ceremonies. As in, both in 2026 and in 2027.

You see, if GTA 6 had come out in May 2026 as planned, or the delay had only been for a couple of months instead of six, then everyone would’ve felt that the game would’ve been the frontrunner for the “Game of the Year” award for 2026. However, many “cutoffs” for that years games happens around mid-November, which the game will now be after. As such, a certain developer from Pocket Pair couldn’t help but make the following note:

It’s true that events like The Game Awards typically end their “year” in mid-November to ensure that their judges, and gamers, have enough time to play the game before the event itself in the first week of December. So, that would mean that Rockstar Games wouldn’t be able to be a part of the 2026 award circuit in that “traditional sense.”

However, would it really affect the big AAA releases in 2027? It honestly depends on the team. There are some who won’t care and would care more about just avoiding the general release of the game than worrying about clashing with it on the award circuit. Yes, awards are nice, but sales are better.

Sure, some might want that “vaunted prize,” but when you look at the gaming landscape right now, there are several developers and publishers who are merely scrambling to try and “reclaim former sales” and “right the ship” with what’s happening with them.

Then, there are companies like Nintendo, which are doing their own thing and are perfectly content releasing when they feel that the games are ready. In fact, based on what we know is coming in 2026, 2027 might be even MORE stacked, especially with the Nintendo Switch 2 having likely sold many dozens of millions of units.

No matter the “outcome,” thinking about an award season two years away is a bit much right now. Yet, it is fair that some are thinking about that, if that’s what matters to them most.