One of the gaming industry's prestigious awards, the Game Design Awards, founded by renowned game producer Masahiro Sakurai, will hold its final edition in 2026. The ceremony will once again be held in conjunction with the Japan Game Awards during the Tokyo Game Show.
·Founded by Masahiro Sakurai, who also served as the head judge, the Game Design Awards were first launched in 2010. The awards aim to discover outstanding works with "creativity" and "innovation" through reviews by multiple industry producers, without focusing on game sales or public attention as core judging criteria.
·The main judges for the final 2026 Game Design Awards include renowned industry producers such as Masahiro Sakurai, Kazutoshi Iida, Fumito Ueda, Kazutaka Kodaka, Hideki Kamiya, Goichi Suda, Shinji Mikami, and Yoko Taro.
