Pearl Abyss today announced that its open-world action-adventure game, Red Desert: Enhanced Edition, has been nominated for "Ultimate Game of the Year" at the 2026 Golden Joystick Awards.
On October 26, the organizers of the Golden Joystick Awards announced that Red Desert: Enhanced Edition has been shortlisted for the "Ultimate Game of the Year," one of the most prestigious awards at the Golden Joystick Awards. Previously, the game had received nominations for "PC Game of the Year" and "Best Soundtrack," bringing its total nominations for this year's Golden Joystick Awards to three.
Established in 1983, the Golden Joystick Awards is one of the longest-running video game awards in the world, now celebrating its 44th edition. Nominees for each category are selected by a jury of gaming media and industry experts, while the final winners are determined by online voting from gamers worldwide.
Voting for "Ultimate Game of the Year" is now open and will continue until October 31. The final results will be revealed at the awards ceremony in London, UK, on November 11 (local time).
Building on this momentum, the first DLC for Red Desert: Enhanced Edition, titled "Unknown Journey," will launch globally on October 30. Pre-orders are now open on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, and the Epic Games Store.
All players who pre-order will receive the exclusive "Mystery Explorer Diving Suit Set" for Cliff and Onka, as well as the exclusive "Mystery Explorer Light Diving Suit Set" for Demian.
About Red Desert
Red Desert is an open-world action-adventure game developed by Pearl Abyss, now available on consoles and PC worldwide. Following a brutal ambush by the rival faction "Black Bear" in the dead of night, the members of Greymane are either killed or scattered. Cliff, a member of Greymane, is determined to reunite the surviving comrades and rebuild what was lost. On a journey filled with alliances, dangers, and uncovering the truth behind mysterious factions, Cliff gradually realizes that an unprecedented threat and a fate beyond his imagination await him.
About Pearl Abyss
Founded in 2010, Pearl Abyss is a leading game developer in the industry, known for its globally acclaimed MMORPG series Black Desert, which is available on PC, mobile, and console platforms, as well as the open-world action-adventure game Red Desert. All Pearl Abyss games are developed using proprietary engines and are renowned for their top-tier graphics. Currently, Pearl Abyss is developing new titles such as DokeV and PLAN 8 using its next-generation game engine, "BlackSpace Engine," and is actively expanding into the global market.