The Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association (CESA), chaired by Haruhiro Tsujimoto, has announced the full details of the Japan Game Awards 2026, which will recognize the games considered the most representative of the year. This year’s edition will mark the 30th presentation of the awards and will also bring an end to the Game Designers Award, established by Masahiro Sakurai in 2010 to highlight productions evaluated from the perspective of industry professionals.

The Game Designers Award will be presented for the 17th and final time during the 2026 edition. Since its creation, the category has sought to recognize works that go beyond commercial performance and popular trends, focusing instead on titles considered “highly creative and innovative works worthy of a place in the history of games.” Over 16 years, the award has relied on evaluations from creators to highlight different forms of interaction and ideas capable of expanding the possibilities of game development.

The Games of the Year awards ceremony will take place at Hulic Hall Tokyo from 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15, two days before TOKYO GAME SHOW 2026 officially opens. The event will also be streamed online for free, with no advance registration required, allowing audiences to follow the winners through the official Japan Game Awards and TOKYO GAME SHOW channels, as well as their respective YouTube Live broadcasts.

The Future Division awards ceremony will be held on the official TOKYO GAME SHOW 2026 stage in Hall 1 at Makuhari Messe from 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 20. The category will also feature an online public voting period, which opens at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 17, giving audiences the opportunity to participate directly in selecting the division’s highlights.

The panel responsible for the Game Designers Award 2026 will consist of 11 industry professionals, with Masahiro Sakurai serving as committee chair alongside Kazutoshi Iida, Jiro Ishii, Fumito Ueda, Hideki Kamiya, Kazutaka Kodaka, Goichi Suda, Toby Fox, Keiichiro Toyama, Shinji Mikami, and Yoko Taro. The group will evaluate the nominated works based on criteria related to creativity, originality, and innovation.

Masahiro Sakurai will also present the category during the Games of the Year awards ceremony. In addition to announcing the winner of the final Game Designers Award, the creator will introduce the winning title’s key qualities, bringing the award to a close after more than a decade dedicated to recognizing new approaches to game design and interactive experiences.

The Japan Game Awards 2026 program will also feature Toshiya Miyata and Harami-chan at the Games of the Year awards ceremony, adding to the lineup on stage for the event’s main awards. The conclusion of the Game Designers Award, the public voting period for the Future Division, and the two official ceremonies are among the main highlights announced by CESA for this year’s edition.