We work hard to compile a diverse selection of nominees and categories that showcase the best that gaming has to offer. Sadly, we frequently aren’t able to offer some beloved and well-liked titles.

We try to be as open and inclusive in this judging process as we can. Beginning in early September, publishers and developers are asked to nominate their titles, teams, and employees. These nominations are included in a lengthy list of books chosen by Future PLC editors, reliable independent contractors, and outside authorities.

The Golden Joystick Awards judging panel, made up of Future editors and our reliable network of journalists, debates the final selection in late September in light of this list of nominations.

The panel makes an effort to narrow down the selection of titles while considering factors such as critical acclaim, noteworthy innovation, technical brilliance, and personal choice. Within the voting section, the primary criteria for each category are explained.

Golden Joystick Awards nomination standards for 2022

Between November 23, 2021, and November 4, 2022, the game must have been launched (when core 2022 voting closes).
The “Still Playing” and “Best Game Expansion” categories are open to online games that have been around for a while and were released before this time.
After November 22, 2022, video games will be eligible for the Most Wanted award.
Games will be considered for our critically chosen categories, Critics’ Choice, Breakthrough Award, and Best Performer, which are issued between November 11, 2022 (when the public voting closes) and November 22, 2021 (the day of the awards).
In order to give us more time to study the major releases of winter, the public voting for Ultimate Game of the Year takes place in a separate week from November 7 to November 11.
In rare circumstances, our judges may decide to add upcoming games that are scheduled to be released between Friday, October 7, and Friday, November 4, to the core voting shortlists after they have been released, evaluated, and discussed.

Our team of judges will choose the Critics’ Choice award winner from games that are published after the public voting period closes on November 11 but before the show is broadcast on November 22.

We must emphasise that the Golden Joystick Honors are the gaming people’s choice awards, determined solely by your votes. We can’t emphasise enough how much your support may mean to your favourite games and developers—some categories last year were decided by less than a 1% swing in votes.

When we announce the winners on November 22, we hope to see you all there.

Watch this space for information about the hosts, special trailers, and further surprises.
For more information on new categories, privileged trailers, and our special guest hosts, follow @gamesradar or @GoldenJoysticks(opens in new tab) on Twitter. The Golden Joystick Awards, an all-digital event that honours the top games of the previous year and supports the next generation of developers, will debut in 2022. On November 22, we hope to see you there!