GTA 6 Sparks Industry Debate Over Game of the Year Awards—95% Steam Rating, Tens of Millions of Copies in Hours

Insider Gaming's industry survey, released during the 2026 Summer Game Fest, shows that Western game media professionals and developers think GTA 6 should be reconsidered—or even removed—from Game of the Year eligibility. The controversy isn't about quality: the game holds a 95% positive rating on Steam and moved tens of millions of copies within hours of release. It's about its success model. Nearly every respondent agreed that current nomination rules need adjustment.

The commercial performance is undeniablyphenomenal. Rockstar Games shipped GTA 6 to tens of millions of players so quickly that it all but secured Game of the Year before most players could finish the opening hours. Elden Ring, by contrast, won on the strength of groundbreaking open-world design and innovative soulslike mechanics. By industry standards, GTA 6 won on commercial firepower—not creative innovation.

Respondents suggested two paths forward. One: carve out a separate category for mega-franchises—essentially giving Lionel Messi his own "Most Goals" Golden Boot. Two: rewrite evaluation criteria to prioritize innovation and industry impact. Looking at The Game Awards' history, awards have shifted from rewarding what players loved to rewarding what players bought, and GTA 6 has made that tension impossible to ignore.

The stakes extend beyond a single award. If the rules don't evolve, industry insiders warn that Game of the Year could devolve into a sales chart—the biggest launch wins by default. For players, the award should signal where gaming is heading, not merely what sold best. Rockstar Games may have won on commercial firepower, but if the system doesn't adapt, the industry's credibility suffers.

This piece was originally published by 3DM.