Alanah Pearce, actress and former games journalist, has a bone to pick with GTA 6’s Game of the Year prospects. She recently argued on a live stream that the game may not even be eligible for The Game Awards this year due to the timing of its release.
Pearce pointed out that the cutoff date for games being eligible for TGA nominations has historically fallen around the same time as GTA 6’s release date this year. The game launches on October 29, and the cutoff date has typically landed in late October or early November.
The Timing Problem
Some have pushed back on Pearce’s argument by noting that the cutoff last year was November 21, two days after GTA 6 will release this year. That changes the math slightly, but it doesn’t fully resolve the question.
The bigger issue is practical: would anyone feasibly finish GTA 6 before voting on nominees? The game is massive, and the jury would need to complete it in full before casting ballots. If not, the question becomes whether jurors would vote on a game they haven’t finished, which raises serious ethical concerns.
Ways Rockstar Could Still Get In
There are paths forward, though they rely on outside intervention. Geoff Keighley, the overseer of The Game Awards, could simply push the voting deadlines back. Keighley loves a good show, and GTA 6 sweeping would draw a lot of eyes to the event.
Rockstar Games could also give jury members a significant headstart to play the game prior to the cutoff date. That would put the game in jurors’ hands sooner, increasing the odds of a nomination. As of now, Rockstar’s plans for reviewers are unclear.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| October 29 | GTA 6 releases |
| November 21 | Last year’s cutoff date |
| Late October/early November | Typical TGA cutoff window |
A Long Shot in 2027
If GTA 6 isn’t eligible this year, Rockstar could try again in 2027. The game’s online mode is heavily rumored to launch next year, which would give the title a massive second wind.
That could put GTA 6 in direct competition with other heavy hitters, including Naughty Dog’s Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. Whether that’s enough to contend with the likes of Naughty Dog remains to be seen.
The 2027 awards race is a long way off, and the 2026 race is already complicated enough.
What We Make Of It
Pearce’s argument is grounded in a real logistical problem. A game released on October 29 faces a tight window between launch and the cutoff date, and the jury may simply not have time to finish it before voting begins.
The counterarguments — that last year’s cutoff fell after GTA 6’s release date this year — are valid, but they don’t fully escape the dilemma. A jury voting on a game they haven’t completed is a serious ethical concern, and nobody has said how The Game Awards plans to handle it.
Keighley pushing back voting deadlines is certainly possible, and Rockstar giving jurors early access is another route. Both involve ifs, and neither guarantees a nomination.
The 2027 option is amusing speculation, but it rests on a lot of unknowns. GTA 6’s online mode is rumored, not confirmed, and competing with Naughty Dog’s Intergalactic is a tall order.
For now, GTA 6 fans should prepare for a Game Awards season where their favorite game may not even be in the running. The cutoff date is what it is, and the jury’s schedule is what it is.
Source material: “GTA 6's Game of the Year Chances Have Been Called Into Question,” IGN.
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