Palworld lead John “Bucky” Buckley suggests that GTA 6‘s revised release timing could push some publishers to steer clear of the 2027 awards season.
Responding to the announcement of GTA 6’s delay, Pocketpair’s publishing manager Bucky pointed out that a November 19, 2026 launch would place the game “outside the nomination window for most games awards in 2026.” He wondered whether that timing was deliberate and added, “Either way, expect to see many games (especially AAA ones) swerve to avoid the 2027 awards season.”
Do publishers place that much emphasis on awards? For some — Sony being the obvious example given its focus on prestige and accolades — awards season can matter. For many others, the benefits are likely limited to a short-term sales spike and a marketing talking point rather than a decisive business consideration.
And of course, GTA 6 isn’t an automatic lock for Game of the Year. Even without a disastrous launch, surprises happen: God of War beat Red Dead Redemption 2 at the 2018 awards, and The Last of Us dominated GOTY conversations back in 2013 despite GTA 5’s presence. A new FromSoftware release, a breakthrough 3D Mario or Zelda, or another high-profile title from a studio like Naughty Dog could easily alter the landscape.
Devolver Digital tightens the screws on Rockstar, teasing a release that would land on GTA 6’s new November 2026 date with the warning: “You can’t escape us.”
