The composition of The Game Awards jury for 2026 marks a significant departure from its previous years, with American outlets holding fewer seats than ever before. This shift, detailed in the recent announcement of the jury's makeup, sees the U.S. share its largest voting bloc with the U.K., each with 17 outlets represented. This represents a notable decrease for the U.S., which has historically held the most significant presence on the international jury.
For years, American media outlets dominated the voting body for The Game Awards. However, the trend has been towards internationalization since the awards began in 2014. In 2024 and 2025, American outlets occupied 24 seats on a jury exceeding 130 members, consistently holding at least 10 more votes than any other single nation. That era appears to be over with the current jury composition.
This year's jury also highlights the rise of Brazil as a third major voting power. The country has expanded its representation by four outlets, bringing its total to 14 votes, closely trailing the U.S. and U.K. This growth is part of a broader increase in jury members from Latin American countries, which now constitute approximately 21% of the jury.
In contrast, the combined Anglophone voting bloc of the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia is diminishing in influence. East and Southeast Asia's presence has seen a slight decrease, with China holding only three votes. Mainland Europe has consolidated its gains from last year, now representing 27% of the jury, nearly matching the 28% held by English-language media.
The reduction in American representation is largely attributed to the departure of several mainstream, lifestyle, and tech media outlets, including Entertainment Weekly, Esquire, Inverse, Rolling Stone, The Atlantic, Wirecutter, and Wired. The reasons behind this exodus remain unclear, potentially stemming from a deliberate decision by The Game Awards or the challenges faced by these publications in maintaining dedicated gaming writers.
This evolving jury dynamic could influence future award outcomes. While an internationally diverse jury was previously noted to not necessarily lead to a more diverse slate of nominated games, the country of origin for potential winners has become more varied. Since 2020, The Game Awards has not seen a U.S.-developed game win Game of the Year, with awards going to titles from Sweden, Belgium, France, and Japan. The preference appears to have shifted from AAA action-adventures to RPGs and family-oriented games.
While the upcoming awards may still see a strong showing from American-produced titles like the anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6, a Rockstar Games title headquartered in New York, the long-term trend suggests a more globalized selection process. The emergence of Brazil as a significant voting bloc, for instance, points towards a future where international titles, potentially from South America, could vie for top honors.