Pokémon Celebrates 30th Anniversary with GOTY Win

With a slew of major titles on the way, including Grand Theft Auto 6 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, it might seem premature to start handing out awards for 2026 games. Yet, one Game of the Year accolade has already been awarded, marking a significant highlight for Pokémon’s 30th anniversary celebrations. The Japan Game Awards took place on September 15, and Pokémon took home the top prize.

Pokémon Pokopia clinched the Game of the Year title, along with an Award for Excellence, while the Pokémon franchise itself received the Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Award. The success of Pokémon Pokopia in securing a GOTY win, especially in Japan, isn’t surprising—it’s currently ranked fourth in the GOTY contenders list.

Eligible games for the awards were those released in Japan between June 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026. The first half of 2026 has already seen a wave of well-received titles, meaning Pokopia faced tough competition from games like Resident Evil Requiem and Pragmata. This doesn’t even account for the 2025 releases in the running, such as Ghost of Yōtei, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and Kirby Air Riders. Depending on your perspective, Pokémon Pokopia either wrapped up the 2025 GOTY race or kicked off the 2026 awards with its win.

Pokémon Pokopia has been a tremendous success for developers Game Freak and Omega Force, selling over 5 million copies since its launch in March, making it the second-best-selling game on the Nintendo Switch 2, just behind Mario Kart World, which was bundled with the console at launch.

The first expansion for Pokopia, themed around water, introduced the Bubbly Basin region and new Pokémon to befriend. A second expansion is set to release later this year, promising additional Pokémon and a wealth of accessories.

As we move through 2026, the gaming landscape has been filled with standout titles.