Capcom Dominates the 2026 Golden Joystick Awards, Winning Studio of the Year and More - VICE
Looking back at the games it released this year, Capcom probably doesn’t have many complaints. Between returning to fan-favorite franchises, including the soft reboot of Onimusha: Way of the Sword, or putting out an entirely new adventure, the studio has given gamers some of their favorite titles in 2026. That was reflected at the Golden Joystick Awards, a predominantly fan-voted ceremony where Capcom took home some top prizes.
Against competition like Square Enix, which gave fans a new Life Is Strange game alongside Final Fantasy Resonance, and Frogwares, the studio behind The Sinking City 2, Capcom won the “Studio of the Year” title. Presented by Alex Wilton Regan, who will voice Lara Croft in the upcoming Tomb Raider: Legends of Atlantis, Studio of the Year seeks to honor the teams behind the best games of 2026. Considering the nominated studios “had an exceptional year, built a formidable culture, or pushed technical boundaries…or maybe all three”, as Regan stated in the opening speech, it’s not surprising the Golden Joystick went to Capcom.
Capcom pulled in 57% of the fan vote in the category. The Capcom representative who took the stage to accept the award effusively thanked the fans and everyone who voted for the studio, adding, “We appreciate every single person who plays our games and loves them.” They noted it’s been a massive year for the company, and also shared a message from Capcom president Haruhiro Tsujimoto.
In a pre-recorded message, Tsujimoto also thanked everyone who voted and said Capcom is honored to win Studio of the Year. “Since our founding in 1983, our games have brought people happiness and excitement,” he said, and in that vein, he added that “Capcom will continue to devote itself even more wholeheartedly to creating content that brings joy to people all over the world.”
Two titles referenced in Tsujimoto’s speech were Resident Evil: Requiem, Pragmata, and Onimusha: Way of the Sword, a fitting shout-out considering all three titles also brought home Golden Joystick statuettes. Requiem won Ultimate Game of the Year, edging past Phantom Blade Zero at 17% of the vote versus 16%, and also took Console Game of the Year. It also earned a Best Performer of the Year for Angela Sant’Albano for her turn as co-protagonist Grace Ashcroft, and Best Game Trailer for “Evil Has Always Had a Name”.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword and Pragmata each brought home one Golden Joystick. Way of the Sword won Best Audio design for its atmospheric sound design, while Grace Saif was awarded Best Supporting Performer for her role as the child-like android Diana. Capcom was also nominated in the Most Wanted Game category for its anticipated Resident Evil: Veronica remake, although the award ultimately went to The Witcher 4.
Shoutout to Capcom for bringing home Studio of the Year, Ultimate Game of the Year, Console Game of the Year, and Best Game Trailer for Requiem, along with Best Audio Design for Way of the Sword – and congratulations to Angela and Grace Saif for seeing their exceptional performances recognized. Fans are certainly looking forward to seeing what Capcom does next!
