Pokémon Pokopia wins first Game Of The Year award of 2026

The Japan Game Awards took place last night (September 15) and Pokémon Pokopia walked away with the first Game Of The Year trophy of the season. READ MORE: The best games of 2026… so far! Pokémon Pokopia is a cutesy life simulation game that sees you restoring a run-town island to encourage Pokémon to return. It’s a cross between Animal Crossing, Minecraft and Stardew Valley. When it launched in March, it became the best-reviewed Pokémon game of all time and remains one of the highest-rated games released this year (according to Metacritic). Last night, The Japan Games Awards took place to “honour outstanding computer entertainment software works.” Pokémon Pokopia won the Grand Award, with judges looking for games that “incorporate new ideas that set it apart from previous works” and offer users “new ways to enjoy and play, expanding the possibilities of what a video game can be,” according to the official website. Pokemon Pokopia won Game of the Year at the Japan Game Awards! Shigeru Ohmori accepted the award on behalf of Game Freak. pic.twitter.com/0YwoBxquBj — Stealth (@Stealth40k) September 15, 2026 “In a world that is synchronised with real time, players can enjoy a carefree s...