LOS ANGELES – The nominees for the 2026 Gayming Awards have been announced, recognizing achievements in LGBTQ+ representation across video games and geek culture. The anticipated sequel Hades II from Supergiant Games and the indie title Date Everything! are frontrunners, each with three nominations. The ceremony is scheduled to stream worldwide on June 8th, 2026.
This year's event will be hosted by voice actor Erika Ishii (they/them) and drag performer Dawn (she/her). Ishii, known for their roles in Ghost of Yōtei and Apex Legends, as well as their work with Critical Role and Dropout, won the LGBTQ+ Voice Actor of the Year award in 2025. "Winning... last year was such an honor, and this year I'm grateful to return to celebrate our Gaymer community as a host," Ishii stated.
Joining them is Dawn, a contestant from Season 16 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, recognized for her distinct high-fashion and fantasy-influenced drag aesthetic. A self-described nerd, Dawn commented, "I have spent my entire life obsessed with gaming and high-fantasy, so getting to host this show is a massive full-circle moment for me."
Key Nominations and New Categories
The prestigious Game of the Year category features six titles: Ball x Pit, Blue Prince, Ghost of Yōtei, Hades II, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and South of Midnight.
In the publicly-voted Gayming Magazine Fan Favorite Award, nominees include Date Everything!, Dead by Daylight - Steady Pulse, Hades II, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, and Lost Records: Bloom & Rage.
A new addition for 2026 is the Gayming Awards Creator Honors, a suite of four awards sponsored by Logitech G, designed to celebrate LGBTQ+ gaming content creators. This introduces over 20 new nominees to the awards roster.
The award for Queer Geek Entertainment of the Year includes several high-profile series, with nominations for the second seasons of Dimension 20: Dungeons & Drag Queens, Hazbin Hotel, and The Last of Us, alongside new seasons of Harley Quinn and Stranger Things.
Public Voting and Broadcast Information
Public voting is now open for 10 of the 14 categories and will run until midnight (EST) on April 3rd, 2026. The public vote will account for 50% of the final result in most categories, with the other 50% decided by a panel of industry judges. Fans can cast their votes on the official gaymingawards.com website.
For viewers in the Netherlands and around the world, the Gayming Awards will be broadcast exclusively on the streaming service WOW Presents Plus on Monday, June 8th, 2026.
Full List of Nominees
Game of the Year
- Ball x Pit – Kenny Sun / Devolver Digital
- Blue Prince – Dogubomb / Raw Fury
- Ghost of Yōtei – Sucker Punch Productions / Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Hades II – Supergiant Games
- Hollow Knight: Silksong – Team Cherry
- South of Midnight – Compulsion Games / Xbox Game Studios
Gayming Magazine Fan Favorite Award
- Date Everything! – Sassy Chap Games / Team17
- Dead by Daylight: Steady Pulse – Behaviour Interactive
- Hades II – Supergiant Games
- Hollow Knight: Silksong – Team Cherry
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II – Warhorse Studios / Deep Silver
- Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – DON’T NOD
Best LGBTQ+ Character Award
- Sir Hans Capon, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
- Eddie & Volt, Date Everything!
- Kat Mikaelsen, Lost Record Bloom & Rage
- Melinoë, Hades II
- Orela Rose, Dead by Daylight
- Samar, Spirit Swap
Best LGBTQ+ Indie Game Award
- Date Everything! – Sassy Chap Games / Team17
- Monster Prom 4: Monster Con – Beautiful Glitch
- Quantum Witch - NikkiJay
- Spirit Swap – Soft Not Weak LLC
- Tales of Seikyu – ACE Entertainment / Fireshine Games
- The Beekeepers Picnic – Wonder Room Games
LGBTQ+ Voice Actor of the Year Award
- Allegra Clark
- Jay Taylor
- Jennifer English
- Michael Lorz
- Robyn Holdaway
- Tobias Weatherburn
Queer Geek Entertainment of the Year Award
- Dimension 20: Dungeons & Drag Queens, Season 2 - Dropout
- Harley Quinn: Season 5 – DC
- Hazbin Hotel: Season 2 - Amazon
- Stranger Things: Season 5 - Netflix
- The Mighty Nein - Amazon MGM Studios, Critical Role & Titmouse
- The Last of Us: Season 2 - HBO
LGBTQ+ Content Creator of the Year Award
- ArtemirGaming
- Blizz
- BoyeFran
- GhCoffee
- Hyjules
- KoiJay
- Phaun
- Ravynia
Note: The Gayming Icon Award recipient will be revealed in May 2026. Other categories not listed include Industry Diversity, Community Impact, and Best LGBTQ+ Contribution to Esports.
