2026 is on the verge of breaking the internet in the gaming industry! With games like 007 First Light, Marvel’s Wolverine, and GTA 6 in the queue, the entire community is going berserk! Speaking of GTA 6, the game will surely reshape the next-gen gaming experience if released without any further delay! However, in recent days, the fanbase has been louder than before due to Rockstar’s ex-senior animator’s absurd claim! 

 

“This game, this could be Game Of The Year, okay. Mark my words. This could become Game Of The Year. And the reason for that is because of how much you can get lost in this game. and it really is a contender when it comes to all the cool stuff all this game kind has to offer." According to Mike York (Former Senior Animator of RDR 2 and GTA V). Crimson Desert, an upcoming open-world action-adventure RPG from Pearl Abyss, might win the Game of the Year 2026, if GTA 6’s developers delay the plan; like they usually do! Seems ridiculous? But what if he’s spitting facts? 

 

So, without further ado, let's excavate this statement, which created havoc in the entire industry! 

Will Crimson Desert Win GOTY if GTA 6 Drops the Ball?

GTA 6’s double delay sure played a vital role in maxing out the hype and anticipation. With the release date closing on our calendars, fans are speculating the massive win of the franchise in the TGA 2026, which was announced a couple of weeks ago on X.com (formerly Twitter). 

 

However, Rockstar Games, which is widely known as a nuisance, might drop the project if they want to max out their sales with GTA Online 2.0 (Which is still in the testing phase). 

 

For those who don’t know, the eligible date for TGA 2026 is 20 November, and November 19, 2026, being the release date of GTA 6, might become a dire situation for the entire franchise due to less playing time, which could lead to bias or unfair judgment from the jurors due to the game’s iconic run throughout the decade. 

 

Right off the bat, Crimson Desert, which is going to release on March 19, 2026, will be eligible for TGA 2026 with accurate judgment from the jurors. The claim sure is revolutionary, as several analysts and critics from Reddit are also overwhelmed by the gameplay features and stellar world-building showcased in Crimson Desert’s gameplay trailer.

What will Crimson Desert Need to Win the GOTY 2026?

First of all, the developers at Pearl Abyss need to pray a lot for GTA 6’s delay to 2027 to win the GOTY 2026 with ease. Although it’s likely impossible for the TGA’s all-time favourite GTA to re-announce its release date for 2027, the hype created by GTA’s marketing team over these years might backfire on the entire backbone of the game. 

With more than 10 years of production, if GTA 6 fails to deliver a hyper-realistic game as expected by fans, then it's “WASTED” for the corporation. According to the rumors, GTA 6 has a gigantic budget of $2 billion, which somehow skyrocketed the anticipation to the apex! Now what could go wrong? 

 

The latest instalment just doesn’t need to be a banger… it needs to become legendary amongst the plethora of open-world games. Even surpassing GTA V’s gameplay is not enough for fans to truly accept GTA 6 as their saviour. 

 

This might act as a loophole for Crimson Desert, as the game promises a massive open-world map with an abundance of arsenal. On the other hand, releasing in March could become a turning point as the game will have tons of updates and patches till the Game of the Year arrives (An infamous buzz during the TGA 2026)

As someone once said, “TGA awards for execution, not for expectations.”, Crimson Desert might become an “upset” throughout the award ceremony with their physics-heavy combat. 

 

While Rockstar is known for their iconic open-world run, Pearl Abyss, an underdog studio, has offered niche games like Black Desert Online. A year packed with surprising revelations! Still, if you are living in a delusional world, let me ask you, “How would you feel if a long-awaited game with hype similar to One Piece’s last episode scored a rating of 9.2 instead of 9.9 out of 10?”

Final Verdict

According to my perspective, GTA 6 might loose their deserved title if they stick to its endless GTA chaotic environmental formula without brand-new innovations and focuses mainly on its Online version for huge revenue generation. On the contrary, the upcoming modern age RPG could win GOTY 2026 by offering a unique world-setting with artistic ambition!