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Sandfall Interactive really chose to storm gaming awards this year too, with Chiaroscuro: Expedition 33 going on to repeat its Game Awards 2025 success at the Game Developers Choice Awards (GDCA) 2026, held on Thursday.

The famed turn-based RPG was already one of the most nominated games at the premier event of the GDC Festival of Gaming 2026followed by Ghost of Yōtei, Blue Prince, Donkey Kong Bananza, Split Fiction, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Hades II.

This year, while Emmy Award-winning game designer Don Daglow was felicitated with the Lifetime Achievement Award, Rebecca Ann Heineman, a veteran game developer and one of the first video game players, was posthumously honoured with the 2026 Ambassador Award.

Here is the full list of winners from every category:

Best Design

BALL X PIT

Blue Prince – WINNER

Chiaroscuro: Expedition 33

Donkey Kong Bananza

Split Fiction

Best Narrative

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – WINNER

Despelote

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Ghost of Yōtei

Split Fiction

Best Technology

Chiaroscuro: Expedition 33

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach – WINNER

Donkey Kong Bananza

Ghost of Yōtei

Split Fiction

Game of the Year

Blue Prince

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – WINNER

Donkey Kong Bananza

Ghost of Yōtei

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Split Fiction

Best Audio

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – WINNER

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Ghost of Yōtei

Rift of the NecroDancer

South of Midnight

Best Visual Art

Absolute

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – WINNER

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Ghost of Yōtei

Hades II

Keeper

Innovation Award

BALL X PIT

Baby Steps

Blue Prince – WINNER

Chiaroscuro: Expedition 33

Donkey Kong Bananza

Social Impact

And Roger

Consume Me – WINNER

Despelote

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Best Debut

BALL X PIT

Blue Prince

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – WINNER

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