Date Everything! leads the winners at the Gayming Awards 2026
We’re excited to reveal that the winners of the Gayming Awards 2026 have been announced with Date Everything! taking home Best LGBTQ+ Indie Game and the popular Gayming Fan Favorite Award, while South of Midnight took home Game of the Year at the ceremony that is available to watch now exclusively on World of Wonder’s WOW Presents Plus.
Hosts Erika Ishii (Ghost of Yōtei, Apex Legends, Game Changer) and Dawn (RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 11) hosted a high energy show full of gags, giveaways and impactful speeches as the winners all demonstrated why they were chosen by the judges and the public to represent the best of queer geek culture.
The hosts were also joined by Farrah Moan (RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 9 & All Stars 4) who built a PC with industry veteran Leslie Pirritano which is being given away to one lucky viewer courtesy of Q Care Plus, Rock M Sakura (RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 12) who joined Dawn to rank hot video game characters in ‘The Thirsties’, and Evan Michael Lee (Transformers One, Fortnite, Guilty Gear: Strive) & Chase Kolozsi who returned as The Gaymer Guys after seven years away.
Alongside the broadcast show on WOW Presents Plus, we were joined by over 250 industry notables, celebrities and gaming influencers joined the nominees at The Hollywood Vermont theater in Los Angeles to celebrate the premiere of the Gayming Awards with a glittering red carpet reception, watch party and after show featuring performances by Dawn, Rock M Sakura, Joey Jay (RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 11) and more local drag talent.
In total, there were 14 categories honoring a selection of video games, TV shows, organizations, esports names, and content creators, all of whom championed diversity and inclusivity globally throughout 2025.
Darion Lowenstein picked up the newly renamed Rebecca Heineman Gayming Icon Award for his lasting contributions to LGBTQ+ representation and his commitment to uplifting queer gamers everywhere. The award was renamed in Rebecca’s honor to celebrate her life and legacy, following her passing earlier this year — she had won the award herself at last year’s ceremony.
Trixie Mattel was also honored with the inaugural LGBTQ+ Content Creator Superstar Award, sponsored by Logitech G, for her outstanding contribution to queer visibility across content creation and beyond.
Plus, we also inducted four more streamers into our LGBTQ+ Streamer Rising Star Class. The streamers were chosen by the Gayming Ambassadors to join this prestigious class because they are early in their streaming journey but are already showing exceptional promise.
Robin Gray, Gayming Magazine & Gayming Awards Founder, said: “Every year I’m reminded that the LGBTQ+ games community is one of the most creative, tenacious, and generous communities in the world — and this year’s winners prove it beyond any doubt. Each of them is doing something extraordinary: building worlds where we belong, forging communities where we thrive, and pushing an entire industry to be better than it was yesterday. The Gayming Awards exist to make sure that work doesn’t go unnoticed, and nights like this fill me with genuine hope for where we’re headed. To every winner, every nominee, and everyone who voted and showed up — thank you for being part of this. We do this together.”
The Gayming Awards 2026 were raising money for the Gayming Foundation whose mission to uplift and empower LGBTQ+ games workers and fans to affect change, celebrate inclusivity, and drive forward representation in games. Viewers were encouraged to give to support the Foundation’s work, and more info can be found at www.gaymingfoundation.org.
At a time when many companies have scaled back their commitments to diversity and inclusion, the sponsors of the Gayming Awards stand apart. These are companies that understand LGBTQ+ consumers aren’t a trend to follow or abandon, but a community worth showing up for, year after year. Their support makes the Gayming Awards possible, and the organization is proud to have them on board. The Gayming Awards 2026 are proudly sponsored by Dead by Daylight, Logitech G, Prisnodo, Q Care Plus, Sugoi Mart, Merge Cruise, Stream for a Cause, and Valencia Gay Games 2026.
Fans can watch the whole show now exclusively on WOW Presents Plus and catch up with clips on Gayming’s social media.
For more information on everything Gayming Awards, head to gaymingawards.com and follow Gayming Magazine on all socials @gaymingmag
The full list of winners from the Gayming Awards 2026:
- Game of the Year Award – South of Midnight, Compulsion Games / Xbox Game Studios
- Gayming Fan Favorite Award – Date Everything!, Sassy Chap Games / Team17
- Rebecca Heineman Gayming Icon Award – Darion Lowenstein
- LGBTQ+ Voice Actor of the Year Award – Jennifer English
- Industry Diversity Award – Riot Games
- Community Impact Award – Qweerty Gamers
- Best LGBTQ+ Character Award – Orela Rose, Dead by Daylight, Behaviour Interactive
- Best LGBTQ+ Indie Game Award (sponsored by Dead by Daylight) – Date Everything!, Sassy Chap Games / Team17
- LGBTQ+ Contribution to Esports Award (sponsored by the Valencia Gay Games 2026) – Team Liquid
- LGBTQ+ Geek Entertainment of the Year Award (sponsored by Q Care Plus) – Dimension 20: Dungeons & Drag Queens Season 2, Dropout
- LGBTQ+ Content Creator Superstar Award (sponsored by Logitech G) – Trixie Mattel
- LGBTQ+ Content Creator of the Year Award (sponsored by Logitech G) – GhCoffee
- LGBTQ+ Breakout Content Creator Award (sponsored by Logitech G) – WillJinkies
- LGBTQ+ Streamer Rising Star Class of 2026 (sponsored by Logitech G) – AceoftheDeadx, Artirie, CYREELism & YouWorshipAngel
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