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Gayming Awards 2026: South of Midnight Wins Game of the Year, Date Everything Takes Home Two Honors

Gayming Awards 2026: South of Midnight Wins Game of the Year, Date Everything Takes Home Two Honors.

The Gayming Awards 2026 wrapped up on June 8 at The Vermont Hollywood theatre in Los Angeles, celebrating the best of LGBTQ+ representation across gaming, entertainment, and content creation.


Compulsion Games' South of Midnight walked away with the biggest prize of the night, the Game of the Year Award. Sassy Chap Games' Date Everything had a strong showing as well, picking up both Best LGBTQ+ Indie Game and the Gayming Fan Favorite Award.

The ceremony covered 14 categories in total, recognizing video games, TV shows, developers, and content creators who championed diversity and inclusivity throughout 2025.


The evening was hosted by Erika Ishii, known for her work in Ghost of Yotei and Apex Legends, alongside drag performer Dawn from RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 11. They were joined by several guests, including Farrah Moan, Rock M Sakura, and Evan Michael Lee, who appeared alongside Chase Kolozsi as The Gaymer Guys for the first time in seven years.


Over 250 industry figures, celebrities, and gaming influencers attended the event. There was also a red carpet reception, a watch party, and an after-show featuring live performances.


A Night of Firsts and Renamed Honors

This year introduced the LGBTQ+ Content Creator Superstar Award for the first time. The inaugural honor went to Trixie Mattel, the drag performer and content creator who rose to fame through RuPaul's Drag Race.


Another notable moment of the evening was the renaming of the Gayming Icon Award. It has now been officially renamed the Rebecca Heineman Gayming Icon Award, in honor of the late Rebecca Heineman who passed away last year. Heineman had herself won the award at last year's ceremony. This year, the honor went to Darion Lowenstein, a veteran gaming executive and CEO of Secret Code with nearly three decades of experience across studios including Rockstar Games, Activision, and Electronic Arts. He has been a long-time LGBTQ+ advocate and supporter of GLAAD's work in games since 2017.


Jennifer English of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 snagged the LGBTQ+ Voice Actor of the Year Award, adding to her impressive collection that already includes honors from The Game Awards, BAFTA Games Awards, and the New York Game Awards.


Riot Games received the Industry Diversity Award, and Qweerty Gamers won the Community Impact Award.


What Did the Founder Have to Say?

Gayming Magazine and Gayming Awards founder Robin Gray shared his thoughts on the evening. "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," he said.


"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 ceremony also raised funds for the Gayming Foundation, an organization whose mission is to "uplift and empower LGBTQ+ game workers and fans to affect change, celebrate inclusivity, and drive forward representation in games."


Full List of Winners and Nominees


Game of the Year

  • Ball x Pit (Kenny Sun / Devolver Digital)

  • Blue Prince (Dogubomb / Raw Fury)

  • Ghost of Yotei (Sucker Punch Productions / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

  • Hades II (Supergiant Games)

  • Hollow Knight: Silksong (Team Cherry)

  • WINNER: South of Midnight (Compulsion Games / Xbox Game Studios)


Gayming Fan Favorite Award

  • 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 and Rage (DON'T NOD)

  • WINNER: Date Everything! (Sassy Chap Games / Team17)


Best LGBTQ+ Character Award

  • Sir Hans Capon, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

  • Eddie and Volt, Date Everything!

  • Kat Mikaelsen, Lost Records: Bloom and Rage

  • Melinoe, Hades II

  • Samar, Spirit Swap

  • WINNER: Orela Rose, Dead by Daylight (Behaviour Interactive)


Best LGBTQ+ Indie Game Award

  • Monster Prom 4: Monster Con (Beautiful Glitch)

  • Quantum Witch (NikkiJay)

  • Spirit Swap (Soft Not Weak LLC)

  • Tales of Seikyu (ACE Entertainment / Fireshine Games)

  • The Beekeeper's Picnic (The Wonder Room)

  • WINNER: Date Everything! (Sassy Chap Games / Team17)


LGBTQ+ Voice Actor of the Year

  • Allegra Clark

  • Jay Taylor

  • Michael Lorz

  • Robyn Holdaway

  • Tobias Weatherburn

  • WINNER: Jennifer English


Industry Diversity Award

  • Behaviour Interactive

  • DON'T NOD

  • Out Making Games (OMG)

  • WINNER: Riot Games


Community Impact Award

  • Boston Gaymers

  • Gaymers iNC

  • Gaymer Nights

  • NYC Gaymers

  • SlayStation

  • WINNER: Qweerty Gamers


LGBTQ+ Contribution to Esports Award

  • British Esports Federation

  • Cora Kennedy

  • VALORANT Game Changers

  • WINNER: Team Liquid


LGBTQ+ Geek Entertainment of the Year

  • Harley Quinn: Season 5 (DC Studios / HBO Max)

  • Hazbin Hotel: Season 2 (Amazon MGM Studios / SpindleHorse)

  • Stranger Things: Season 5 (Netflix)

  • The Mighty Nein (Amazon MGM Studios / Critical Role / Titmouse)

  • The Last of Us: Season 2 (Sony Pictures Television / HBO)

  • WINNER: Dimension 20: Dungeons and Drag Queens Season 2 (Dropout)


LGBTQ+ Content Creator of the Year

  • Artemirgaming

  • Blizz

  • Boyefran

  • hyjules

  • koijay

  • phaun

  • ravynia

  • WINNER: GhCoffee


LGBTQ+ Breakout Content Creator

  • devoglaer

  • haimoonx

  • kyacolosseum

  • olliedreamer

  • philipcroft

  • retrowolve

  • thefunkobeard

  • WINNER: WillJinkies


LGBTQ+ Content Creator Superstar Award

  • WINNER: Trixie Mattel


Rebecca Heineman Gayming Icon Award

  • WINNER: Darion Lowenstein


LGBTQ+ Streamer Rising Star Class of 2026

  • AceoftheDeadx

  • Artirie

  • CYREELism

  • YouWorshipAngel


The Gayming Awards 2026 were sponsored by Dead by Daylight, Logitech G, Prisnodo, Q Care Plus, Sugoi Mart, Merge Cruise, Stream for a Cause, and Valencia Gay Games 2026. The full show is streaming now on WOW Presents Plus.


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