Sakurai's award for creative, non-commercial game design closes after 16 years, with the founder warning the industry could 'slowly die' without innovation.
The Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA) announced on September 8, 2026, that the Game Designers Award, founded by Masahiro Sakurai in 2010, will end after its 16th and final presentation at the Japan Game Awards 2026. IGN reported on the announcement September 15, 2026, quoting Sakurai's explanation that he could not find a successor to take over as chair of the award's judging committee.
Sakurai's Explanation for Ending the Award
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According to IGN, Sakurai said the award is closing because 'there's nobody who's going to replace me,' adding that he had searched for years for someone with the design authority to keep the honor meaningful. He argued that a suitable successor needed to be 'somebody who's a director, who's come up with innovative games that have changed gameplay a lot.' Sakurai further warned, as quoted by IGN, 'If the industry loses creativity and innovation, I think the industry as a whole will slowly die. We always need new discoveries and innovations to keep the industry fresh and alive.' Japanese outlets including Oricon, Game*Spark, 4Gamer and Saiganak independently confirmed the same announcement and timeline on September 8, 2026.
Award's Purpose and Final Judging Panel
Since its 2010 debut as part of the Japan Game Awards, the Game Designers Award has honored a single title each year based on 'creativity' and 'originality' as judged by top industry creators, rather than sales figures or popularity, according to CESA's official framing cited by Oricon and Game*Spark. Sakurai served as chair of the selection committee throughout the award's run. For its final edition, the judging panel reportedly included prominent developers such as Kazutoshi Iida, Fumito Ueda, Kazutaka Kodaka, Hideki Kamiya, Goichi Suda, Shinji Mikami and Taro Yoko, according to Chinese outlet Ali213's coverage of the announcement.
CESA's reporting indicates no dispute or external pressure behind the closure; the confirmed reason is Sakurai's inability to identify a successor with comparable design credentials. Separately, IGN reported that the 2026 Japan Game Awards grand prize went to 'Pokémon Pokopia,' while CESA's awards page lists 'Word Game' by Team9 as the Game Designers Award recipient, marking the final title to receive the honor under Sakurai's original framework.
