Nordic Game Awards 2026 ▽ 7 categories - 21 games

Nordic Game Awards 2026.

Nordic Game Awards 2026 went down in Malmö on May 28, and you would have to look far and wide to find a better gathering of Nordic game developers. The crème de la crème of Nordic developers gathered under one roof.

Truth be told, I did everything in my power to be there. To cover the event, talk to the developers, get a feel for one of the best scenes in the world. It did not pan out this time, but maybe next time?

No prizes for the Norwegian studios this time around, so all we can do is send congratulations to our Scandinavian neighbours.

Nordic Game of the Year
Nordic Game of the YearBest TechnologyBest Audio

ARC Raiders

Embark Studios / Sweden

ARC Raiders took the big sweep, and it is not unexpected. What a game. It sold way more than expected when it launched last year, and it is ridiculously fun. The extraction shooter genre is one we did not know we were missing until ARC Raiders showed up. The audio, gameplay and atmosphere are all great, but the best thing is the sheer number of epic gaming moments that happen way more often in ARC than in any other game. I love it, and the prizes for best game, best audio and best technology are well earned.

ARC Raiders from Embark Studios pulled off a clean sweep with Nordic Game of the Year, plus Best Technology and Best Audio. Personally I love ARC Raiders, and I am impressed by what the Stockholm studio Embark has delivered. Congrats!

Best Art
The Midnight Walk
Best Art

The Midnight Walk

MoonHood / Sweden

The Midnight Walk from MoonHood took the prize for best art, and there is a good reason for it. I have not played this one, but by the looks of it the atmosphere is incredible. They use claymation in a way that is beautiful and frightening at the same time. Plus it can be played in VR!

Nominees

Best Game Design
Split Fiction
Best Game Design

Split Fiction

Hazelight Studios / EA / Sweden

This co-op game has pulled in wild praise internationally and sits on an overwhelmingly high Steam rating. It deservedly won Best Game Design. The unique thing about it is that the gameplay keeps changing from level to level. The two players get different abilities that force them to play as a team. People love it, and I want to give it a go.

Nominees

Best Technology
ARC Raiders
Best Technology

ARC Raiders

Embark Studios / Sweden

ARC Raiders is brilliant, and the unique part is the constant, hovering dread that comes from monsters with an "AI brain." There were claims that Embark trained their in-game monsters the same way Boston Dynamics trains Spot. I do not know if that is true, but the monsters do behave in scary, unpredictable ways, and maybe that is exactly why ARC Raiders won Best Technology.

Nominees

Best Audio
ARC Raiders
Best Audio

ARC Raiders

Embark Studios / Sweden

On the audio side I also think ARC nails it. The soundscape topside is incredible. You quickly learn which robots make which sounds, and it is creepy to overhear a fight on the other side of the map. The sound design is wild, and I completely get why ARC Raiders won Best Audio.

Nominees

Best Fun for Everyone
LEGO Voyagers
Best Fun for Everyone

LEGO Voyagers

Light Brick Studio / Denmark

LEGO Voyagers looks absolutely lovely. It is a two-player co-op game about friendship and play, and looks really pleasant to play with friends or family members who are new to controller gaming. There is also crossplay across platforms. Another one I have not tested, but it looks like fun for everyone, exactly as the award suggests.

Nominees

Best Debut
Discounty
Best Debut

Discounty

Crinkle Cut Games / Denmark

Congratulations to Denmark's Crinkle Cut Games on the best debut award for Discounty. You manage a supermarket in the small town of Blomkest and have to balance buying, selling and the local town drama. On the surface it is cosy shop-running, but underneath there is a darker story about corruption and outside pressure, and reviewers have taken well to the debut.

Nominees

FAQ
Q.

What are the Nordic Game Awards?

A.

An annual prize show held during the Nordic Game conference in Malmö that honours the best games made in the Nordics. Awards are handed out in categories like Game of the Year, Best Art and Best Debut.

Q.

Which game won Game of the Year in 2026?

A.

ARC Raiders from Sweden's Embark Studios took Game of the Year, and also picked up Best Technology and Best Audio.

Q.

Which Norwegian games were nominated?

A.

Dune: Awakening from Funcom and My Child: New Beginnings from Sarepta Studio were among the nominated Norwegian games.

Q.

What does Nordic mean in this context?

A.

The awards cover games developed in the Nordics, meaning Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. Each game's home country is listed next to it.

kaytomas.com / Nordic Game Awards Last updated May 29, 2026