TOKYO – Feb. 17, 2026 – The RPG Maker Festival 2026, hosted by KADOKAWA group subsidiary Gotcha Gotcha Games, today announced the winners and categories for the very first RPG Maker Awards event. The annual festival celebrating the creative projects of the more than 10 million users worldwide will run until Monday, Feb. 23, 2026 PST (Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026 JST).
About RPG Maker Award
New this year, these awards recognize particularly outstanding titles among the RPG Maker series games released in the past two years. Nominations were primarily based on submissions from RPG Maker series’ game creators.
A worldwide network of RPG fans and community members have voted, and the organizers have selected the winners of the “Grand Award,” “Excellence Awards,” and “Special Award.” Here are the results:
Award Categories and Winners:
Grand Award
As Selected By The RPG Maker Community
Grand Award Winner: Artis Impact
Creator: Mas
Genre: RPG
Artis Impact is the Grand Award winner, selected from 215 entries! Created by Mas, it is a turn-based RPG set in a future world where humans and AI coexist. It features a warm, pixel-art-style environment and stylish combat sequences. The game’s artwork and presentation have been highly praised by players, showcasing a significant expansion of RPG Maker’s possibilities.
Visit the RPG Maker Official website for more information on the Grand Award winner. Watch the RPG Maker Showcase 2026 here as well!
Excellence Awards
These Awards Are For the Best In Each Genre
Best RPG Award: Beloved Rapture
Creator: Rapturous Studio
Genre: RPG
Best Adventure Award: Flower in Us
Creator: Chalkseagull, Team Gypsophila
Genre: Visual Novel
Best Action Award: Creepy Creepy Love
Creator: BYYONI Entertainment
Genre: Action
Best Simulation Award: DRAPLINE
Creator: Vaka Game Magazine, KANAWO
Genre: Simulation
Best Free Game Award: Buy a Croquette!
Creator: 越青
Genre: Adventure
Best Free Game Award: Saihate Station
Creator: びぶ/viv
Genre: Adventure
Best Comment Award: Heroines of Swords & Spells 2
Creator: Kirillkrm
Genre: RPG
Best Comment Award: 7 Days
Creator: Daver The Dave
Genre: Adventure
Visit the RPG Maker Official website for more information on the Excellence Award winners.
Special Award Winner
Given By Gotcha Gotcha Games To A Standout Title
Maker’s Special Award: Seed of Nostalgia
Creator: James Sloan, Primitive Pixels
Genre: RPG
Visit the RPG Maker Official website for more information on the Special Award winner.
The RPG Maker Award 2026 winners announcement page features each winning work along with enthusiastic comments from voters. Visit the page for details on each award.
Winning titles that are currently available for purchase can be purchased during this year’s RPG Maker Festival 2026, with some games available at a discounted price!
“First, congratulations to all of the winners of the very first RPG Maker Awards,” said Mr. Kitajima, Project Leader for RPG Maker Festival 2026. “The RPG Maker Series was created to help talented storytellers bring their creations to life through games, and we’re thrilled to celebrate some of those creators today with the announcement of the first RPG Maker Awards recipients.”
For more information on the RPG Maker Festival 2026, please visit the official website, official store page, and follow the event on X.
About RPG Maker Festival
RPG Maker Festival celebrates the imagination and passion of the more than 10 million users worldwide who use RPG Maker Series tools to bring their gamedev dreams to life. Held every year around Maker’s Day on Feb. 15, the festival spotlights these incredible storytellers and revels in the joy of accessible game creation possible with tools like RPG Maker MV and RPG Maker MZ. The event also offers creators the opportunity to showcase their beloved projects while encouraging players to find their next favorite game.
About Gotcha Gotcha Games
Gotcha Gotcha Games, Inc. is a KADOKAWA group company (HQ: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Makoto Narita). Its team strives to deliver an exciting and accessible experience for anyone wanting to create games with the RPG Maker Series tools.
For more information, visit the official website.
