KADOKAWA group subsidiary Gotcha Gotcha Games recently held its very first RPG Maker Awards as part of the 2026 RPG Maker Festival, celebrating the best titles developed within the RPG Maker series of programs.
The Grand Award went to the Malaysian-made turn-based RPG Artis Impact, created by solo developer Mas. Selected via player vote from a pool of 215 eligible entries, the game’s artwork and presentation was highly praised, showcasing a significant expansion of RPG Maker’s possibilities.
Here’s a full list of winners from the 2026 RPG Maker Awards:
Grand Award
Artis Impact by Mas
- A fun turn-based RPG set in a future world of humans and AI. Play as Akane to explore vibrant locations, battle with simple yet fluid combat, and enjoy side quests full of charming surprises. With a playful, humorous style and clever details, this adventure is light, easy, and full of smiles.
Best RPG Award
Beloved Rapture by Rapturous Studio
- Beloved Rapture is an indie JRPG inspired by the classics. Explore beautiful landscapes, fight in turn-based battles, and uncover many secrets. This mid-length adventure balances both an intimate coming of age story, and larger threats looming over the troubled kingdom.
Best Adventure Award
Flower in Us by Chalkseagull, Team Gypsophila
- Flower in Us is a short, story-driven mystery adventure that invites players to unravel hidden secrets.
Best Action Award
Creepy Creepy Love by BYYONI Entertainment
- Rosa Akuma is in love with her childhood friend, Samon Ribasa. Rosa loves him so much that she is ready to defend her love with her fists, challenging all her rivals to a brutal duel.
Best Simulation Award
DRAPLINE by Vaka Game Magazine, KANAWO
- DRAPLINE is a roguelite training game where you raise a dragon girl who eats anything and train her to become the strongest in one year. Feed her a variety of things to increase her abilities, combine various skills to build your own strategy, and defeat the impending catastrophe!
Best Free Game Award
Buy a Croquette! by 越青
- March 2012, Nagano. The brave and clever high school girl, Chio Aozora, is facing a major crisis: she doesn’t have enough money to buy a croquette! Navigate through the streets and alleys of Nagano, interact with a variety of characters, solve complex puzzles, collect 380 yen, and buy a croquette!
Saihate Station by びぶ/viv
- An exploration/horror/adventure game about the codependent, love-hate relationship between two men.
Best Comment Award
Heroines of Swords & Spells 2 by Kirillkrm
- A game for players who adore humorous fantasy adventures. A sprawling turn-based JRPG offering 50 hours of meticulously crafted plot, engaging quests, and no unnecessary grind. Four gorgeous yet utterly misguided heroines set out on perilous yet wildly entertaining adventures.
7 Days by Daver The Dave
- Step into a world where dreams and reality mix. You find yourself in a dream-like world, and explore a different traumatic experience each day. Your choice determines if the boy accepts these moments and moves on, or stays in the past.
Special Award Winner
Seed of Nostalgia by James Sloan, Primitive Pixels
- Seed of Nostalgia is a beautiful pixel art JRPG which follows the tale of Atilla and a cast of intriguing characters on a quest to save their dying world. Explore a mystical land, unravel dark secrets, and confront ancient forces in a tale of magic, sacrifice, and unexpected revelations.
“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.”
All the winning titles from the RPG Maker Awards can be purchased via the RPG Maker Festival 2026 Steam event. More information on the festival can be found on the official website.
