Based in Manhattan, the New York Videogame Critics Circle is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit multicultural organization comprised of 40 of the finest videogame critics, writers, reporters, and bloggers in the nation. Members of the NYVGCC give back to their communities by providing scholarships, mentoring, after-school classes, and community outreach to NYC school students.

The 2026 New York Game Awards (check the nominees here) takes place on Sunday, Jan. 18, at the SVA Theatre in Manhattan. The celebration officially kicks off on Saturday, Jan. 17, with the newly added GG Fest, featuring panel discussions from beloved game creators and an exclusive Supergiant Games: Unplugged concert from Darren Korb and Ashley Barrett.

Tickets for the GG Fest and the NY Game Awards are available for purchase through Eventbrite for $80 each or in a bundle package for $140, which includes preferred seating at the NY Game Awards. Those unable to attend the awards in person can catch the livestream on the NYVGCC YouTube and Twitch.

 With less than a week to go for the 15th annual New York Game Awards and newly added GG Fest, the New York Videogame Critics Circle (NYVGCC) has revealed the lineup of panels and special presenters for both events. The awards will be hosted by former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé, NYVGCC founder and president Harold Goldberg and former NYVGCC intern and New York Game Awards co-host Makeda Byfield.

Ahead of the exclusive Supergiant Games: Unplugged concert from Darren Korb and Ashley Barrett, GG Fest will feature various panel discussions with Reggie Fils-Aimé, The Pokémon Company, The Daily Show writers and NYVGCC Members. Pikachu will also be in attendance during both nights for fan photo opportunities in the lobby, courtesy of The Pokémon Company. For more details on Pikachu’s photo appearance schedule, please visit the New York Videogame Critics Circle website.

GG FEST EVENT LINEUP

Reggie Fils-Aimé Fireside Chat

Reggie Fils-Aimé, the wildly popular former President of Nintendo of America, talks with NYVGCC President Harold Goldberg about his time at Nintendo and the rise of Devon Pritchard, who is the newest president of Nintendo of America. Kimari Rennis and Ronald Gordon join to talk about NYVGCC’s 15 years of giving back, from our very first class to Reggie joining the Board of our nonprofit, to some of our biggest success stories.

A Chat with Pokémon: The Journey So Far

There are now over 1,025 Pokémon in captivity. How did we get here? Why are The Pokémon Company’s pocket monsters more popular than ever? As we move into Pokémon’s 30th year, join TPC’s Elvin Gee and some special guests as we talk about the culture of Pokémon on the eve of its induction as the 2026 Andrew Yoon Legend Award recipient.

The Daily Show: TV Comedy is Different From Games Comedy

Emmy Award Winning Daily Show Writers Daniel Radosh and Devin Delliquanti discuss comedy writing with Manny Hagopian, the former narrative director at Respawn, who’s written for Titanfall 2, Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.

New York Game Awards Retrospective: What’s The Best Game of the Last 15 Years?

On the eve of the 15th New York Game Awards, which was the best game of the last 15 years? From Skyrim to The Last of Us to Astro Bot, we’ll look at all the Award winners chosen by a panel of our NYVGCC critics as we try to choose which is the best.

Supergiant Games: Unplugged Concert

Cap off the day with the WORLDWIDE EXCLUSIVE Supergiant Games: Unplugged, a live concert featuring music from the Critically Acclaimed 2025 game Hades 2. Award-winning musical duo Darren Korb and Ashley Barrett bring the worlds of Hades and other Supergiant hits to life through song. So connect, celebrate, and discover the artistry behind the games you love.

NEW YORK GAME AWARDS SPECIAL PRESENTERS

Raheem “Mega Ran” Jarbo

Mega Ran is a widely acclaimed hip-hop artist and 2026 Grammy nominee from Philadelphia who has become a pillar of the nerdcore rap scene. Starting his career as an educator, Ran now travels the globe performing and producing music focused on video game content. He has collaborated with Capcom, Warner Bros., Paramount and more to create officially licensed music for some of the biggest brands in video games, film, TV and pop culture. Ran will be performing a new song to celebrate the New York Game Awards' 15th anniversary.

Devin Delliquanti

Known for his award-winning work on The Daily Show, Devin Delliquanti is an accomplished writer, producer, comedian, and frequent collaborator with the New York Game Awards, where he produces the “In Memoriam” segment, a humorous look back at the best game deaths featured in 2025 games and industry trends that have come and gone. He will also host a Daily Show panel for GG Fest.

Laurie Gewn Shapiro
 
Laurie Gwen Shapiro is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and journalist whose writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The New York Times, New York, The Daily Beast, Slate, and other publications. She is the author of The Stowaway (Simon & Schuster, 2018), a bestseller and Indie Next selection, and The Aviator and the Showman: Amelia Earhart, George Putnam, and the Marriage that Made an American Icon (Viking, 2025), named one of the best books of the year by NPR, Amazon, The New Yorker, Smithsonian Magazine, The New York Post and HISTORY.com. Laurie will present the Knickerbocker Award for Best Games Journalism.

Arda Öcal
 
Arda Öcal is an NHL sportscaster and anchor who has contributed to NBA, PGA TOUR, Euro soccer, esports, MLS, UFC, MLB and NFL coverage. Arda will present the Great White Way Acting Award for Best Acting in a Game.