The fourth edition of the Gaming, Esports and Metaverse (GEM) Awards 2026, hosted by AnimationXpress at Anime India on 6 June at Yashobhoomi, Delhi, brought together the gaming industry’s most influential talents, studios, brands, creators and innovators. The prestigious awards celebrated excellence across gaming, esports, metaverse experiences, hardware innovation and content creation, recognising individuals and organisations that have made significant contributions to the growth and evolution of the ecosystem.
The evening celebrated the creators, developers, athletes, organisations and technology leaders who continue to shape the future of India’s rapidly growing gaming and esports industry.
The jury members for the GEM Awards 2026 are:
- Anil NM Wanvari | Founder, chairman & editor-in-chief, AnimationXpress
- Bruce Lin | NB marketing manager, MSI India
- CB Arun Kumar | Dean – Design, Film, Gaming, Pearl Academy
- Harish Rao | Global Transmedia & Cultural Intelligence Strategist | Director | Harvik
- Rajat Ojha | CEO | Gamitronics
- Vishal Parekh | COO | CyberPowerPC India
Below are the winners of GEM Awards 2026 :
Gaming
The Gaming segment recognised exceptional creativity and innovation across game development and design.
Best Gaming Trailer
Son of Thanjai – Ayelet Studio
Best Upcoming Game
Son of Thanjai – Ayelet Studio
Best Casual Game
Gully Gangs: Street Cricket – 5th Ocean Studio
Best Hyper Casual Game
Rail Master – Neved Tech
Best PC Game
- 1000 Deaths – Pariah Interactive
- Peaky Circus – XODGames Studio
Best Console Game
Winds of Arcana: Ruination – Brewed Games
Best Mobile Game
- Aum – The Game – Brahman Studios
- Prime Rush – Supergaming
Best Gaming Promo
Battleverse – Wayu Digital Studio
Best Game Direction
- Peaky Circus – XODGames Studio
- Anant Express – Yashgames773
Best Art Direction
- Durga The Lionhearted – Shivaansh ArtVision
- Malhaar – Coffee For Two
Best Student Game
- Void within – Backstage Pass Institute of Gaming
- What the Creature – Ninu Games
Best Indie Studio of the Year
Pariah Interactive (1000 Deaths)
Game Studio of the Year
Lucid Labs
Esports
Recognising the remarkable growth and achievements of India’s esports ecosystem, the Esports Awards celebrated the industry’s top performers and organisations.
Esports Athlete of the Year
- Sergeant Clash – Revenant XSpark
- Ved Bamb (Beelzeboy) – Max Level
Esports Commercial Partner of the Year
Red Bull – Godlike Esports
Best Esports Team
Revenant XSpark
Esports Tournament Organiser of the Year
Nodwin Gaming
Esports Tournament of the Year
- Nodwin Gaming
- Skyesports
Esports Coach of the Year
- Godspeed – Revenant XSpark
- Rahul (Ayogi)
Esports Caster of the Year
- Shivansh Singh (Phoenix)
- Ankit Pandey (Ankibot )
Best Esports Moment of the Year
Animesh Agarwal
Metaverse & Special Recognition
The final segment of the evening recognised innovation in immersive experiences, gaming technology and industry leadership.
Best Metaverse Experience
Immersive Gamitronics Studios – Immersive Experience
Best Esports Community Event Organiser
Daijoubu Lifestyle & Esports
Editor’s Choice – Best Mobile Game
Sowmitri Maluchuru – Brahman Studios
Rising Star – Esports Organisation
AKEF
Gaming Hardware & Technology
Several leading technology brands were recognised for delivering cutting-edge gaming experiences.
Gaming Hardware Brand of the Year
Asus ROG
Gaming Processor Brand of the Year
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
Best Custom PC Gaming Brand
CyberPowerPC
Indian PC Builder Brand of the Year
EliteHubs
Best Cooling Solution Brand
DeepCool
Gaming Peripheral Brand of the Year
Logitech
Gaming Component Brand of the Year
Gigabyte
Ultimate Gaming Performance Award
MSI
Next-Gen Gaming System Award
Cooler Master Technology
Best Gaming Monitor Brand of the Year
Samsung
Esports Monitor Brand of the Year
Zowie by BenQ
Mobile Gaming Performance Award
IQOO
Gaming Graphic Card Brand of the Year
Zotac
Creator Awards
The GEM Awards also celebrated the content creators and streamers who continue to engage and inspire gaming communities across the country.
Gaming Content Creator of the Year
- Triggered Insaan
- Mythpat
Esports Streamer of the Year – Male
Snax Gaming
Esports Streamer of the Year – Female
Ankkita Chauhan
With the Indian gaming and esports industry witnessing unprecedented growth, the GEM Awards continues to serve as a platform that celebrates innovation, creativity and achievement while inspiring the next generation of creators and professionals.
As the curtains closed on another successful edition, the event concluded with a celebratory group photograph featuring all winners, marking yet another milestone in India’s evolving gaming, esports and metaverse landscape.
The fourth edition of the GEM Awards was part of Anime India Delhi, taking place on 6 and 7 June. Anime India Delhi is presented by Anime Times, with Toyota as the title partner and Uniqlo as the silver partner. Om Shakti Management has joined as the show management partner. The education partners include Acumen – Study In Japan, Navi Japan, Kansai University, Manav Rachna University, Kyoto University of Advanced Science, Tokyo International University, Arena Animation – South Extension, MAAC Faridabad and MAAC Kamla Nagar. Radio City India joins as the exclusive radio partner, while Wok Tok by Veeba comes on board as the official snack partner.
The event’s exhibitor lineup includes Takara Tomy Beyblade, Instax Fujifilm, Curee Collectibles, India Book Distributors (Bombay), Japan Foundation, Yakult – The Gut Expert, Alpha Comics | Raj Comics, Delhi Anime Club, Anime Originals, Elle18, Cosmic Entertainment, Arka Mediaworks, Anifrya, The Kollektor, Muse, Pentel, XP Pen, Huion, Asus, Anime Times Store, Gunpla, Maya Toys, Digitoonz, Worthing Comics, Krilovee, Dome, CDL, Plamo India, All About TCG, Posterwa, Purshottam, Dabur, YouMee, Acumen – Study In Japan, Navi Japan, Kansai University, Manav Rachna University, Kyoto University of Advanced Science, Tokyo International University, Arena Animation – South Extension, MAAC Faridabad and MAAC Kamla Nagar, Bennett University, SEPC, Anime Times, Toyota, Uniqlo, Wok Tok by Veeba, along with several anime communities and independent creators.
