The Game Designers Award will not return to the Japan Game Awards. Masahiro Sakurai announced at the September 14 ceremony that the category is ending because he could not find someone to take over his role, despite searching for several years.
Its final winner is Word Game, a text-based puzzle game from independent studio Team9. The decision concerns this specific award, not the Japan Game Awards as a whole.
Why Sakurai is ending the award
Sakurai, the creator of Kirby and Super Smash Bros., established the Game Designers Award in 2010 to recognize creativity and originality. Explaining its closure 16 years later, he said the absence of a successor was the only reason.
For Sakurai, keeping the award credible required leadership from a director who had created innovative games and meaningfully changed how people play. He said he had approached potential successors and made presentations in an effort to find someone, but nobody took on the responsibility. The other judges were also unable to replace him.
That distinction matters: Sakurai did not say the award was ending because there were no worthwhile games to recognize. His explanation centered on finding the right person to lead the selection process.
Word Game takes the final prize
According to CESA’s award criteria, the category recognizes games that introduce ideas distinct from existing works and offer new ways to play. It also considers their ability to reach a broad audience, including people who do not regularly play games.
Word Game was originally built around Traditional Chinese characters and later localized into Japanese. That adaptation was a major part of what impressed the 11-member judging committee, whose members included Hideki Kamiya, Yoko Taro, and Toby Fox.
In its winner announcement, CESA said Word Game received an overwhelming majority of votes even in the second judging round. The committee highlighted the technical skill and creative solutions involved in adapting a language-dependent puzzle game for Japanese players.
Previous recipients include Viewfinder, Indika, and RPG Time: The Legend of Wright.
A spotlight on games beyond commercial success
If you used the award to discover unusual games, its closure removes one dedicated showcase for that kind of work. Sakurai described the category as a way to recognize a different side of games from the more prominent Grand Award.
He also argued that innovation does not necessarily translate into profitability, because audiences often choose familiar experiences. In his view, continued experimentation is essential to the industry’s future. His closing message to players was to remain interested in creative games even after the award disappears.
For further reading on games and announcements, you can explore our gaming articles. We also have separate coverage of Astromine if you want another title to read about.
FAQ
Masahiro Sakurai said he could not find a suitable successor to lead it, despite a search lasting several years. He described that as the only reason for ending the award.
Team9’s Word Game received the final award. It is a text-based puzzle game originally developed with Traditional Chinese characters and subsequently localized into Japanese.
No. Sakurai’s announcement concerns the Game Designers Award category, not the Japan Game Awards as a whole.
Founded by Sakurai in 2010, it recognized creativity, originality, and new ways to play, while also considering a game’s ability to reach people beyond the regular gaming audience.