Star Wars: Unlimited Wins Four Categories at First TGC Awards, Spiel Essen 2026
The first TGC Awards at Spiel Essen 2026 gave Star Wars: Unlimited four wins, while fan voting and Newcomer eligibility drew criticism, according to reports.
The first TGC Awards (also called TCG Awards), held during Spiel Essen 2026, reportedly gave Star Wars: Unlimited four wins. The game took Game of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Set of the Year and Event of the Year.
The author of a report on the ceremony criticizes the late promotion, and a Reddit post and its discussion take issue with the game's leadership and with fan voting.
TGC Awards 2026 Winners
The reported winners:
- Star Wars: Unlimited: Game of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Set of the Year, Event of the Year
- Pokémon: Artwork of the Year
- Women+ In Magic campaign: Equality Impact of the Year
Magic: The Gathering, Riftbound, Lorcana and Pokémon won none of the main game categories. The only exceptions were the Pokémon artwork award and the Women+ In Magic campaign award.
Each category had three finalists. The author says Magic and Riftbound featured prominently among them, Pokémon did not, and Lorcana was absent entirely.
Fan Vote and Newcomer of the Year Eligibility
The winners were decided by a fan-led vote.
The Newcomer award is the sharpest point of debate. Star Wars: Unlimited was released in 2024, yet it won Newcomer of the Year for 2026. Riftbound, released in August 2025, did not win.
The author says a two-year eligibility rule apparently kept certain games, including Star Wars: Unlimited, in contention.
Reaction to the TGC Awards
A Reddit post on the Star Wars: Unlimited subreddit has one player saying they are "very disappointed with the leadership behind the game", citing set design and the longevity of new mechanics. The post has little interaction, and the discussion is mostly for and against fan voting.
The event was streamed on Twitch. The TCG Awards account has 41 followers, and the stream drew 1,293 viewers at the time of writing.
The author also says promotion came very late and that no major TCG outlets, creators, communities or game studios were talking about the event.
Proposed Changes for Next Year
The author suggests two fixes:
- A larger panel of creators, businesses and media picks the three finalists per category, with that vote weighed against a fan vote.
- Fan voting limited to one or two categories.
What it means for players
- The wins reflect a fan-led vote.
- Newcomer of the Year went to a game released in 2024. Check eligibility rules before reading much into it.
What is still unknown
- Who organizes the TGC Awards.
- The exact date and venue of the ceremony at Spiel Essen 2026.
- The full list of categories and finalists.
- Vote counts and the exact eligibility rules.
- Whether the awards will return next year.
TCGKing updates this article as soon as Fantasy Flight Games announces these details. Follow all Star Wars: Unlimited news or get it in our newsletter.
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