Strategy fans have a new opportunity to recognize the best titles of the past year as the Hot Seat Awards 2026 is officially opens for public voting. The awards, a collaboration between Strategy and Wargaming and publisher Slitherine, aim to spotlight the standout achievements in the genre from 2025.

The awards ceremony will be integrated into Slitherine’s monthly “The Hot Seat” show, where the community-chosen winners will be revealed. Voters can cast their ballots across several specialized categories designed to cover the breadth of the strategy market, including Best Licensed Strategy Game, Best DLC, and Best Narrative. Other categories focus on the longevity and impact of titles, such as Best Strategy Game Debut, Best Ongoing Strategy Game, and the top honor, Bestest Best Strategy Game of 2025.

The Hot Seat Awards represent a growing trend of community-driven recognition within niche gaming genres. By focusing exclusively on strategy and wargaming, the event provides a platform for titles that might otherwise be overlooked in broader, general-interest gaming awards. Finalists have already been selected, and you can now vote using the official voting form.

The winners will be announced in just a couple of weeks!

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