The Japan Game Awards is the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's awards ceremony, which was created in 1996 as the CESA Awards. While it represents the Japanese video game industry, it is not limited to Japanese video games, but also includes international video games.

METI Award Divisions

Games of the Year

The "Games of the Year Division" awards existing released works.

Future

The "Future Division" awards non-released works.

Amateur

The three-category "Amateur Division" awards original works that have not been commercially marketed regardless of whether the entrant is a juridical entity, group or individual.

History

The ceremony changed its name from launch's "CESA Awards" (CESA大賞, CESA taisho) and "CESA Game Awards" to the actual "Japan Game Awards" (日本ゲーム大賞). The Japanese financial year runs from April 1 to March 31, it applies to all games that were released onto the Japanese market in this period. The following are the winners of the Grand Award.

CESA Awards '96 (1996)

CESA Awards '97 (1997)

The 3rd CESA Awards (1998)

The 4th Japan Game Awards (1999)

The 5th Japan Game Awards (2000)

The 6th CESA Game Awards (2001~2002)

Period: January 1, 2001 to March 31, 2002

The 7th CESA Game Awards (2002~2003)

Period: April 1, 2002 to March 31, 2003

The 8th CESA Game Awards (2003~2004)

Period: April 1, 2003 to March 31, 2004

The 9th CESA Game Awards (2004~2005)

<references group="https://awards.cesa.or.jp/2005/english/game.html" /> Period: April 1, 2004 to March 31, 2005

Japan Game Awards 2006 (2005~2006)

Period: April 1, 2005 to March 31, 2006

Japan Game Awards 2007 (2006~2007)

Period: April 1, 2006 to March 31, 2007

Japan Game Awards 2008 (2007~2008)

Period: April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008

Japan Game Awards 2009 (2008~2009)

Period: April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009

Japan Game Awards 2010 (2009~2010)

Period: April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010 Games of the Year Division:

Japan Game Awards 2011 (2010~2011)

Period: April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011

Japan Game Awards 2012 (2011~2012)

Period: April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012 Games of the Year Division:

Japan Game Awards 2013 (2012~2013)

Period: April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013 Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award: Puzzle & Dragons development team of GungHo Online Entertainment. Games of the Year Division:

Japan Game Awards 2014 (2013~2014)

Period: April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014

Japan Game Awards 2015 (2014~2015)

Period: April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015

Japan Game Awards 2016 (2015~2016)

Period: April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016

Japan Game Awards 2017 (2016~2017)

Period: April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017

Japan Game Awards 2018 (2017~2018)

Period: April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018

Japan Game Awards 2019 (2018~2019)

Period: April 1, 2018, and March 31, 2019

Japan Game Awards 2020 (2019~2020)

Period: April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2020

Japan Game Awards 2021 (2020~2021)

Period: April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021

Japan Game Awards 2022 (2021~2022)

Period: April 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022

Japan Game Awards 2023 (2022~2023)

Period: April 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023.

Japan Game Awards 2024 (2023~2024)

Period: April 1, 2023 - March 31, 2024.