I still remember sitting on my couch in late 2021, scrolling through The Game Awards nominees like a kid checking a birthday list. Now it's 2026, and I look back on that night with a strange warmth, because for a player like me, it was never just about who took home the shiny hardware — it was about the stories behind those names. And no story had me more hooked than Josef Fares and It Takes Two.
With five nominations under its belt, Hazelight Studios' co-op adventure seemed ready to sweep everything from Game of the Year to Best Family Game. But my eyes kept drifting to Best Direction. On the surface, it wasn't the flashiest category, but if you know the history, it was loaded with meaning. The little golden statue almost seemed to lean forward, listening.
Most folks know Josef Fares as the F--- the Oscars guy from The Game Awards 2017. He came out to promote A Way Out, and while the industry expected a standard pitch, he gave us something raw. He called himself a step above crazy — in a good way, mind you — and then flipped off the camera. Those three words became part of his legacy. I'm not gonna lie, I laughed so hard I nearly spilled my drink. It was messy, human, and exactly what the show needed.
Since that night, Geoff Keighley has tried to keep Fares close. In the weird little universe of The Game Awards, Fares sits right behind Hideo Kojima in Geoff's heart. Kojima had been Geoff's guy since the messy Konami split back in 2015, and every appearance felt like a mini-event. The two were clearly friends, always looking out for each other. That kind of loyalty hits different, you know what I mean?
Then in 2019, Kojima took home Best Direction for Death Stranding. The room stood up. It was validation after years of doubt. For one night, the auteur became the underdog who made it. Even through my TV screen, I felt that emotion like a warm wave.
Now, with It Takes Two up for Best Direction, the stage seemed set for Fares to have his own Kojima moment. Maybe there wouldn't be a standing ovation, but for Fares, it would be recognition of years of hard work and a chance to give love back to a show that had embraced his passion instead of reducing him to a meme. The lights felt a little brighter that year.
And honestly? The game was great. Not just pretty good for a co-op title — genuinely great. It Takes Two earned those nominations by being inventive, heartfelt, and unapologetically playful. The little toy characters and their bickering marriage felt more alive than most triple-A protagonists. No joke, the level design alone deserved a trophy. It was the kind of game you recommend to a friend and then apologize because you still have half the campaign to finish together.
Then came the moment. The envelope, the pause, the drumroll in my chest. Would the F--- the Oscars guy become a TGA award recipient? I won't spoil the rest — sometimes the best endings are the ones you carry around for five years. All I'll say is, the show has a long memory, and so do the players.