Last updated: November 5, 2026. Schedules, streaming platforms and nominee announcements can change, so confirm details on The Game Awards’ official website. This guide is independent and is not affiliated with The Game Awards, Geoff Keighley or any game publisher.
The Game Awards 2026 takes place on Thursday, December 10, 2026, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The show is free to watch, the opening act starts at 7:30 p.m. ET (4:30 p.m. PT), and the nominees are expected in mid-November. Here is everything we can confirm so far, plus how the voting works and what to do before the show.
The Game Awards 2026 at a glance
| Detail | What is confirmed |
|---|---|
| Date | Thursday, December 10, 2026 |
| Venue | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles |
| Start time | Opening act at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT, according to the official FAQ |
| Producer | Geoff Keighley |
| Where to watch | Free, streamed live on major platforms including YouTube and Twitch |
| Nominees | The official site says mid-November |
| Game eligibility deadline | Available on or before Friday, November 20, 2026, 9 p.m. PT |
Note that one outlet we checked listed December 12 for the ceremony; the official site and several other reports say December 10, which is the date to trust.
How to watch The Game Awards 2026
The official FAQ says the show is free and streams live across major streaming services. YouTube and Twitch are the platforms named by multiple outlets, and the official channels are youtube.com/thegameawards and twitch.tv/thegameawards. Streamers can also co-stream the show, which means you can watch with your favorite creator’s commentary. Because platform lists can change, check the official site closer to the date for the final list of places to watch.
Convert the time for your region: 7:30 p.m. ET is 4:30 p.m. PT, 12:30 a.m. UK time on December 11, and 1:30 a.m. in Central Europe on December 11.
Can you attend in person?
Yes, but tickets are limited. The official announcement said limited public tickets would go on sale on October 29 through AXS, and the Peacock Theater box office also lists the event. We could not confirm prices or whether any tickets remain, so check AXS or the venue directly rather than relying on third-party resale listings.
When are the nominees announced?
The official homepage says the 2026 nominees are coming in mid-November. We have not seen an official nominee list yet, so treat any “leaked” or “predicted” list as speculation until it is published on the official site. Once nominees are announced, we recommend reviewing the categories and checking which games meet the eligibility window below.
Which games are eligible?
According to the official rules, games must be commercially available to customers on or before Friday, November 20, 2026 at 9 p.m. PT. For the fan-voted Players’ Voice category, games must ship on or before November 30, 2026. There is no formal submission process and no entry fee. DLC, expansions, remakes and remasters can be eligible if the jury considers them worthy, and games from earlier years may qualify if they received significant new content or updates.
That deadline matters for this month’s big launches. If a game ships on schedule, a November 19 release such as Grand Theft Auto VI would land just inside the window, but release dates can change, so check the latest from the publisher. You can also see what else is arriving this month in our November 2026 video game releases list, and our Modern Warfare 4 launch guide covers another fall release.
How are winners chosen?
The official site explains a two-step process:
- Nominees: an international jury of over 100 media and influencer outlets each submit a confidential, unranked ballot of their top five per category. The five most-listed games become nominees, and a tie can produce more. Specialist juries handle categories such as esports and accessibility.
- Winners: a blended vote of the voting jury (90%) and public fan voting (10%). Fan voting takes place on TheGameAwards.com and, in China, on Bilibili, and closes Wednesday, December 9 at 6 p.m. PT.
This blend means passionate fans matter, but critics’ and outlets’ votes carry most of the weight. One outlet reports that Players’ Voice is a purely public vote, but we could not confirm that on the official pages we checked, so see the site for the latest rules.
What happened last year?
The 2025 ceremony took place on December 11, 2025, in Los Angeles, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won Game of the Year according to reports. The official site also reported 171 million livestreams for the 2025 show. That is a count of streams, not unique viewers, so avoid comparing it directly with TV audience figures.
How to prepare before December 10
- Bookmark the official site and check for the nominee list in mid-November.
- Vote in the fan poll before it closes on December 9.
- Catch up on nominees now, since many are on sale during holiday promotions.
- Set a reminder for your time zone and decide where you will watch.
FAQ
What time does The Game Awards 2026 start?
The official FAQ lists the opening act at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT on December 10, 2026.
Is The Game Awards free to watch?
Yes. The official FAQ says the show is free to watch on major streaming services.
When are the 2026 nominees revealed?
The official homepage says mid-November. A specific date had not been published in the sources we checked.
Can fans vote?
Yes. Fan votes count for 10% of the winner decision, and voting closes December 9 at 6 p.m. PT.
Sources
- The Game Awards official site: announcement (August 10, 2026), FAQ and Rules, and Voting Jury pages.
- Insider Gaming and Sortiraparis reports on the date and venue.
