The Game Awards 2026 Nominees Arrive November 17

Before The Game Awards hands out anything in December, we first need to find out who is actually in the running. The Game Awards 2026 will reveal its nominees during a live Nomination Special on November 17 with host and executive producer Geoff Keighley announcing contenders across the ceremony’s categories, including Game of the Year.

The Nomination Special will stream through The Game Awards’ YouTube and Twitch channels. Last year’s nominations were dominated by Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which set a new record for appearances across The Game Awards categories.

This year’s field looks considerably less predictable, particularly after Resident Evil Requiem narrowly beat Phantom Blade Zero for Ultimate Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards.

GTA VI Can Still Make the Nominees Before It Launches

One particularly unusual wrinkle surrounds this year’s nominations. Grand Theft Auto VI launches on November 19, two days after the nominees are revealed. It is nevertheless eligible for consideration because The Game Awards 2026’s official cutoff is November 20 at 9 PM PT.

The rules allow publishers to provide voting outlets with advance or pre-release access when required to meet balloting deadlines, meaning Rockstar’s late release date does not automatically prevent GTA VI from appearing among the nominees. We previously broke down how GTA VI just makes The Game Awards 2026 eligibility window.

Nominations are determined by The Game Awards’ global jury of media and creator outlets. Once the nominees are announced, fan voting opens through the official website, although winners in most categories are ultimately decided through a 90% jury and 10% public vote split.

The Game Awards 2026 Comes to Disney+, Roblox and PS5

The December ceremony itself is also getting its widest distribution yet. For the first time, The Game Awards will stream through Disney+, Roblox and Live TV on PS5, alongside returning platforms including YouTube, Twitch, Steam, TikTok Live, X, Kick, Facebook and Instagram Live.

Disney confirmed that its stream will be available in the US and select international markets, marking another step into live programming for the service. The company is also teasing announcements and surprises involving upcoming Disney games during the broadcast.

PS5 owners will also be able to watch through Live TV on PS5, although that service is currently only available in the United States. Sony launched the free, ad-supported service in August with more than 100 channels available through the console’s Media tab.

Roblox is doing something more interactive. Users aged 18 and above will be able to gather inside The Block, watch the full ceremony, vote, interact during the broadcast and collect virtual merchandise. It will be the first external awards show to livestream inside Roblox.

Singapore Gets a Dedicated meWATCH Stream

The international distribution goes considerably further. Viewers in Singapore will be able to watch through meWATCH, while BIGO LIVE and Likee will carry the show across Southeast Asia. Other regional partners include Vidio in Indonesia, Now TV in Hong Kong, NicoNico in Japan and CHZZK and SOOP in South Korea.

More than 20 platforms are participating in China, including Bilibili, Douyin, DouYu, Huya, WeChat, Weibo and Xiaohongshu. Several of those services already carried the show last year, including BIGO LIVE, Likee, NicoNico, CHZZK and SOOP. Prime Video also streamed The Game Awards for the first time in 2025, although it has not currently been listed among the confirmed 2026 distribution partners.

The increasingly broad approach follows another audience record last year. The Game Awards says its 2025 broadcast generated an estimated 171 million global livestreams of the full show, up 11% from 154 million in 2024. That figure did not include Prime Video viewing.

The Game Awards 2026 Returns December 10

The Game Awards 2026 takes place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on December 10, beginning at 4:30 PM PT / 7:30 PM ET. That means viewers in Singapore can tune in from 8:30 AM SGT on December 11.

As usual, the awards will share the stage with world premieres, new game announcements and live musical performances.

For now, attention turns to November 17. With one of the year’s biggest games launching only two days after the nominations are revealed, and no obvious runaway favourite emerging from the early awards season, this year’s Game of the Year shortlist should make for an interesting morning.