Summary:
The build-up to The Game Awards 2025 is about to kick into high gear, and it all starts with the nominations reveal. On Monday, November 17, Geoff Keighley and the team behind the show will unveil which games, creators and esports stars made the cut for this year’s categories, during a live stream slated for 9:00 a.m. PT / noon ET / 5:00 p.m. GMT. That short broadcast sets the tone for the entire season, sparking debates, celebrations and plenty of heated group chats about surprises and snubs. Viewers around the globe will be able to tune in through the usual digital platforms, and for the first time, this year’s main show has a major partnership with Prime Video alongside the standard free streams, opening the door for an even wider audience. The show itself returns on December 11, live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, promising new game announcements, live music and the big Game of the Year moment. This breakdown walks through the key dates, viewing options, how the nomination process works, which categories to pay attention to, and how fans can make the most of the run-up from nominations day to the big night in December.
The Game Awards 2025 nominations stream: key dates at a glance
The next milestone on every gaming fan’s calendar is set: The Game Awards 2025 nominations will be revealed on Monday, November 17, during a dedicated live stream hosted by Geoff Keighley. That broadcast is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. Pacific, which lines up with noon Eastern, 5:00 p.m. in the UK and GMT, and 6:00 p.m. in much of mainland Europe. A few weeks later, the main show returns on Thursday, December 11, once again taking over the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles for a three-hour celebration of the year in games. Having these two dates locked in gives everyone—from developers and publishers to streamers and everyday players—time to plan watch parties, prediction threads and social media chatter. Knowing when everything happens also makes it easier to follow sales, demos and promotions that tend to cluster around nominations and the main ceremony.
When and where nominations are revealed on November 17
On November 17, the spotlight is firmly on the nominations stream itself. Geoff Keighley will host the broadcast live, presenting each category and reading out the shortlisted games and creators. The show is built to move quickly, typically running under ten minutes in previous years, and it tends to start with smaller categories before working up to heavy hitters like Game of the Year. The timings have been chosen to land in a sweet spot where North America, Europe and other key regions can reasonably tune in. If you’re on the US West Coast, 9:00 a.m. might line up neatly with your morning coffee; on the East Coast, it’s a lunchtime watch; in the UK and much of Europe, it lands at the end of the workday, perfect for an early evening break. Because of that global-friendly timing, social feeds tend to erupt all at once, with reactions rolling in across languages and regions within seconds of each reveal.
How to watch the nominations reveal around the world
Watching the nominations stream is designed to be as frictionless as possible. Keighley and the team will carry the broadcast on The Game Awards’ official YouTube channel, alongside mirrors on Twitch and other social platforms, so you can simply open your preferred app and search for the show. For many viewers, YouTube is the go-to choice because the video remains available on demand almost immediately, letting latecomers rewind and catch specific categories. Twitch, meanwhile, offers lively chat and makes it easy for streamers to co-stream the reveal with their own commentary layered on top. Social platforms like X, TikTok and others tend to host short clips and category snippets that spread rapidly, ideal if you just want the highlights rather than the full rundown. No matter which route you pick, the stream is free to watch, so the only real preparation you need is checking the time in your local zone and maybe lining up a group chat or Discord server to share reactions in real time.
New streaming options ahead of the December 11 main show
While the nominations stream sticks mostly to the established digital channels, the December 11 main show expands the viewing options in an important way. For 2025, The Game Awards is partnering with Amazon’s Prime Video, which will carry the full ceremony alongside the traditional YouTube, Twitch and social media broadcasts. That means viewers who prefer watching through a smart TV app or a living room streaming stick can simply open Prime Video and tune in like a regular show. At the same time, Twitch will offer the event in higher resolutions and support co-streaming, so creators can host their own watch parties with communities around the world. This hybrid approach—premium streaming on Prime Video plus fully free distribution elsewhere—helps the show reach both casual viewers who just want a convenient TV-like experience and dedicated fans who enjoy the more chaotic energy of live chat and co-streamed reactions.
What to expect from the nominations announcement show
The nominations broadcast might be short, but it packs a lot into its tight runtime. Expect a straightforward presentation focused on the categories and nominees, with minimal extra fluff. Keighley typically introduces the stream, sets the stakes by acknowledging how strong the year has been, and then moves briskly through each award. The pacing matters: the show wants to give every category a moment while also maintaining a rhythm that keeps viewers engaged and eager to see what’s next. Game of the Year is usually saved for the final moments, turning that last reveal into a mini-cliffhanger that sparks instant debate. As each category rolls by, journalists, influencers and fans start crafting social posts and quick breakdowns, which means the nominations stream effectively kicks off hours of secondary coverage across the internet. For developers and publishers, even a brief mention in this broadcast can become a marketing highlight on store pages, trailers and social banners.
How long the nominations stream tends to last
Looking at previous years gives a good sense of how the 2025 nominations show will be structured. Historically, the nominations video has clocked in somewhere around the 8–10 minute mark, depending on the number of categories and whether there are any short added remarks. That relatively compact length makes the stream easy to fit into a lunch break or a quick evening watch, which in turn helps boost live viewership. It also means the team behind the show has to be efficient, rattling off nominees without long pauses or digressions. The tight runtime encourages rewatching, too: fans often scrub back through the video a second time to double-check specific categories or to clip out moments featuring their favorite games and creators. Even though the stream is brief, its impact stretches well beyond those few minutes, echoing through discussion threads and news coverage for days afterward.
A quick refresher on what The Game Awards actually are
Before the nominations land, it helps to remember what The Game Awards represent. Created and hosted by Geoff Keighley, the show launched in 2014 as a successor to the old Spike Video Game Awards, with a mission to celebrate achievements across the entire games industry. Each December, the ceremony brings together developers, publishers, actors, musicians and fans for a night that mixes trophy presentations with world-premiere trailers and live performances. The event is staged at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and streamed globally, attracting tens of millions of viewers every year. It has grown into one of the marquee moments on the gaming calendar, right alongside big platform showcases and summer events. Beyond the glamour and reveals, the awards themselves matter: they signal creative and technical excellence, give studios something to proudly display on their games, and sometimes help spotlight titles that might otherwise have slipped under the radar.
How voting and juries work behind the scenes
The winners and nominees at The Game Awards are not chosen at random or by a single group. Instead, the show relies on a large jury composed of over one hundred media outlets and critics from around the world. These outlets submit ballots listing their picks across various categories, and the games that appear most frequently become the nominees. Once the shortlist is set, the winners are decided by a blended vote: 90 percent of the weight comes from the expert jury, while 10 percent comes from fan voting through the official website and partnered platforms. This balance aims to respect both critical opinion and community passion, without letting either side dominate completely. Esports and creator-focused categories often tap slightly different juries with more specialized knowledge, ensuring that those spaces are represented fairly.
Eligibility rules and the November cutoff
Not every game released in a given calendar year can appear in that year’s show. Eligibility is tied to a specific cutoff date in November, which shifts slightly each year but always lands before the ceremony itself. Games released after that cutoff window are rolled into the following year’s awards, which is why some late-year releases only show up in nominations the year after they launch. The same logic applies to expansions, remakes and remasters, which can qualify if they meet the rules laid out by The Game Awards. For fans, this explains why a highly anticipated title might miss the ballot despite launching just before the show: in many cases, the jury simply did not have enough time with final code before ballots were due. Understanding this helps frame expectations when the nominations are read out.
Big categories to watch when nominations go live
When the nominations stream starts rolling through categories, some moments will naturally attract more attention. Game of the Year is the headline slot, gathering a small group of titles that represent the year’s biggest creative and technical achievements. Just behind that in prestige are awards like Best Game Direction, Best Narrative, Best Art Direction and Best Score and Music, all of which highlight different aspects of what makes a game special. For many players, genre-specific awards—Best Action, Best Role Playing Game, Best Family Game, Best Sports/Racing Game—are just as exciting, because they often spotlight favorites that might not make the Game of the Year shortlist. Esports and creator categories bring in a different corner of the gaming world, recognizing streamers, on-air talent and competitive titles that drive massive communities. Keeping an eye on which studios and publishers show up across multiple categories can also hint at broader trends, such as which genres dominated the year or which new IPs broke through in a big way.
How nominations shape the conversation for the rest of the year
Once the nominees are locked in, they immediately become a reference point for debates, recommendations and year-end wrap-ups. Many players use the list as a kind of shopping checklist, catching up on standout titles they might have missed earlier in the year. Critics and outlets weave the nominees into their own coverage, whether they agree with the picks or not, which only amplifies the visibility of the selected games. Developers often see a spike in interest after nominations, especially for indie or AA projects that lack blockbuster marketing budgets. Esports teams, streamers and community figures also gain momentum when they are named, using the recognition to grow their audiences and secure new opportunities. In other words, the nominations stream isn’t just a roll call; it’s the starting gun for a busy stretch of promotion, celebration and conversation that lasts all the way through December.
Why the nominations matter for players, creators, and studios
For players, the nominations offer a curated snapshot of the year’s standout experiences. Instead of sifting through dozens of release lists, you get a distilled view of what critics and peers felt was most impactful. That snapshot can help guide buying decisions, inspire backlog priorities and even shape holiday wish lists. For developers and publishers, a nomination is both a badge of honor and a valuable marketing asset, often featured prominently on box art, trailers and store pages. It can validate years of effort from teams across design, engineering, art, audio and QA. Creators and esports professionals benefit too: being recognized at a global show can open doors to sponsorships, collaborations and new audiences. Even when fans disagree with specific picks, the friction tends to fuel more discussion about different tastes and overlooked gems, which ultimately benefits the broader gaming ecosystem by pushing more games into the spotlight.
How recognition at The Game Awards can boost a game long-term
Winning at The Game Awards is obviously a big deal, but even a nomination can deliver long-lasting benefits. Games that appear on any of the major ballots often enjoy renewed media coverage, fresh waves of player interest and inclusion in platform-wide sales or promotions built around the awards season. Some titles that initially had modest launches have gone on to find much wider audiences after a strong showing during nominations and the main ceremony. The effect is especially pronounced for smaller studios: a single nod in a prominent category can put a team on the map and make it easier to secure funding or publishing support for future projects. Over time, these boosts contribute to a healthier, more diverse industry, where risks and unusual ideas have a better chance of paying off.
Tips for following along and sharing your own predictions
If you want to make the most of nominations day, a tiny bit of planning goes a long way. First, mark the exact local time in your calendar so you don’t miss the stream—especially if you live outside North America and need to convert from Pacific time to your own region. Next, think about how you prefer to watch: a solo YouTube viewing with a quiet reaction, a Twitch co-stream with a favorite creator, or a Discord voice chat with friends. Ahead of the show, you can even put together personal prediction lists for major categories, then compare them against the actual nominees once the announcement is over. Social platforms tend to explode with tier lists, memes and hot takes, so it can be fun to join those conversations, provided you’re ready for spirited disagreement. Just remember that the juries and fan votes see the year from a wide angle; even if your favorite title misses a slot, that doesn’t take away from your own experience with it.
Building friendly prediction leagues with friends or communities
One enjoyable way to turn nominations day into an event is to set up a lighthearted prediction league. Before the stream, you and your friends can write down guesses for Game of the Year, major genre awards and maybe a couple of esports or creator categories. Award a point for every correct guess once the official nominees are revealed, then tally the scores and maybe crown a “prediction champion” among your group. Community servers often do the same thing at a larger scale, using simple forms or bots to gather entries. The prize doesn’t have to be anything huge; bragging rights, a custom Discord role or a small digital gift card can be more than enough incentive. This kind of playful competition turns the nominations broadcast from a passive watch into an interactive moment you actually look forward to.
What happens between nominations day and the December 11 show
The gap between November 17 and December 11 is where the awards season really comes alive. Once the nominees are public, fan voting opens on the official website for most categories, letting players cast ballots that contribute to the final results alongside the jury’s choices. Studios step up their messaging, sharing behind-the-scenes stories, developer diaries and celebratory posts that highlight the teams behind each nominated game. Platform holders and digital storefronts often coordinate sales or spotlights featuring nominees, making it a prime time to pick up games you’ve been curious about. Meanwhile, Keighley and the production crew continue lining up world premieres, musical acts and special guests for the main show, teasing just enough to keep hype simmering without giving everything away. By the time December 11 arrives, the mix of speculation, promotion and genuine excitement has usually reached a fever pitch.
What to expect from the December 11 ceremony itself
When the main show finally goes live on December 11, viewers can settle in for roughly three hours of awards and announcements. The ceremony will run from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Pacific (8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern), streamed from the Peacock Theater in front of a live audience. Expect a blend of trophy presentations, orchestral performances, celebrity appearances and the kind of surprise game reveals that have become synonymous with the event. The nominees revealed in November form the backbone of the show, but the live night adds emotional speeches, reaction shots and unexpected moments that turn a simple list of names into a shared experience. Whether you watch through Prime Video on a big TV or co-stream on Twitch with a favorite creator, the December broadcast is where months of speculation finally pay off.
This year’s build-up to The Game Awards
Every year, The Game Awards nominations stream acts as a line in the sand, marking the point where the industry collectively looks back and decides which experiences defined the last twelve months. For 2025, that moment on November 17 feels especially charged, with a packed release slate, expanding streaming partnerships and a global audience more plugged into gaming than ever. The combination of an accessible, bite-sized nominations broadcast and a glitzy December 11 main show gives fans two chances to come together, argue passionately, and celebrate the medium. Whether you care most about who wins Game of the Year, which indies break through, or which world premieres steal the spotlight, the road from nominations to ceremony is full of reasons to tune in. Set your reminders, gather your prediction lists and group chats, and get ready for another whirlwind run-up to one of gaming’s biggest nights.
Conclusion
The road to The Game Awards 2025 really starts the moment those nominations appear on screen on November 17. That fast-paced livestream does more than simply list names; it shapes year-end conversations, lifts deserving teams into the spotlight and gives players a curated way to look back on everything they’ve played. With the main show locked for December 11, streaming across YouTube, Twitch, social platforms and now Prime Video, this year’s celebration is poised to reach an even wider audience. Between eligibility rules, jury voting, fan participation and genre-spanning categories, the show sits at a crossroads where critics, creators and communities all meet. Treat the nominations as your launchpad: use them to discover overlooked gems, revisit favorites and share predictions with friends. By the time the final trophy is raised in Los Angeles, you’ll have been part of the full journey, from that first Monday announcement all the way to the last round of applause.
FAQs
- When are The Game Awards 2025 nominations revealed?
- The nominations will be revealed on Monday, November 17, 2025, during a dedicated livestream hosted by Geoff Keighley. The stream is set for 9:00 a.m. PT, which lines up with noon ET and 5:00 p.m. GMT, making it reasonably convenient for viewers across North America and Europe to tune in live without needing to stay up into the middle of the night.
- What time is the nominations stream in Europe?
- If you are watching from the UK, the nominations reveal goes live at 5:00 p.m., matching the GMT time listed in the announcement. Viewers in much of mainland Europe, including countries on Central European Time like France, Germany and the Netherlands, can expect the stream to start at 6:00 p.m. that same Monday. A quick double-check with a time zone converter is always smart if you live outside those regions.
- Where can I watch The Game Awards 2025 nominations?
- The nominations stream will be available for free on The Game Awards’ official YouTube channel and across popular platforms like Twitch and other social video services. You can watch directly through those apps on your phone, PC or smart TV, or join co-streams hosted by creators who add their own reactions and commentary. The video is usually archived quickly, so you can catch up later if you miss the live broadcast.
- When does The Game Awards 2025 main show take place?
- The main ceremony will be held on Thursday, December 11, 2025, live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The show is planned to run from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Pacific (8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern), with streams available worldwide. This is the night when winners are announced, world premieres are shown and the industry gathers to celebrate the year in games.
- Will The Game Awards 2025 be on Prime Video?
- Yes, this year’s show will also stream on Prime Video as part of a new partnership, alongside the usual free streams on platforms such as YouTube, Twitch and social media. That means you can watch through the Prime Video app on compatible devices if that is more convenient, while still having the option to tune in on your favorite gaming-focused platforms where co-streams and interactive chat are a big part of the fun.
Sources
- The Game Awards 2025 nominations to be revealed next week, My Nintendo News, November 13, 2025
- The Game Awards 2025 Nominations Coming Next Week, Insider Gaming, November 13, 2025
- The Game Awards 2025 Nominees to be Revealed on November 17, Final Weapon, November 13, 2025
- The Game Awards – December 11, 2025, The Game Awards, 2025
- The Game Awards, Wikipedia, last updated 2025
