The Game Awards will broadcast its live 2026 nominee announcement on November 17, arriving just days before Rockstar Games launches “Grand Theft Auto 6,” which is widely regarded as the frontrunner for Game of the Year.
The main ceremony is scheduled for December 10 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, combining competitive industry honors with future-looking game announcements and live musical performances, according to Variety.
New platform collaborations will widen the transmission footprint of the program this year. They incorporate Roblox alongside fresh streaming collaborators including CHZZK and SOOP in South Korea, NicoNico in Japan, Vidio in Indonesia, Now TV in Hong Kong, mewatch in Singapore, and BIGO LIVE and Likee throughout Southeast Asia.
Roblox will host an external awards show via livestream for the very first time during the 2026 Game Awards broadcast. It previously served as the venue for its own annual Roblox Innovation Awards alongside virtual music performances by Stray Kids, Billie Eilish and The Rolling Stones. The show keeps its no-friction distribution policy started in 2014, bringing the event to gamers on all screens where they watch content.
When we started the show in 2014, we started with what I call sort of a no-friction distribution policy, which is basically you bring the show to gamers on all the screens where they watch content.
Geoff Keighley, host and executive producer
So we’re really, really excited this year that we have a number of big new partners.
Geoff Keighley, host and executive producer
We’ve had lots of offers on moving to one platform, but our goal is always to be additive and bring more people into the family of celebrating video games.
Geoff Keighley, host and executive producer
The event is executive produced by Geoff Keighley and Kimmie Kim, directed by Richard Preuss, with LeRoy Bennett serving as creative director and Lara Karchmer as co-executive producer.
Betting markets ahead of the nominations position Grand Theft Auto VI as the heavy favorite for the main trophy. That implies more than an 85% chance of winning, with Phantom Blade Zero and Resident Evil Requiem as its closest challengers.
Grand Theft Auto VI is also listed as the favorite at -125 on the Best Narrative game awards odds, alongside The Blood of Dawnwalker at +450.
Resident Evil Requiem was released on February 27, 2026, by Capcom for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. It pairs Grace Ashcroft’s vulnerability with Leon Kennedy’s heavier action. Other titles mentioned as potential contenders by industry commentators include 007 First Light, Big Walk, Control Resonant, Phantom Blade Zero, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Arknights: Endfield, and Crimson Desert.
Independent productions are also expected to feature prominently in specialized categories. House’s cooperative title Big Walk was released on August 4, 2026, for PC, Nintendo Switch 2, and PlayStation 5, and Yacht Club Games released Mina the Hollower on May 29, 2026. Both lead independent award discussions.
The nomination special streams on YouTube and Twitch on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT. Fans can visit TheGameAwards.com to look at the full list of nominees and cast their votes after that. An international voting panel comprising diverse creator entities and media publications globally, featuring Variety, is responsible for choosing the nominees.
