The Game Awards 2026 nominees arrive November 18 MYT, with Roblox and PS5 streams added
The show itself airs at 8:30am MYT on December 11. Winners are 90% jury and 10% fan vote, and Vidio, mewatch and Bigo Live carry it in Southeast Asia.
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The Game Awards will announce its 2026 nominees in a livestream on Tuesday, November 17 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific time, which is 01:00 MYT on Wednesday, November 18 in Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines. Host Geoff Keighley confirmed the date on November 13. The ceremony itself is on Thursday, December 10 in Los Angeles, which is Friday morning, December 11, in Southeast Asia.
Fan voting opens on TheGameAwards.com as soon as the nominations special ends. This year's show also adds Roblox, Disney+ and Live TV on PS5 to its list of places to watch.
What's confirmed
Nominations special. Polygon and Variety report that the special streams on YouTube and Twitch on November 17 at 12:00 p.m. ET / 9:00 a.m. PT (01:00 MYT, November 18; 00:00 WIB in Jakarta). Keighley will name the nominated games, studios and talent, including Game of the Year. Polygon notes that past specials have run about ten minutes, with Game of the Year usually last.
The show. The official FAQ says the ceremony streams live on December 10 from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, with the opening act at 4:30 p.m. PT / 7:30 p.m. ET. That is 08:30 MYT and SGT on Friday, December 11, and 07:30 in Jakarta and Bangkok.
How winners are picked. Per the FAQ, a jury of more than 100 media and creator outlets picks the nominees for most categories, with separate juries for categories including esports, accessibility and adaptation. Each outlet submits one unranked top five per category, and the five games on the most ballots are nominated. Winners are a blend of 90% jury vote and 10% fan vote. Fan voting closes on December 9 at 6:00 p.m. PT, which is 10:00 MYT on December 10.
Eligibility. Games must be on sale by Friday, November 20 at 9:00 p.m. PT (13:00 MYT, November 21). For the Players' Voice category the cut-off is November 30. Polygon notes this puts Grand Theft Auto 6, out on November 19, inside the window. The FAQ also says early access games, DLC, expansions, remakes and remasters can all be nominated if the jury thinks the new work deserves it.
Where to watch. Roblox announced that users aged 18 and over can watch together in The Block, its virtual event venue, with live voting and virtual merchandise; IGN and GamesBeat say it is the first external awards show streamed on the platform. Disney+ will carry it from 7:30 p.m. ET, and Variety reports Live TV on PS5 is also a new partner. Polygon lists the returning platforms, including YouTube, Twitch, Steam, TikTok Live, X and Kick, plus regional partners: Vidio in Indonesia, mewatch in Singapore, and Bigo Live and Likee across Southeast Asia. GamesBeat reports the organisers' figure of about 171 million global livestreams for the 2025 show, up 11% on 2024.
Background
Keighley started The Game Awards in 2014 after a decade producing the Spike Video Game Awards on cable TV, which ended with VGX in 2013. Moving online let the show stream free on every major platform, and it has grown into the industry's biggest single night for trailers and world premieres as much as awards.
This year's date lands in an unusual spot. The nominations special airs two days before Grand Theft Auto 6 launches on November 19, which means jurors have to finalise ballots for a game most of them will have played for only a short time, if at all. Late-year releases have faced this before, but rarely for a game this big.
My take: what it means for players
For players in Southeast Asia, the practical news is the time. The nominations land at 1 a.m. on a work night, so most of us will wake up to the list rather than watch it live. The show itself at 8:30 a.m. on a Friday is kinder than the old Spike VGA slots ever were, and having Vidio, mewatch and Bigo Live as official partners means a legal local stream without needing a VPN.
The esports categories are the ones I care about, and they are also the ones that get the least screen time. A separate esports jury is the right call. The general jury of review outlets is not following the MLBB Professional League or Valorant Champions Tour week to week. But the esports awards are usually rushed through before the main show, and I would like to see SEA teams and players taken seriously on that ballot.
On Game of the Year, I would not assume GTA 6 wins just because it is the biggest launch. Elden Ring in 2022 and Baldur's Gate 3 in 2023 won after jurors had months with them. A game that has been out for three weeks is a harder case, and a 90/10 jury-to-fan split means the fan vote cannot carry it alone.
What we don't know yet
- The categories. The full category list for 2026 has not been published.
- Roblox details. Roblox and The Game Awards say more on the virtual merchandise and voting will come closer to the show.
- Disney+ regions. Disney+ will stream it in select international markets but has not said which.
- Premieres. No world premieres have been confirmed yet.
Quick facts
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Nominations special | November 17, 9:00 a.m. PT (01:00 MYT, November 18) |
| Ceremony | December 10, 4:30 p.m. PT (08:30 MYT, December 11) |
| Venue | Peacock Theater, Los Angeles |
| Fan voting closes | December 9, 6:00 p.m. PT (10:00 MYT, December 10) |
| Eligibility cut-off | November 20, 9:00 p.m. PT (13:00 MYT, November 21) |
| Winner split | 90% jury, 10% fan vote |
| New platforms | Roblox (18+), Disney+, Live TV on PS5 |
| SEA partners | Vidio, mewatch, Bigo Live, Likee |
FAQ
When are The Game Awards 2026 nominations announced?
On November 17 at 9:00 a.m. PT, which is 01:00 MYT on November 18, on YouTube and Twitch.
What time is The Game Awards 2026 in Malaysia and Singapore?
The opening act starts at 08:30 MYT/SGT on Friday, December 11.
Is GTA 6 eligible for The Game Awards 2026?
Yes. It launches on November 19, before the November 20 cut-off.
How are the winners chosen?
By a blend of 90% jury vote and 10% fan vote on TheGameAwards.com.
Can I watch The Game Awards on Roblox?
Yes, if you are 18 or over. Roblox will stream it in The Block with live voting.
More: GTA 6 code-in-box copies reach stores as digital preloads open.
Sources: The Game Awards (official FAQ); Polygon; Variety; IGN; GamesBeat. Image: The Game Awards key art, via Polygon's story image.
