The Game Awards 2024: Everything You Need to Know

The Game Awards (TGAs) has solidified itself as the gaming industry's Oscars: a chance to celebrate the year's most creative achievements, passionate communities, and technological advancements—all while giving fans plenty to get hype over. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the event and we’re all set to join our partners and friends in Downtown LA to celebrate a year of top-notch games and catch all the action.

In preparation, we’ve put together your ultimate guide to this year’s agenda.

The Basics

• Date and Time: December 12, 2024, at 5:00 PM PST
• Location: Peacock Theater, Los Angeles, CA
• Live Stream Platforms: Twitch, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook Gaming, Official Game Awards Site
• Host: Geoff Keighley returns, bringing his signature swagger.

Major Highlights and Expectations

Game of the Year (GOTY)

This year’s GOTY nominees include groundbreaking titles that have defined the year:

• Astro Bot ( Team ASOBI , Sony Interactive Entertainment )
• Balatro (LocalThunk, Playstack )
• Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science)
• Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree (FromSoftware, Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. )
• Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth ( Square Enix )
• Metaphor: ReFantazio ( Studio Zero / Atlus U.S.A., Inc. )

With Astro Bot and Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth leading with seven nominations each, this year’s race promises excitement and surprises. Astro Bot is widely expected to win Game of the Year due to its strong critical consensus and technical prowess.

Player’s Voice Award

This fan-voted category features popular titles like Genshin Impact and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. Multiple voting rounds culminate in the winner’s announcement during the live broadcast. The inclusion of DLC content and free-to-play gacha games has sparked discussions about voting practices and game eligibility.

Meet the 2024 Accessibility Nominees

Accessibility is about breaking barriers so everyone can enjoy video games. This year’s nominees for Innovation in Accessibility showcase remarkable advancements:

• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 adds features like mono audio adjustments, intelligent movement aids, and customizable HUD options for players with varied needs.
• Diablo IV introduces groundbreaking audio navigation, enhanced menu narration, and visual customization for blind and low-vision players.
• Dragon Age: The Veilguard emphasizes flexibility with combat assists, spatial audio cues, and cognitive support tools.
• Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown weaves accessibility into its design with Memory Shards for navigation, high-contrast modes, and assist options.
• Star Wars Outlaws leads with narrated HUDs, companion-assisted gameplay, and customizable high-contrast visuals. Read more from Ubisoft's Star Wars Outlaws? Accessibility Spotlight here.

World Premieres and Announcements

The Game Awards are known for groundbreaking reveals. Look out for updates from:

• Sony Interactive Entertainment : Days Gone Remastered: Rumors suggest that a remastered version of "Days Gone" may be announced, offering enhanced graphics and gameplay for the PlayStation 5.
• Xbox and Bethesda Softworks : Tekken 8 DLC: Downloadable content for "Tekken 8" is set to be announced, potentially introducing new characters and stages to the fighting game. Borderlands 4: 2K is expected to reveal information about "Borderlands 4," the latest installment in the popular looter-shooter series. Mafia: The Old Country: Details about this new title are anticipated, possibly exploring the origins of the Mafia series.
• Nintendo : Super Mario Party Jamboree: Up for Best Multiplayer Game, fans might expect announcements of additional content or features.

Indie games like Balatro are also in the spotlight. Other confirmed reveals include a special announcement for Mecha Break as well as Palworld, a title that's been a topic of conversation leading up to TGAs due to community concerns about its inclusion at the awards. In a post from the official X account: "We may not have made it through to the final round but fear not, Palworld will be making an appearance at #TheGameAwards anyway! You won’t want to miss it!"

Fortnite Voting Integration

For the second year, The Game Awards will have a presence in Fortnite offering an interactive experience:

• Explore and Vote: Visit 'The Game Awards Vote in Fortnite' island (code: 0853-1358-8532) to explore 10 creator-made islands and vote for your favorite in the Best Fortnite Island poll.
• Compete and Play: Enjoy a target shooting arena with leaderboards and persistent progress.
• Timeline: Fan voting is open until December 11, 6 PM PT, with the winner announced live during the show.
• Special Appearance: Geoff Keighley debuts in Fortnite as a MetaHuman character.

Amazon Collaboration

亚马逊 is the official retailer sponsor, offering exclusive deals:

• Game Awards Hub: amazon.com/thegameawards features discounts on games, accessories, and hardware through December 31, 2024.
• Live Prime Deals: Limited-time offers unveiled during the broadcast (holiday shopping, anyone?).

Special Performances

Snoop Dogg In The House

Multi-hyphenate icon (legendary rapper, streamer, promotional powerhouse, Fortnite character and confirmed gamer) The Doggfather is set to give a live performance, but the real question remains: is smoking allowed?

Arcane Season 2 Musical Showcase

Celebrate the Emmy-winning League of Legends series with performances of:

• “The Line” by Twenty One Pilots
• “Remember Me” by d4vd
• “Wasteland” by Royal & The Serpent

Joined by The Game Awards Orchestra, the showcase will give the stage to three artists behind the season 2 soundtrack for Riot Games and Fortiche Production ’s hit animated Netflix series.

Why It Matters

The Game Awards is more than an awards show; it’s a celebration of the gaming industry’s cultural impact. Each element, from accessibility initiatives to world premieres, highlights the innovation, diversity, and passion that define the gaming community.

• Representation: Categories like Innovation in Accessibility reflect how games can be inclusive, ensuring everyone can participate.
• Community Engagement: Events like the Player’s Voice Award and Fortnite Voting Integration showcase the gaming community’s role in shaping the industry.
• Cultural Moments: Performances by artists like Snoop Dogg and the Arcane Season 2 Musical Showcase underline gaming’s intersection with music, art, and storytelling.
• Future of Gaming: Anticipated premieres and announcements offer a glimpse into gaming’s evolving landscape, from indie innovations to blockbuster AAA titles.

This year’s award ceremony promises to be a landmark event, celebrating the best of gaming and the people who make it possible. Whether you’re a fan of the premieres or the live performances, or you're just tuning in for the thrill of seeing your favorite games and personalities recognized (looking at you, Hideo Kojima), it's a must-watch to see what's in store for 2025 and beyond.

Set your reminders for December 12 at 5:00 PM PST and get ready to celebrate a stellar year in gaming. If you’re around Peacock Theater this Thursday, stop by to say ‘hi’ to the Ayzenberg crew at the JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE!