FAQ &Rules
FAQ &Rules
THIS FAQ IS DESIGNED TO ANSWER MANY COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GAME AWARDS, RULES AND THE VOTING PROCESS.
The Event
When is The Game Awards?
The Game Awards streams live on Thursday, December 8, 2022 from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
How can I watch the show?
The Game Awards is available to stream for free across all major streaming services on Thursday, December 8, with the pre-show starting at 7:30p ET / 4:30p PT. Check out our How To Watch section for more details.
Can I co-stream the show?
Yes, we welcome and encourage co-streaming. Sign-up here as an official co-streamer.
What can I expect at the show?
The Game Awards will celebrate video games with awards, world premieres, musical performances and more!
Can I attend The Game Awards in person?
Yes! A limited number of public tickets will be available, starting November 1. Visit the Microsoft Theater box office for more details.
The Award Process
How are nominees selected?
Nominees for most categories of The Game Awards are chosen by an international jury of over 100 global media and influencer outlets, selected for their history of critical video game evaluation.
Specialized juries also convene for other categories including esports, accessibility and best adaptation.
Each voting outlet completes a confidential, unranked ballot based on the collective and diverse opinion of its entire editorial staff, listing out its top five choices in each category.
Ballots are tabulated, and the five games that appear on the most ballots are put forth as nominees. In the event of a tie, six (or more) nominees will be announced in a category.
Game Awards producer Geoff Keighley is not a member of the jury and does not vote on the nominees or winners. The Advisory Board has no involvement in the awards process and learns of the results at the same time as the general public.
Why Do You Use This Jury for Select Nominees?
Given the sheer number of games released each year, as well as the extended time required to fully evaluate products, a “voting outlet” approach allows for the widest possible critical assessment. A ballot submitted to The Game Awards represents the collective opinion of an entire outlet.
How are Winners Selected?
Winners are determined by a blended vote between the voting jury (90%) and public fan voting (10%). Fans can vote for their favorite games on TheGameAwards.com and on our Discord server. In China fans can vote on the winners via Bilibili. Fan voting closes on Wednesday, December 7 at 6 pm PT.
Why Don’t Fans 100% Select the Winners?
Creating a 100% fan vote presents several challenges. First, given that some games are exclusive to one platform, a public vote puts single-platform games at an inherent disadvantage over multi-platform titles. In addition, it is important that winners cannot be “socially engineered” in any way. We find that a blended vote is the most credible and authentic way to select winners.
Are Voting Outlets Given Free or Advance Copies of Games?
At the start of the Awards Season, game publishers and developers are provided with access to a list of outlets that will submit nomination ballots. While most of our voting outlets have access to games through the normal editorial process, publishers and developers are permitted to provide review copies or digital redemption codes.
To meet our balloting deadlines, publishers or developers may provide advance or pre-release access to games for critical evaluation.
What is the Cutoff Date for Eligibility?
Games eligible for The Game Awards this year must be available for public consumption on or before Friday, November 18, 2022 at 9pm PT. Titles that are released after this date will be eligible for The Game Awards ceremony in 2023. (Similarly, games that were released on or after November 20, 2021 are first eligible for this year’s awards).
How are Live Service Games Handled?
The Game Awards recognizes that many games are ongoing services that evolve over time with new content, features, and improvements. Games released in previous years are eligible in all award categories, so long as the jury feels their inclusion is merited due to new content, improvements or service updates. In addition, the “Best Ongoing Game” category specifically recognizes titles that continue to provide value to customers.
Are Early Access Games Eligible for Nomination?
Yes, any game available for public consumption by the deadline is eligible for potential nomination. It’s up to the jury to decide if a title warrants a nomination for creative and/or technical excellence in a given year.
How Do I Submit a Game for Consideration?
There is no formal submission process for The Game Awards. Qualified developers and publishers can contact The Game Awards to receive the list of voting outlets.
Is There an Entry Fee?
The Game Awards strongly believes that no game developer or publisher should have to pay to have a game considered for nomination. Thus, there are no entry forms or fees required — all games are automatically eligible for nomination. There is no submission process.
Do Show Sponsors or Advisory Board Members Have an Increased Chance of Nomination?
No, there is no connection. The voting on nominees and winners is handled by a jury that is wholly unaware of who is sponsoring or participating in other elements of the program.
Are Game Companies Made Aware of Nominees/Winners in Advance?
No, game developers and publishers, including the Advisory Board, find out the nominees and winners at the same time as the public. The Game Awards does not disclose winners in advance of the live ceremony. There are no exceptions to this rule.
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