The Game Awards 2021: How To Watch, Start Times, And What To Expect

We're just a few hours away from the start of The Game Awards 2021. Alongside the titular awards that will be handed out throughout the show, you can also expect a ton of gaming news, announcements, and trailers. Here's what you need to know about the show, including how to watch and when it starts. [Update: The show is wrapping up, and you can catch up on all of the biggest Game Awards announcements in our recap.]

The Game Awards and Keighley himself have been teasing what's to come at this year's event via their social media accounts. Presenters confirmed for the event so far include Shang-Chi star Simu Liu, former Nintendo president Reggie Fils-Aime, and Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Ann Moss from the upcoming Matrix: Resurrections. Musicians confirmed for live performances include Imagine Dragons and music legend Sting, the latter performing "What Could Have Been" from the Netflix series Arcane: A League Of Legends Story. We'll also see the return of The Game Awards orchestra led by famous composer Lorne Balfe.

The Game Awards 2021 Start Time

The official livestream for The Game Awards 2021 begins with a 30-minute pre-show at 4:30 PM PT / 7:30 PM ET, followed by the main show at 5 PM PT / 8 PM ET, which is expected to run for three hours. Award winners will be announced from over 30 categories across general gaming and esports including Game of the Year, Best Game Direction, Esports Team of the Year, and Esports Player of the Year. The event will also feature announcements involving "40 to 50 games" according to an Epic Games interview with Keighley, with the number of brand-new titles announced being "probably in the double digits." Keighley says there will be four or five game announcements on the same scale as Elden Ring.

• 5 PM PT
• 7 PM CT
• 8 PM ET
• 1 AM GMT (December 10)
• 12 PM AET (December 10)

How To Watch The Game Awards 2021 Stream

The Game Awards will be streaming live on its official YouTube and Twitch channels, along with direct feeds on social media sites like Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter and right here on GameSpot through the embed above. Steam will also be showing the event--coupled with the Game Awards Festival offering select demos on upcoming games--while Oculus, or Meta, or whatever it's called now, will be offering a 180-degree virtual reality experience through Oculus Venues.

Core--the build-your-own-game service for PC--has also partnered with Keighley on Axial Tilt, a unique in-game area that will host a virtual red carpet as well as a stream of the show itself. Players watching through Core will also be able to vote on award winners in real time.

In addition, the Game Awards has selected multiple Twitch streamers, YouTube channels, and Facebook Live streamers as Official Co-Streamers of the event. The list of selected channels will be updated as the event draws closer.

Below is a running list of every world premiere announcement teased so far:

• PRE-SHOW: New game from Unruly Heroes dev Magic Design Studios
• Amazon Luna announcement
• Arc Raiders (Embark Studios, new studio in Stockholm feature ex-DICE devs including Patrick Soderlund)
• Destiny 2: The Witch Queen
• Dying Light 2
• Halo (Showtime series)
• Homeworld 3
• Improbable Studios game (headed by BioWare vet Aaryn Flynn)
• The Lord Of The Rings: Gollum (Daedalic Entertainment)
• LostArk
• The Matrix Awakens: An Unreal Engine 5 Experience (Epic Games)
• The Matrix Resurrections (exclusive clip)
• Riot Games Music announcement
• Saber Interactive game announcement
• Saints Row
• Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (exclusive movie clip)
• Sonic franchise's next game
• Steelrising
• Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League (Rocksteady)
• Tiny Tina's Wonderlands
• Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodhunt
• Xbox Game Pass for PC (Four new games to be added)