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The 2020 Game Awards: How to watch and what time it starts

Game of the Year season enters full swing this week when the 2020 Game Awards broadcasts digitally. The awards show has become a can’t-miss spectacle in recent years, with studios using it as a platform for major game announcements. The event could be bigger than ever this year considering that conventions like E3 didn’t happen, removing what is usually the centerpiece for new game reveals.

When do the Game Awards start?

This year’s Game Awards kick off at 4 p.m. PT on Thursday, December 10. There will be a 30-minute preshow beforehand hosted by Sydnee Goodman that starts at 3:30 p.m. PT.

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Where can I watch the Game Awards?

The good news is that there’s no shortage of ways to catch the show this year, so it’ll be hard to miss. It will broadcast on 45 different platforms around the world, including TikTok and Steam.

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The Game Awards will host the show on all of its social channels, including Twitter, Facebook Live, YouTube, and Twitch. The show is also allowing any content creator to co-stream it. Anyone who’s looking to host it on their own channel can sign up here.

What will be shown at the Game Awards?

While there will be plenty of secrets at this year’s show, a few game reveals have been confirmed. BioWare says it will give a new look at Dragon Age 4 during the broadcast and Activision will show a trailer for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s first season. Among Us will reveal its new map at the show as well. The preshow will feature five world premieres.

The Game Awards has slowly revealed its list of presenters as well, which includes Brie Larson, Gal Godot, Nolan North, and the Swedish Chef.

Who are the Game Awards nominees?

There are 30 categories at this year’s show, which honor both games and personalities in the video game industry. The biggest player this year is The Last of Us Part II, which is up for 11 awards including Game of the Year. Indie hit Hades, nominated for eight awards, could get an underdog win in the category as well. The rest of the Game of the Year field includes Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Doom Eternal, Final Fantasy VII Remake, and Ghost of Tsushima.

Other major players include Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout, which is up for four awards including Best Multiplayer game. It’ll duke it out against indie hit Among Us in that category.

Giovanni Colantonio
As Digital Trends' Senior Gaming Editor, Giovanni Colantonio oversees all things video games at Digital Trends. As a veteran…
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