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How Are The Game Awards Winners Decided?
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https://www.gamespot.com/articles/how-are-the-game-awards-winners-decided/1100-6536344/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f
image
https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/screen_medium/1179/11799911/4607137-tga.jpg
description
The Game Awards return this December, but how were the nominees selected and who determines the games that actually win? And does the public have any say? All of these are questions you might be wondering ahead of the event next week, and here's what we know about the key details.
What games are eligible?
To be eligible for The Game Awards this year, games must be "available for public consumption" on or before Friday, November 21. Any game releases after then will be eligible for next year's show. This also means that games released on or after November 22, 2024 are eligible for this year's event.
Live-service games that released in a previous year are eligible for all categories, provided the voting jury determines that "their inclusion is merited due to new content, improvements, or service updates." There is also a dedicated category, Best Ongoing Game, which recognizes such titles.
How are nominees selected?
The Game Awards website states that an international jury of more than 100 media and influencer sources--including GameSpot--form a coalition that votes to decide on the nominees.
"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," reads a line from the website.
Ballots are counted and the five games that appear the most on ballots get selected as the nominees. Any category that comes up tied gets pushed to six (or more) nominations. This year, there were six nominees for multiple categories, including Game of the Year, Best Performance, Best Independent Game, and Best Family Game.
For the eSports, accessibility, and Best Adaptation categories, a "specialized" jury comes together to select those categories.
How are winners selected?
The Game Awards are ultimately decided upon by the same voting jury, but public fan voting factors in as well, which is why you may have seen developers call upon their fandoms to vote for their game. The voting jury controls 90% of the vote, with public fan voting making up the other 10%.
People can vote on The Game Awards website, or in China, people can make their selections on Bilibili. Voting closes on Wednesday, December 10 at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET.
Some have called on The Game Awards to adopt a 100% pubic fan vote stance where the fans have all the say, but the organizers say this would create "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," the team said.
No fees
All games are "automatically eligible" for The Game Awards, with no submission process at all, and this means there is no fee for a publisher or developer to put their game forth for consideration. "The Game Awards strongly believes that no game developer or publisher should have to pay to have a game considered for nomination," the team said. Not every awards show works this way, as developers/publishers pay to have their games considered at the Gamescom Awards, starting at €440 ($508 USD).
Is Geoff Keighley involved?
Geoff Keighley is the creator and host of The Game Awards, but he is not a member of the voting jury. He has been very public about his close friendship with Death Stranding director Hideo Kojima, which has raised some eyebrows over the years at The Game Awards.
Other bias concerns
The Game Awards is funded, in part, by sponsors--some of whom have games in the running for awards. The organizers claim "there is no connection" between sponsorship and nominations/awards. The voting jury is "wholly unaware of who is sponsoring or participating in other elements of the program," according to The Game Awards. The group also claims that the nominees and winners are not shared with the developers beforehand, with teams finding out "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," the group said.
The Game Awards will be held on December 11, and streamed live around the world. In addition to naming all the award winners, the event promises game announcements, trailers, and other reveals.
content_html
The Game Awards return this December, but how were the nominees selected and who determines the games that actually win? And does the public have any say? All of these are questions you might be wondering ahead of the event next week, and here's what we know about the key details.
What games are eligible?
To be eligible for The Game Awards this year, games must be "available for public consumption" on or before Friday, November 21. Any game releases after then will be eligible for next year's show. This also means that games released on or after November 22, 2024 are eligible for this year's event.
Live-service games that released in a previous year are eligible for all categories, provided the voting jury determines that "their inclusion is merited due to new content, improvements, or service updates." There is also a dedicated category, Best Ongoing Game, which recognizes such titles.
How are nominees selected?
The Game Awards website states that an international jury of more than 100 media and influencer sources--including GameSpot--form a coalition that votes to decide on the nominees.
"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," reads a line from the website.
Ballots are counted and the five games that appear the most on ballots get selected as the nominees. Any category that comes up tied gets pushed to six (or more) nominations. This year, there were six nominees for multiple categories, including Game of the Year, Best Performance, Best Independent Game, and Best Family Game.
For the eSports, accessibility, and Best Adaptation categories, a "specialized" jury comes together to select those categories.
How are winners selected?
The Game Awards are ultimately decided upon by the same voting jury, but public fan voting factors in as well, which is why you may have seen developers call upon their fandoms to vote for their game. The voting jury controls 90% of the vote, with public fan voting making up the other 10%.
People can vote on The Game Awards website, or in China, people can make their selections on Bilibili. Voting closes on Wednesday, December 10 at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET.
Some have called on The Game Awards to adopt a 100% pubic fan vote stance where the fans have all the say, but the organizers say this would create "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," the team said.
No fees
All games are "automatically eligible" for The Game Awards, with no submission process at all, and this means there is no fee for a publisher or developer to put their game forth for consideration. "The Game Awards strongly believes that no game developer or publisher should have to pay to have a game considered for nomination," the team said. Not every awards show works this way, as developers/publishers pay to have their games considered at the Gamescom Awards, starting at €440 ($508 USD).
Is Geoff Keighley involved?
Geoff Keighley is the creator and host of The Game Awards, but he is not a member of the voting jury. He has been very public about his close friendship with Death Stranding director Hideo Kojima, which has raised some eyebrows over the years at The Game Awards.
Other bias concerns
The Game Awards is funded, in part, by sponsors--some of whom have games in the running for awards. The organizers claim "there is no connection" between sponsorship and nominations/awards. The voting jury is "wholly unaware of who is sponsoring or participating in other elements of the program," according to The Game Awards. The group also claims that the nominees and winners are not shared with the developers beforehand, with teams finding out "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," the group said.
The Game Awards will be held on December 11, and streamed live around the world. In addition to naming all the award winners, the event promises game announcements, trailers, and other reveals.
content_text
The Game Awards return this December, but how were the nominees selected and who determines the games that actually win? And does the public have any say? All of these are questions you might be wondering ahead of the event next week, and here's what we know about the key details.What games are eligible?To be eligible for The Game Awards this year, games must be "available for public consumption" on or before Friday, November 21. Any game releases after then will be eligible for next year's show. This also means that games released on or after November 22, 2024 are eligible for this year's event.Live-service games that released in a previous year are eligible for all categories, provided the voting jury determines that "their inclusion is merited due to new content, improvements, or service updates." There is also a dedicated category, Best Ongoing Game, which recognizes such titles.How are nominees selected?The Game Awards website states that an international jury of more than 100 media and influencer sources--including GameSpot--form a coalition that votes to decide on the nominees."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," reads a line from the website.Ballots are counted and the five games that appear the most on ballots get selected as the nominees. Any category that comes up tied gets pushed to six (or more) nominations. This year, there were six nominees for multiple categories, including Game of the Year, Best Performance, Best Independent Game, and Best Family Game.For the eSports, accessibility, and Best Adaptation categories, a "specialized" jury comes together to select those categories.How are winners selected?The Game Awards are ultimately decided upon by the same voting jury, but public fan voting factors in as well, which is why you may have seen developers call upon their fandoms to vote for their game. The voting jury controls 90% of the vote, with public fan voting making up the other 10%.People can vote on The Game Awards website, or in China, people can make their selections on Bilibili. Voting closes on Wednesday, December 10 at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET.Some have called on The Game Awards to adopt a 100% pubic fan vote stance where the fans have all the say, but the organizers say this would create "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," the team said.No feesAll games are "automatically eligible" for The Game Awards, with no submission process at all, and this means there is no fee for a publisher or developer to put their game forth for consideration. "The Game Awards strongly believes that no game developer or publisher should have to pay to have a game considered for nomination," the team said. Not every awards show works this way, as developers/publishers pay to have their games considered at the Gamescom Awards, starting at €440 ($508 USD).Is Geoff Keighley involved?Geoff Keighley is the creator and host of The Game Awards, but he is not a member of the voting jury. He has been very public about his close friendship with Death Stranding director Hideo Kojima, which has raised some eyebrows over the years at The Game Awards.Other bias concernsThe Game Awards is funded, in part, by sponsors--some of whom have games in the running for awards. The organizers claim "there is no connection" between sponsorship and nominations/awards. The voting jury is "wholly unaware of who is sponsoring or participating in other elements of the program," according to The Game Awards. The group also claims that the nominees and winners are not shared with the developers beforehand, with teams finding out "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," the group said.The Game Awards will be held on December 11, and streamed live around the world. In addition to naming all the award winners, the event promises game announcements, trailers, and other reveals.
pub_date
19 November 2025, 3:40 pm
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Eddie Makuch
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insdate: 2025-11-19 16:20:01
title: How Are The Game Awards Winners Decided?
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category: Game Spot
md5: 0cc91e5800daabcf68ba1080aa85f4c0
link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/how-are-the-game-awards-winners-decided/1100-6536344/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f
image: https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/screen_medium/1179/11799911/4607137-tga.jpg
image_imgur:
description:
The Game Awards return this December, but how were the nominees selected and who determines the games that actually win? And does the public have any say? All of these are questions you might be wondering ahead of the event next week, and here's what we know about the key details.
What games are eligible?
To be eligible for The Game Awards this year, games must be "available for public consumption" on or before Friday, November 21. Any game releases after then will be eligible for next year's show. This also means that games released on or after November 22, 2024 are eligible for this year's event.
Live-service games that released in a previous year are eligible for all categories, provided the voting jury determines that "their inclusion is merited due to new content, improvements, or service updates." There is also a dedicated category, Best Ongoing Game, which recognizes such titles.
How are nominees selected?
The Game Awards website states that an international jury of more than 100 media and influencer sources--including GameSpot--form a coalition that votes to decide on the nominees.
"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," reads a line from the website.
Ballots are counted and the five games that appear the most on ballots get selected as the nominees. Any category that comes up tied gets pushed to six (or more) nominations. This year, there were six nominees for multiple categories, including Game of the Year, Best Performance, Best Independent Game, and Best Family Game.
For the eSports, accessibility, and Best Adaptation categories, a "specialized" jury comes together to select those categories.
How are winners selected?
The Game Awards are ultimately decided upon by the same voting jury, but public fan voting factors in as well, which is why you may have seen developers call upon their fandoms to vote for their game. The voting jury controls 90% of the vote, with public fan voting making up the other 10%.
People can vote on The Game Awards website, or in China, people can make their selections on Bilibili. Voting closes on Wednesday, December 10 at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET.
Some have called on The Game Awards to adopt a 100% pubic fan vote stance where the fans have all the say, but the organizers say this would create "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," the team said.
No fees
All games are "automatically eligible" for The Game Awards, with no submission process at all, and this means there is no fee for a publisher or developer to put their game forth for consideration. "The Game Awards strongly believes that no game developer or publisher should have to pay to have a game considered for nomination," the team said. Not every awards show works this way, as developers/publishers pay to have their games considered at the Gamescom Awards, starting at €440 ($508 USD).
Is Geoff Keighley involved?
Geoff Keighley is the creator and host of The Game Awards, but he is not a member of the voting jury. He has been very public about his close friendship with Death Stranding director Hideo Kojima, which has raised some eyebrows over the years at The Game Awards.
Other bias concerns
The Game Awards is funded, in part, by sponsors--some of whom have games in the running for awards. The organizers claim "there is no connection" between sponsorship and nominations/awards. The voting jury is "wholly unaware of who is sponsoring or participating in other elements of the program," according to The Game Awards. The group also claims that the nominees and winners are not shared with the developers beforehand, with teams finding out "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," the group said.
The Game Awards will be held on December 11, and streamed live around the world. In addition to naming all the award winners, the event promises game announcements, trailers, and other reveals.
content_html:
The Game Awards return this December, but how were the nominees selected and who determines the games that actually win? And does the public have any say? All of these are questions you might be wondering ahead of the event next week, and here's what we know about the key details.
What games are eligible?
To be eligible for The Game Awards this year, games must be "available for public consumption" on or before Friday, November 21. Any game releases after then will be eligible for next year's show. This also means that games released on or after November 22, 2024 are eligible for this year's event.
Live-service games that released in a previous year are eligible for all categories, provided the voting jury determines that "their inclusion is merited due to new content, improvements, or service updates." There is also a dedicated category, Best Ongoing Game, which recognizes such titles.
How are nominees selected?
The Game Awards website states that an international jury of more than 100 media and influencer sources--including GameSpot--form a coalition that votes to decide on the nominees.
"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," reads a line from the website.
Ballots are counted and the five games that appear the most on ballots get selected as the nominees. Any category that comes up tied gets pushed to six (or more) nominations. This year, there were six nominees for multiple categories, including Game of the Year, Best Performance, Best Independent Game, and Best Family Game.
For the eSports, accessibility, and Best Adaptation categories, a "specialized" jury comes together to select those categories.
How are winners selected?
The Game Awards are ultimately decided upon by the same voting jury, but public fan voting factors in as well, which is why you may have seen developers call upon their fandoms to vote for their game. The voting jury controls 90% of the vote, with public fan voting making up the other 10%.
People can vote on The Game Awards website, or in China, people can make their selections on Bilibili. Voting closes on Wednesday, December 10 at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET.
Some have called on The Game Awards to adopt a 100% pubic fan vote stance where the fans have all the say, but the organizers say this would create "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," the team said.
No fees
All games are "automatically eligible" for The Game Awards, with no submission process at all, and this means there is no fee for a publisher or developer to put their game forth for consideration. "The Game Awards strongly believes that no game developer or publisher should have to pay to have a game considered for nomination," the team said. Not every awards show works this way, as developers/publishers pay to have their games considered at the Gamescom Awards, starting at €440 ($508 USD).
Is Geoff Keighley involved?
Geoff Keighley is the creator and host of The Game Awards, but he is not a member of the voting jury. He has been very public about his close friendship with Death Stranding director Hideo Kojima, which has raised some eyebrows over the years at The Game Awards.
Other bias concerns
The Game Awards is funded, in part, by sponsors--some of whom have games in the running for awards. The organizers claim "there is no connection" between sponsorship and nominations/awards. The voting jury is "wholly unaware of who is sponsoring or participating in other elements of the program," according to The Game Awards. The group also claims that the nominees and winners are not shared with the developers beforehand, with teams finding out "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," the group said.
The Game Awards will be held on December 11, and streamed live around the world. In addition to naming all the award winners, the event promises game announcements, trailers, and other reveals.
content_text: The Game Awards return this December, but how were the nominees selected and who determines the games that actually win? And does the public have any say? All of these are questions you might be wondering ahead of the event next week, and here's what we know about the key details.What games are eligible?To be eligible for The Game Awards this year, games must be "available for public consumption" on or before Friday, November 21. Any game releases after then will be eligible for next year's show. This also means that games released on or after November 22, 2024 are eligible for this year's event.Live-service games that released in a previous year are eligible for all categories, provided the voting jury determines that "their inclusion is merited due to new content, improvements, or service updates." There is also a dedicated category, Best Ongoing Game, which recognizes such titles.How are nominees selected?The Game Awards website states that an international jury of more than 100 media and influencer sources--including GameSpot--form a coalition that votes to decide on the nominees."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," reads a line from the website.Ballots are counted and the five games that appear the most on ballots get selected as the nominees. Any category that comes up tied gets pushed to six (or more) nominations. This year, there were six nominees for multiple categories, including Game of the Year, Best Performance, Best Independent Game, and Best Family Game.For the eSports, accessibility, and Best Adaptation categories, a "specialized" jury comes together to select those categories.How are winners selected?The Game Awards are ultimately decided upon by the same voting jury, but public fan voting factors in as well, which is why you may have seen developers call upon their fandoms to vote for their game. The voting jury controls 90% of the vote, with public fan voting making up the other 10%.People can vote on The Game Awards website, or in China, people can make their selections on Bilibili. Voting closes on Wednesday, December 10 at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET.Some have called on The Game Awards to adopt a 100% pubic fan vote stance where the fans have all the say, but the organizers say this would create "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," the team said.No feesAll games are "automatically eligible" for The Game Awards, with no submission process at all, and this means there is no fee for a publisher or developer to put their game forth for consideration. "The Game Awards strongly believes that no game developer or publisher should have to pay to have a game considered for nomination," the team said. Not every awards show works this way, as developers/publishers pay to have their games considered at the Gamescom Awards, starting at €440 ($508 USD).Is Geoff Keighley involved?Geoff Keighley is the creator and host of The Game Awards, but he is not a member of the voting jury. He has been very public about his close friendship with Death Stranding director Hideo Kojima, which has raised some eyebrows over the years at The Game Awards.Other bias concernsThe Game Awards is funded, in part, by sponsors--some of whom have games in the running for awards. The organizers claim "there is no connection" between sponsorship and nominations/awards. The voting jury is "wholly unaware of who is sponsoring or participating in other elements of the program," according to The Game Awards. The group also claims that the nominees and winners are not shared with the developers beforehand, with teams finding out "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," the group said.The Game Awards will be held on December 11, and streamed live around the world. In addition to naming all the award winners, the event promises game announcements, trailers, and other reveals.
pub_date: 19 November 2025, 3:40 pm
guid: 1100-6536344
creator: Eddie Makuch
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processed: TRUE