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Geoff Keighley’s Happy Holiday Game-a-palooza, also known as The Game Awards (but that’s less fun), kicks off Thursday, December 7th, at 7:30PM ET / 4:30PM PT. You can watch the show on just about anything that permits livestreaming events. The list of participating platforms is actually pretty impressive. There are the standards, like Twitch and YouTube. TikTok makes an appearance, along with X / Twitter (enjoy watching in 720p, though). Then there are platforms like Kick, Instagram Live, and... Google Play (no, seriously).
Regardless of where you decide to watch, your experience watching The Game Awards will be reminiscent of Mr. Keighley’s summertime Game-a-palooza, Opening Night Live. There will be a lot of advertisements for games, awards will occasionally be doled out, the words “World Premiere” will flash on the screen a bunch, and Geoff will pal around with his gaming friends before — by god, it’s Hideo Kojima with a steel chair!
Expect Xbox to make an appearance after not having a presence last year, teasing “major announcements,” which will definitely include a release date for the Xbox version of Baldur’s Gate 3. Hopefully, Hades II’s early access release date will be announced. My Verge colleague Jay Peters’ hope springs eternal that Silksong will finally emerge from its orb of delays, and I’m pretty sure Final Fantasy XVI will stealth-drop already-teased DLC.
Beyond the general announcements, teases, and stealth drops, this year is a bit different in terms of expectations for The Game Awards. 2023 is especially unique in that it set a high mark for the quality of games released while being — if you’ll excuse the necessary if vulgar description — utterly shitty for the people making the games. There have been, at last count, around 7,000 people laid off from the industry, from smaller, indie studios to the major publisher-owned outfits. Since Keighley is one of the most visible and respected gaming personalities in the industry, the gaming community is looking to him to acknowledge the carnage of the year.
Keighley’s also been pressured by a cohort of The Game Awards’ Future Class members to address the Israel-Hamas war. In an open letter signed by Future Class members past and present, they urged The Game Awards and Keighley to “express support for the protection of Palestinian human rights [and to] call for a long term ceasefire before any more civilian lives are unjustly taken.” Whether Keighley addresses either topic will ensure the 2023 Game Awards will be a topic of hot conversation.
Tune in to The Game Awards on Thursday, December 7th, at 7:30PM ET / 4:30PM PT on Twitch, YouTube, and everywhere else.