The Game Awards host and organizer Geoff Keighley has opened up on the challenges of working a present that goals to have a good time video games and the individuals who make them whereas additionally acknowledging the difficult occasions individuals within the business right now are going through. To this point in 2025, quite a few builders misplaced their jobs, Microsoft canceled video games, and the business additional consolidated with EA saying plans to promote itself to Saudi Arabia.
Chatting with The Game Business, Keighley stated the introduction of the Game Changer award in 2024 was an preliminary try to handle this. Amir Satvat was given the prize for his work to help individuals who have been laid off within the gaming business.
Keighley hasn’t stated if this award is coming again in 2025, however it will be a evident omission if it didn’t. In any occasion, Keighley stated strolling the road between celebrating video games and acknowledging present circumstances isn’t any simple process.
“It’s a really tough needle to string, as a result of on one stage, it’s a celebration of the business. However the video games are made by unbelievable builders, and it’s been a difficult interval total. I haven’t got all of the solutions about the appropriate approach to [address it].”
Keighley went on to say he feels a “weight” on his shoulders to do extra as a result of The Game Awards has such a big platform. However on the identical time, Keighley stated he understands that folks watch the present to see their favourite video games get celebrated and get hyped for the information and divulges.
“How we sq. that’s one thing that we predict loads about. Some individuals on-line assume that we’re oblivious to it. We’re undoubtedly fascinated about the appropriate approach to signify the business to the broader world. Can we all the time get it proper? No. It’s a really advanced state of affairs to determine precisely what to do,” he stated.
Folks have additionally criticized The Game Awards (and quite a few different leisure awards reveals, for that matter) for not being extra closely targeted on the awards themselves, and as a substitute additionally serving as a advertising occasions for video games. Every year, individuals usually criticize the occasion for zipping by means of the awards themselves and giving builders a restricted time to talk whereas time and a spotlight is paid to trailers and ads from sponsors.
“There are various completely different constituents that tune in,” he stated. “And it’s a balancing act. “There’s the awards side of the present, there’s the announcement side, and sure, there are some folks that wish to see the present be all awards. Some wish to see all bulletins.”
Keighley stated his take is that the promise of thrilling bulletins assist create a “very large viewers” for who may need to watch the present. Extra individuals watching to see the brand-new reveals–including regardless of the heck that scary monolith is–will in flip create elevated viewership for when the awards are handed out. Or not less than that is how Keighley sees it and explains it, and he shared some anecdotes that again up his claims, to an extent.
“My view all the time is that the bulletins create a really large viewers that tunes into the present. And due to that, after we do give out these awards, they’re seen by lots of people,” he stated. “Numerous video games get offered out of The Game Awards. Balatro had an enormous increase. So hopefully it is a good factor for builders. However that cautious steadiness is a tough factor to strike and we do not all the time get it proper.”
The Game Awards takes place on Thursday, December 11, starting at 5 PM PT / 8 PM ET, with a pre-show set to start half-hour prior. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 picked up 12 nominations total, together with a nod for Game of the Yr, and is the most-nominated recreation within the historical past of the present.
For extra, take a look at all of the classes and nominees beneath, together with our roundup of the most important snubs and our predictions for what will likely be introduced.