After moving to a virtual presentation last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Game Awards will return to its in-person ceremony this year. On Thursday, December 9, Geoff Keighley will host his annual award show from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
This year's showcase will once again stream live from LA, available on over 40 different streaming, social, and gaming platforms around the world. You'll see the return of musical performances, including The Game Awards Orchestra conducted by Lorne Balfe, and the usual world premieres.
In the press release sent to TheGamer, specific rules on social distancing or pandemic regulations at the ceremony are not fully detailed yet. The Game Awards' press release mentions the event is invite-only, and that "additional details on health and safety protocols" will be shared in the coming weeks.
Every year, Keighley and guests from the games industry gather to celebrate triple-A titles, indie projects, and major industry figures. The ceremony typically includes reveals for upcoming games, updates to widely anticipated titles, and trailer previews. The ceremony also began its Future Class program in 2020, where it recognizes important up-and-coming voices in the medium.
Last year, The Game Awards hosted projects like Ark 2—which will also feature action star Vin Diesel—and revealed the next game from Dead Space creator Glen Schofield, Callisto Protocol. It's also where you got your first look at the next Mass Effect project from Bioware, with a teaser featuring a very familiar Asari rummaging through wreckage in the snow.
The Game Awards also featured special hosts, like Regie Fils-Aime, and the occasion was celebrated through massive sales for nominees on Steam. This year's lineup isn't public news just yet, but those details usually trickle out in the weeks leading up to the show, so expect to learn more as we get through November.