You can watch The Game Awards this year live on Disney+, but what does it mean?
Every year since its debut in 2018, The Game Awards has put on a song and dance. Even through the COVID years, Geoff Keighley’s awards show has grown dramatically in viewership year-on-year, with the best and brightest games in the industry being thrust into the spotlight, and considerable hype being placed upon new games, too. It always felt like our little corner of the Internet, a night where gamers can come together to celebrate and get excited – but now, The Game Awards 2026 will be broadcast to the masses over on Disney+.
We have to say we’re a little surprised, though with The Game Awards 2025 reaching 171 million people, it’s fair that Disney wants a slice of the pie. With Disney+ viewership, TGA 2026 can reach even greater heights, and presumably has the financial backing of the megacorp. There’s nothing to worry about in terms of YouTube, Twitch, or any of the other usual platforms, though – you’ll still be able to catch the action there if you’re not a Disney+ subscriber.
Disney’s PR department sheds a little more light with a statement, saying that “the arrival of The Game Awards on Disney+ further connects fans with the video game stories and characters they love, while adding to a growing slate of gaming-related programming.” The statement goes on to mention upcoming anime Death Stranding Isolations and Disney Twisted-Wonderland’s animated adaptation as examples, which are either on or coming to the streaming service soon.
Let’s be honest here, though – there’s a Kingdom Hearts 4-shaped elephant in the room, and it’s addressed vaguely in the statement. “As the evening unfolds, viewers can expect major announcements and surprises from some of Disney’s most anticipated titles in gaming”. That’s basically outright confirmation that we’re getting a trailer, hopefully with a confirmed release date.
I, for one, am glad that the flop that was Marvel’s Wolverine hasn’t put Disney off from investing in gaming, and KH4 is sure to be a smash hit. It’s kind of a genius move, benefiting both TGA and Disney, as they boost their brands using each other. I’m also happy that I still get to watch it on YouTube, though: maybe it can still feel like our gamers’ corner.
Tune into The Game Awards 2026 on December 10th at 7.30 pm ET/4.30 pm PT to find out which games picked up the top awards – we’re on the judging panel, by the way – and get exclusive trailers for other upcoming Switch games. Anyone else got their money on some Persona 6 news?
