This end-of-year spectacular is the Oscars for gaming. Not just for giving incredible titles their well-earned trophies, but also for the surprise trailers and previews of what’s to come. Who will win? What unexpected announcements can we expect this year? We’ve asked the gamers of the Laptop Mag team to give their two cents. Whatever happens, you can watch along with us when The Game Awards event kicks off on December 8 at 19:30 ET / 16:30 PT / 00:30 GMT. Scroll on down to find out how to watch it live (for free) and our predictions.
How to watch
The official 4K livestream is available right now to bookmark on the official YouTube channel. Check back here at 19:10 ET / 00:10 GMT for when the stream starts for a bit of a pre-show.
Winner predictions
We’ve been running a bit of an office betting pool on which games and personalities will take the trophies on the night. Some of the opinions are surprising, and others not so much!
Jason England
My predictions come from two places: the games I’ve tested (and loved), and others where I’m trying to get into the heads of the judging panel to see what they would pick. Elden Ring absolutely deserves its roses for an incredible game that took the world by surprise, but I think God of War Ragnarôk is going to take the big one:
Game of the year: God of War: RagnarôkBest game direction: Elden RingBest narrative: A Plague Tale: RequiemBest art direction: StrayBest score and music: God of War: RagnarôkBest audio design: Elden RingBest performance: Christopher Judge (Kratos)Best indie: SifuBest debut indie: Stray
Darragh Murphy
Looking at this year’s TGA nominees, I’ve realized 2022 has been a great year for gaming. I mean, a FromSoftware game and the sequel to TGA 2018’s Game of the Year? We’ve been spoiled. Predictions this year are tough. Many of my picks are more about what I would love to see win rather than what will actually win. God of War Ragnarôk is a gem, but Elden Ring had me entranced in its world, lore, and gameplay. Games like Immortality and Neon White deserve the spotlight, too, as they brought new experiences I’d never thought I’d enjoy. I’d recommend playing all the games nominated, but I suppose some games have to take the win.
Game of the year: Elden Ring Best game direction: God of War: RagnarôkBest narrative: Immortality Best art direction: ScornBest score and music: God of War: RagnarôkBest audio design: Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 Best performance: Manon Gage (Immortality)Best indie: SifuBest debut indie: Neon White
Momo Tabari
It’s hard to imagine 2022’s The Game Awards passing by without Elden Ring winning Game of the Year. I’ve never seen the world so overwhelmed by a game before, in financial, critical, and communal success. Everyone I knew was playing Elden Ring; people who’d hear me shill about FromSoftware for so many years yet completely ignored my praise were compelled to jump in this time, and ultimately, they fell in love. I saw all kinds of people give Elden Ring a try, and so many found that it was the most accessible Soulsborne they’d played, particularly for the freedom that comes with its open-world design. It’s less claustrophobic, less punishing, and boasts far more variability to give the player a chance to experience the world in their own way. Yes, God of War: Ragnarok has come out more recently, so there will be some bias in that regard. And yes, its narrative is more direct and cinematic, so it might win the common player’s vote, but I have a strong feeling that Elden Ring will push ahead with flying colors. Elden Ring will be remembered as the game of 2022. It’s the biggest experience of the year, and I would be shocked if any other title won the award.
Game of the year: Elden Ring Best game direction: God of War: RagnarôkBest narrative: God of War: RagnarokBest art direction: Elden RingBest score and music: Elden RingBest audio design: Gran Turismo 7Best performance: Manon Gage (Immortality)Best indie: StrayBest debut indie: Neon White
Any surprises?
We already know about a few things via leaks and announcements, such as Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Baldur’s Gate 3, and the secret Hideo Kojima project. But we went further in asking our team what surprises they are predicting we will see. These go from likely safe bets to wild guesses based on what we would love to witness.
Jason England
Now, I’m making these predictions solely on the basis of what I’d love to see — fully accepting of the fact they probably won’t appear. But let me dream!
Hellblade 2 gets a release date: I think Senua’s next adventure is closer than we think, and Ninja Theory will pop up at TGAs again to give us a launch month at least. I’m thinking about Fall 2023.Spider-Man 2 Gameplay preview: This is a hunch that will probably backfire spectacularly. For the original Spider-Man, we got a gameplay trailer one year before its launch. This could mean a State of Play early in the new year, but it could also mean a glimpse at the awards.Project Gravity is unveiled: After interviewing the creator of the SSX games, Steve Rechtschaffner, and breaking the news that he and his team at Supernatural Studios were hard at work on a spiritual successor in the form of Project Gravity, the studio has been tight lipped for a couple years after making a deal with a big publisher. I’ll keep predicting a teaser trailer at every big event until it comes true!
Momo Tabari
My predictions here are somewhat nonsense. But what’s the point if you can’t dream, right?
FromSoftware Triple Decker Burger: Bloodborne for PS5/PC, an Elden Ring expansion, and FromSoftware’s Armored Core will all be revealed at The Game Awards. Yes, I know this is incredibly unlikely and an absolutely ridiculous proposal, but it’s all I want in the world. Let me dream.BioShock 4: We’re pretty certain that a new BioShock game is coming out thanks to all sorts of leaks, but it feels like every time we’re told it’s going to be revealed, that announcement is nowhere to be found. This time, we’re not hearing anything about BioShock 4, so I’m hoping it’ll come out of nowhere and surprise us.Kojima’s new project is a horror game: Yes, Death Stranding 2 would be absolutely awesome. I won’t deny that. But I still think about PT all the time, and the moments of Death Stranding that feel like a horror game are its most potent. I can’t stop desperately wanting Hideo Kojima to return to a dedicated horror game. Please, do it!
