The Game Awards (TGA) launched its first show all the way back in 2014. While the ceremony was met with mixed reactions among many in the industry, the TGA persisted. They have become — and were really always — Geoff Keighley’s love child. Throughout the years, the awards show improved its reputation and continued to grow and become bigger and bigger every year. It has become the home to some big announcements over the years, including the unveiling of the Xbox Series X in 2019 and the revival of the Marvel Ultimate Alliance series in 2018.
Now, December has rolled around, and the hype for the 2020 TGA has really started to build. So, what can gamers expect to see this year? Well, let’s start with what we know we'll be getting.
WHAT WE KNOW
Microsoft is planning an announcement of some sort — with the following tweet suggesting that the announcement is Game Pass-related:
AG approved gaming 🔥 on @XboxGamePass, and we’re just getting warmed up ahead of the holiday season! https://t.co/8nqusbMitZ
When it comes to what’s really popular in today’s gaming circles, look no further than the hit games Among Us and Fall Guys . Both games have planned announcements during the ceremony. Fall Guys promises to show off what season 3 will have to offer, while Among Us will show off a brand-new location for players to be hunted by imposters:
CAN YOU REMEMBER BERT THE PEGWIN??? Here's a sneak preview from his upcoming Season 3 level 👀 If you want to see more... make sure you watch @TheGameAwards on the 10th Dec 🐧 pic.twitter.com/mamKt72Mza
It's true: Get your first look at the new @AmongUsGame map live during #TheGameAwards next Thursday, streaming live and free at https://t.co/JhGKOCSGza pic.twitter.com/6jdPLq1bVJ
Then, also confirmed, is our first official look at the next-entry beloved franchises: Dragon Age and Warhammer :
Don't miss a special look at the next DRAGON AGE from @bioware during #TheGameAwards next Thursday. pic.twitter.com/zPKHWroH7i
Don't miss the first look at gameplay of Warhammer 40,000: Darktide during #TheGameAwards on Thursday. https://t.co/lTsLDaPWHn
Also on the docket? A first look at Hazelight’s, the studio that brought to you A Way Out and Brothers , brand-new game:
It's about to get....interesting. Thursday night, @josef_fares makes his triumphant return to #TheGameAwards stage to present the world gameplay premiere of It Takes Two, the brand new game from @HazelightGames pic.twitter.com/6YGsn7Bzga
WHAT'S BEEN RUMORED AND SPECULATED
Now, that’s all that we know, but with something as big as The Game Awards, you can always expect more. So what else could the show bring us? Well, we may have some educated guesses.
Geoff Keighly has been confirming guest presenters for the event. Among them is no other than Tom Holland himself. While Tom is usually synonymous with Spider-Man, odds are that his presence has something more to do with a famous treasure hunter (though Sony did tease a first look at Spider-Man 3 in December). There’s not much else Holland could be there for besides something about the upcoming Sony Uncharted film. So, a trailer or glimpse of some sort of the movie is likely.
🤠 pic.twitter.com/oiRJ3JBWdU
Also among the long list of guest presenters is Brie Larson. Brie, who tweeted a few months ago about playing The Avengers , could very likely be there to announce new content for that very game. It’s easy to make the logical jump that she would announce Captain Marvel as a playable character, though it’s more likely that the content will be for Black Panther — as his content has been speculated to drop sooner rather than later.
Another big-ticket item that we might see at The Game Awards is one from Bandi Namco. Their twitter activity recently has been very suspicious, so their presence at the show is all but a certainty. But, what for? Well, the obvious answer would be their highly anticipated project, Elden Rings . We have seen next to nothing from the game, and since the game is rumored to be nearly finished , odds are it’s the safe bet.
You can’t have a big gaming event and not have a Fortnite announcement. Needless to say, you should expect something from the guys at Epic Games. Rumor has it that Kratos’ recent arrival on the island was supposed to be an announcement at the TGA — but due to his reveal leaking, they decided to just release him. This is all just rumor and speculation, of course, but those rumors also suggest that Epic Games' has something up their sleeves. Alongside Kratos’ intended reveal, Master Chief would have debuted alongside him. So, don’t be surprised if we see everyone’s favorite Spartan join the Battle Royale mix.
So far, there’s a ton that could be expected out of this event. The same rumor/speculation that revealed Master Chief’s arrival in Fortnite also mentions that we will get a new look at Resident Evil Village , as well as a proper release date for Sony’s Ratchet & Clank . It also mentions the reveal of a new Crash game, a new look at No More Heroes III , and something Kingdom Hearts related. All of that sounds exciting and all, but is it too much to ask for a new God of War: Ragnarok trailer?
AWARDS
Rumors and speculation are fun, but announcements aren't all that The Game Awards have to offer. It is, after all, an award ceremony celebrating the best of gaming for the year. When talking about the best, clearly the Game of the Year is the most coveted prize. All the options this year are great, but Ghosts of Tsushima or The Last of Us Part II may take it all — though the controversy that The Last of Us stirred up may give Ghost the edge.
As for some other, bigger categories, the best game direction is likely to go to Half-Life: Alyx for all the innovations it brought to VR gaming. Best Narrative is a tight race between The Last Of Us and Ghost of Tsushima . Best Art Direction is likely to go to either Ghost or Hades , while The Last Of Us has Best Score and Music & Best Audio Design on lock (though Hades is a solid runner-up for Score and Music, and Ghost and Half-Life are solid picks for audio design). Lastly, there’s Best Performance, a category that is a free-for-all — with Hades being the notable weak link. While Ellie may be the popular pick, any of the candidates may win in the end.
2020 has been a long and hard road. Something like The Game Awards is the perfect thing to end the year with: an exciting, hype-worthy event that will (hopefully) bring waves of excitement to the gaming community, as well as celebrate what this year has brought to us.
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