The Game Awards 2025: Can Tonight's Show Break Last Year's 15M Hours Watched Record?
With anticipated reveals for Half-Life 3 and GOTY contender Hollow Knight: Silksong, tonight's Game Awards 2025 is poised to challenge the massive 15.2 million hours watched record set in 2024.
The Game Awards 2025 airs tonight, December 11, with the industry asking if it can surpass the historic metrics of 2024. Last year's show set a high bar with 154 million livestreams and 15.2 million hours watched, driven by Black Myth: Wukong and Astro Bot. This year, the hype cycle is fueled by a competitive GOTY lineup including 'Clair Obscur: Expedition 33' (13 nominations) and 'Hollow Knight: Silksong', alongside rumored reveals for 'Resident Evil Requiem' and 'Half-Life 3'. Co-streaming growth on Twitch and YouTube remains the primary viewership catalyst.
The Metric to Beat: 2024's Historic Run
To understand the stakes for tonight, we must look at the gargantuan numbers from 2024. Last year's 10th-anniversary show didn't just break records; it shattered them with 154 million global livestreams and a staggering 15.2 million hours watched. The event saw a 31% year-over-year increase in viewership, largely driven by the massive Chinese audience for Black Myth: Wukong and the critical acclaim of Astro Bot. Creators looking to cover tonight's event should benchmark their own performance against these industry highs using tools like SocialBlade or StreamsCharts to track real-time growth.
Why 2025 Could Be Bigger
While 2024 had the anniversary hype, 2025 has the games. The 'Game of the Year' category is fiercely contested by fan-favorite Hollow Knight: Silksong, which finally released to massive acclaim, and the surprise juggernaut Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which holds a record-setting 13 nominations. Furthermore, rumors of a Half-Life 3 tease and confirmed looks at Resident Evil Requiem and Tomb Raider are driving mainstream curiosity. For content creators, this diverse lineup offers more opportunities to engage different niche audiences, a strategy vital for any YouTube Creator looking to maximize watch time.
The Co-Streaming Multiplier
The secret weapon for The Game Awards' growth remains its open co-streaming policy. In 2024, over 15,900 channels co-streamed the event across Twitch and YouTube, a figure expected to rise tonight. This decentralized broadcasting allows top influencers to host 'watch parties,' effectively aggregating millions of viewers who prefer commentary over the raw feed. Aspiring broadcasters should leverage this model; reacting to live events is a proven method to become an influencer by piggybacking on high-interest global moments.
Predictions: Will the Record Break?
Breaking 15.2 million hours watched is a tall order, but the conditions are favorable. The show's earlier start time (4:30 PM PT) optimizes reach for European and American audiences simultaneously. Additionally, the expansion of streaming features—such as YouTube's enhanced 4K bitrate and Twitch's interactive extensions—keeps retention high. If the rumored Larian Studios 'Divinity' reveal or the Grand Theft Auto VI trailer (anticipated for the 'Most Anticipated' segment) materializes, we could see peak concurrents surpass 2024's 4 million Western viewers. Keeping up with these platform shifts is essential, similar to adapting to the TikTok Algorithm Update 2025.
🎯 Why Influencers Should Care
The Game Awards is the 'Super Bowl' of gaming, setting viewership trends for the coming year
Understanding viewership peaks helps creators schedule their own content effectively
The event showcases which platforms (Twitch vs. YouTube) are dominating live event coverage
Record-breaking numbers validate the gaming industry's growth to advertisers and brands
Co-streaming opportunities provide the lowest barrier to entry for new streamers to gain exposure
🚀 Action Steps
If you are a streamer, go live 30 minutes before the pre-show (4:00 PM PT). Use the tag #TheGameAwards to capture search traffic.
Be ready to clip and post major reveals (like the GOTY winner or big trailers) immediately to TikTok and Reels. Speed wins on news nights.
Post your prediction polls for 'Game of the Year' now to drive engagement before the show starts. Silksong vs. Clair Obscur is a hot debate topic.
Watch which terms trend during the show on X/Twitter. Update your video titles/tags in real-time to match what people are searching for.