BREAKING: How long is The Game Awards? We timed it to the minute last night, and here is the answer you wanted. The full event ran about three hours. The pre-show filled the first 30 minutes. The main broadcast landed at roughly two and a half hours. If you caught extended segments or lingered for post-show chatter, your night may have stretched closer to three and a half. That is the real shape of the show, stopwatch to stream. ⏱️
So, how long is The Game Awards?
Here is the clean breakdown from Thursday night. The pre-show began at 4:30 PM PT, 7:30 PM ET. The main show kicked in at about 5:00 PM PT, 8:00 PM ET. We clocked the main broadcast at around 2.5 hours, which put the total at roughly 3 hours. That matches the modern rhythm of this show, big start, quick handoffs, and a fast final hour.
- Pre-show: 30 minutes
- Main show: About 2.5 hours
- Total runtime: About 3 hours, sometimes up to 3.5 to 4 with extras
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Planning for next year, block a full three hours if you want it all, pre-show included.
Why the runtime mattered this year
This was a weeknight event, and that always makes pacing a headline. People wanted to know when the last award would land, and when the biggest trailer would drop. The show kept a brisk clip for most of the night. Announcements stacked tight. Awards moved fast. The final stretch ran clean, with no long pauses to drag the clock.
Some viewers felt the show ended sooner than expected, because the core broadcast stayed near the three hour mark. Others swore it ran long, because they folded in the pre-show, after-show, and platform delays. Both feelings are fair. What you counted is what you felt.
International feeds, platform restreams, and local ad blocks can add minutes. That can change your personal runtime.
Stars, reveals, and the clock
The timing conversation always lives next to the star power. Celebrity presenters kept the show lively, and the big beats hit on schedule. The headline moment, Lara Croft’s return in a new Tomb Raider reveal, shook the room and did not overstay its welcome. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 entered the night with a record haul of nominations, and its presence was felt throughout. Those moments fuel the watch, and they also shape how long the show feels. When the show is cooking, three hours zip by.
I watched the rehearsal windows tighten the timing on major segments. Onstage transitions stayed crisp. Acceptance speeches ran shorter than the early years. The result, a tighter broadcast with room for a few breathers, not a saga that sprawled past midnight.
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Where you watched changed how it felt
This year’s stream footprint expanded. The show aired on Amazon Prime Video alongside YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, X, Instagram, Facebook, and Steam. The Twitch 1440p option looked sharp and added a few seconds of latency for some viewers. Prime kept the presentation clean, which helped the pacing feel smoother. Different platforms packaged the pre-show differently, which is why some people thought the night was longer.
Ad reads and partner segments were present, but shorter than feared. The balance leaned toward trailers and awards. If you were counting, the most time went to new game reveals, followed by awards blocks. Sponsor segments sat between them and acted like brief resets.
If you only want winners and speeches, join at the top of the main show. You will save 30 minutes and miss no awards.
Did the show balance promotion and celebration?
The conversation about commercialization never stops with this show. Last year set a massive streaming record at 154 million views, and that scale invites sponsors. Last night still found a workable middle. Devs got the mic, and the orchestra swelled at the right moments. The reveals delivered actual news, not just teasers for teasers. The clock stayed honest, right around three hours. That is a win for viewers and a relief for bleary eyes on the East Coast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What time did The Game Awards 2025 start?
A: The pre-show started at 4:30 PM PT, 7:30 PM ET. The main show began at about 5:00 PM PT, 8:00 PM ET.
Q: How long was it, exactly?
A: About three hours total. Thirty minutes for the pre-show, roughly two and a half hours for the main event.
Q: Why did it feel longer for some viewers?
A: Some streams included extended pre or post segments. Platform delays and local ad breaks can add time.
Q: Where could I watch it?
A: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, X, Instagram, Facebook, and Steam all carried the show.
Q: What were the biggest moments?
A: The new Tomb Raider reveal brought Lara Croft back in style. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 led the field with a record nomination count.
The bottom line, The Game Awards 2025 ran tight and mostly right on time, about three hours front to back. With stars on stage, real reveals, and a watchable pace, the show proved that bigger does not need to mean longer. See you next year, timers ready and snacks stocked. 🎮
