Geoff Keighley’s The Game Awards 2025 received a notably lower audience rating on Twitter/X compared to the previous year, according to the official post-show poll. The poll, posted on December 12, asked viewers, “How would you grade this year’s show?” and accumulated a total of 404,693 votes before closing. The final results showed that 39 percent of respondents rated the show as D or below, marking the largest single category in the poll.
The remaining results showed a divided response from voters. Fifteen percent rated the show with an A, while 25 percent chose a B, and 21 percent selected a C. The engagement around the poll was substantial, generating 5,068 replies, 425 retweets, and 8,983 likes, with the post reaching over 7.5 million views. This outcome reflects a significant shift in audience sentiment compared to the previous year.
In comparison, The Game Awards 2024 poll received a total of 183,585 votes. That year, 44.4 percent of voters awarded an A, 28.9 percent chose a B, 10.5 percent voted for a C, and only 16.1 percent rated the show as a D or below. This sharp contrast highlights a notable increase in negative perception year over year, particularly on Twitter X.
This lower rating comes despite The Game Awards 2025 setting new overall viewership records and featuring announcements that were largely met with positive reception. The ceremony, hosted live by Geoff Keighley from the Peacock Theater, was dominated by Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which won nine awards, including Game of the Year. Other major winners included Hades II for Best Action Game, Hollow Knight: Silksong for Best Action Adventure, and Grand Theft Auto VI as Most Anticipated Game. The show also featured multiple high-profile reveals, such as Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, Tomb Raider: Catalyst, the next title from Larian Studios titled Divinity, the confirmation of Leon S. Kennedy’s return in Resident Evil: Requiem, and the announcement of Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic.
One possible factor influencing audience dissatisfaction may be unmet expectations surrounding Half-Life 3. The title had been repeatedly rumored ahead of the event and was widely expected by some viewers to appear at The Game Awards 2025, but no such announcement occurred. More recently, it was reported that Half-Life 3 is allegedly planned as a launch title for the Steam Machine, with a current target window of Spring 2026. During the Insider Gaming Weekly podcast, co-host Mike Shaw stated that expectations of a Game Awards reveal were misplaced from the outset.
While the Twitter poll suggests frustration among a portion of the online audience, the broader success of the event indicates a more complex reception. The disparity between record viewership and lower poll ratings suggests multiple contributing factors rather than a single point of failure, and reactions to the show continue to vary depending on platform and expectations.
