In a press pre-briefing forward of subsequent week’s Gamescom convention, Geoff Keighley has shed some mild on the method of how trailers are chosen for the Opening Night time Reside digital showcase, which is able to happen on Tuesday.
Keighley can also be the host of The Recreation Awards, and in December, Kotaku reported that it allegedly price as much as $450,000 to position a 60-second trailer within the 2025 awards ceremony. Final summer time, Aftermath reported {that a} 60-second trailer within the Keighley-hosted Opening Night time Reside allegedly price €102,500 ($119,600).
However in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz final August, Felix Falk, managing director of Recreation, the German Video games Trade Affiliation, mentioned that it was free to position a trailer in Opening Night time Reside. “In fact, you possibly can place some ads in Opening Night time Reside, however the overwhelming majority of the content material is free,” he mentioned. “Regardless of when you’re a AAA title or indie, so long as your content material is sensible, Geoff will resolve to place you in a present, and it would not price you a penny.”
In the present day, in a Q&A session in the course of the press pre-briefing, GamesIndustry.biz requested Keighley to make clear what it prices to place a trailer in Opening Night time Reside, and what constitutes an commercial.
He mentioned that Opening Night time Reside featured each editorial placements and paid placements. “Very similar to corporations will buy a sales space at Gamescom and purchase house, they will safe house inside the present,” he mentioned.
“One of many issues that is vital I believe to all of us is that there are video games that get chosen for editorial worth within the present. There’s additionally a variety of impartial video games that we take. You may see many small groups, video games made by three, 4 folks, that get chosen to be inside ONL, as a result of we consider in these titles, and we consider in these groups and need to help them.”
He added that these exhibits are “advertising and marketing occasions, identical to Gamescom is a advertising and marketing occasion, so you possibly can contemplate every part in some ways is advertising and marketing video video games, however there are positively video games that we choose for editorial consideration in all of the exhibits.”
GamesIndustry.biz requested for clarification on whether or not solely video games that Keighley selects get into Opening Night time Reside without spending a dime, whereas everybody else has to pay. He replied that it is “a bunch choice.”
“And I’d additionally say the video games which are inside, particularly ONL, they’re all companions to Gamescom in a manner. So the businesses that we’re working with are already at Gamescom in some kind as an exhibitor or one thing like that, and that is possibly a digital extension of what they’re doing with their cubicles.”
Falk, who additionally took half within the pre-briefing, added that “the overwhelming majority of every part we do on the digital aspect just isn’t paid and isn’t advertorial or commercial,” and is as a substitute “free for our companions.” He mentioned that Gamescom regarded the digital exhibits as a “hybrid method” to increase the attain of the occasion worldwide, “not simply addressing these greater than 350,000 folks on website.”
“It is also economically not vital for us to generate income with the digital exhibits first, however to present attain to our companions who’re at Gamescom,” he mentioned.
Keighley additionally gave some clarification on how video games are chosen to be editorial placements. “A part of the factor with the editorial choice is admittedly it is the size of the information or the announcement,” he mentioned.
“Everybody needs to tune in to be stunned with one thing model new and thrilling. Corporations and companions typically earn the flexibility to have editorial locations with the extent of stories that individuals are bringing to the present.” However he famous that the present additionally options “video games which are transport a couple of weeks later – that is extra commercial of a recreation that exists.”
Keighley confirmed that Gears of Warfare E-Day can be part of Opening Night time Reside, together with Closing Fantasy 7: Revelation, Ananta, Metro 2039, and extra particulars on the brand new expansion for The Witcher 3.
Tim Endres, director of Gamescom at Koelnmesse, additionally famous in the course of the pre-briefing that GDQ (Video games Carried out Fast) can be at Gamescom for the primary time this 12 months, elevating cash for the Gaming for Democracy initiative. “With this, we’re utilizing Gamescom as soon as once more as a platform for a superb trigger, and that’s actually vital to us,” he mentioned.
Gamescom 2026 is about to be the largest ever, with nearly 50 pavilions from 40 countries and more than 1,600 exhibitors.
