Editorially selected games get in for free, but others are paid placements
In a press pre-briefing ahead of next week's Gamescom conference, Geoff Keighley has shed some light on the process of how trailers are selected for the Opening Night Live digital showcase, which will take place on Tuesday.
Keighley is also the host of The Game Awards, and in December, Kotaku reported that it allegedly cost up to $450,000 to place a 60-second trailer in the 2025 awards ceremony. Last summer, Aftermath reported that a 60-second trailer in the Keighley-hosted Opening Night Live allegedly cost €102,500 ($119,600).
But in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz last August, Felix Falk, managing director of Game, the German Games Industry Association, said that it was free to place a trailer in Opening Night Live. "Of course, you can place some advertisements in Opening Night Live, but the vast majority of the content is free," he said. "No matter if you're a AAA title or indie, as long as your content is brilliant, Geoff will decide to put you in a show, and it doesn't cost you a penny."
Today, in a Q&A session during the press pre-briefing, GamesIndustry.biz asked Keighley to clarify what it costs to put a trailer in Opening Night Live, and what constitutes an advertisement.
He said that Opening Night Live featured both editorial placements and paid placements. "Much like companies will purchase a booth at Gamescom and buy space, they'll secure space inside of the show," he said.
"One of the things that's important I think to all of us is that there are games that get selected for editorial value in the show.
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