In a press pre-briefing forward of subsequent week’s Gamescom convention, Geoff Keighley has shed some gentle on the method of how trailers are selected for the Opening Night Live 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 ceremony. Final summer time, Aftermath reported {that a} 60-second trailer within the Keighley-hosted Opening Night Live 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 Live. “After all, you possibly can place some commercials in Opening Night Live, however the overwhelming majority of the content material is free,” he mentioned. “Irrespective of when you’re a AAA title or indie, so long as your content material is good, Geoff will resolve to place you in a present, and it does not price you a penny.”
At this time, 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 Live, and what constitutes an commercial.
He mentioned that Opening Night Live featured each editorial placements and paid placements. “Very similar to firms will buy a sales space at Gamescom and purchase house, they will safe house within the present,” he mentioned.
“One of many issues that is essential I feel to all of us is that there are video games that get selected for editorial worth within the present. There’s additionally lots of unbiased video games that we take. You may see many small groups, video games made by three, 4 folks, that get selected to be within ONL, as a result of we imagine in these titles, and we imagine in these groups and need to assist them.”
He added that these exhibits are “advertising and marketing occasions, identical to Gamescom is a advertising and marketing occasion, so you possibly can take into account every little thing 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 Live for free, whereas everybody else has to pay. He replied that it is “a gaggle resolution.”
“And I’d additionally say the video games that 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 type as an exhibitor or one thing like that, and that is perhaps 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 little thing we do on the digital aspect isn’t paid and isn’t advertorial or commercial,” and is as an alternative “free for our companions.” He mentioned that Gamescom regarded the digital exhibits as a “hybrid strategy” to increase the attain of the occasion worldwide, “not simply addressing these greater than 350,000 folks on website.”
“It is also economically not essential for us to earn money with the digital exhibits first, however to provide attain to our companions who are at Gamescom,” he mentioned.
Keighley additionally gave some clarification on how video games are selected to be editorial placements. “A part of the factor with the editorial choice is actually it is the dimensions of the information or the announcement,” he mentioned.
“Everybody desires to tune in to be stunned with one thing model new and thrilling. Corporations and companions usually earn the power to have editorial locations with the extent of reports that individuals are bringing to the present.” However he famous that the present additionally options “video games that are transport a couple of weeks later – that is extra commercial of a sport that exists.”
Keighley confirmed that Gears of Conflict E-Day might be part of Opening Night Live, together with Ultimate Fantasy 7: Revelation, Ananta, Metro 2039, and extra particulars on the brand new growth for The Witcher 3.
Tim Endres, director of Gamescom at Koelnmesse, additionally famous in the course of the pre-briefing that GDQ (Video games Executed Fast) might be at Gamescom for the primary time this 12 months, elevating cash for the Gaming for Democracy initiative. “With this, we are utilizing Gamescom as soon as once more as a platform for a very good trigger, and that’s actually essential to us,” he mentioned.
Gamescom 2026 is ready to be the largest ever, with almost 50 pavilions from 40 nations and greater than 1,600 exhibitors.