The Sticker Shock That Has Publishers Talking
Just hours before The Game Awards 2025 kicks off tonight, Kotaku dropped a bombshell report revealing exactly how much game publishers pay to show trailers during the ceremony. According to two sources familiar with this year’s show, a 60-second trailer costs up to $450,000, while a three-minute trailer exceeds $1 million. That three-minute price represents more than double what the same slot cost in 2024, when it was priced at $486,600. The sharp increase has sparked conversations across the industry about whether The Game Awards is becoming too expensive for all but the biggest publishers.
The timing of this revelation is particularly interesting. The Game Awards has grown into the single most-watched gaming event globally, pulling in over 154 million live streams in 2024 across various platforms. That viewership actually surpasses the Super Bowl, which drew 128 million viewers in 2025. For publishers, that kind of reach is invaluable when launching new games or generating hype for upcoming releases. But with prices climbing year over year, smaller studios are effectively priced out of the show entirely, leaving them dependent on Geoff Keighley’s selective free spots for games that catch his eye.
Breaking Down the Advertising Costs
The leaked pricing structure reveals a carefully calculated system designed to maximize revenue while offering options for different budget levels. A 60-second trailer runs $450,000 this year, up from previous rates. Based on comparisons to Summer Game Fest 2024 pricing and Opening Night Live rates, industry insiders estimate that a 30-second spot likely costs around $300,000, with a full one-minute slot hitting approximately $420,000 before jumping to the $450,000 tier.
Two separate sources in the video game publishing world told Kotaku that while they hadn’t been briefed on this year’s specific rates, the numbers sounded consistent with what they’d expect based on previous years. That suggests the price increases aren’t shocking to those who regularly buy advertising at these events. However, what is raising eyebrows is the pace of those increases. Doubling the price for a three-minute slot in a single year represents aggressive growth, even for an event that’s consistently expanding its audience.
For context, Opening Night Live at Gamescom 2025 reportedly charged approximately $500,000 for a three-minute ad, $150,000 for 30 seconds, and $210,000 for a full minute. The Game Awards pricing sits noticeably higher, justified by its broader global reach and the fact that it’s positioned as the gaming industry’s equivalent to the Oscars. Summer Game Fest 2024, also run by Geoff Keighley, charged $250,000 for one minute, $350,000 for 90 seconds, $450,000 for two minutes, and $550,000 for two and a half minutes. The Game Awards commands premium rates because it delivers premium viewership.
Comparing to Other Major Events
To put these numbers in perspective, a 30-second commercial during the 2025 Super Bowl cost approximately $8 million. That makes The Game Awards look like a bargain by comparison, especially considering it reaches more viewers than the biggest sporting event in America. If you break down the math, The Game Awards offers significantly better cost-per-viewer ratios than traditional television advertising, which explains why major publishers continue paying despite rising prices.
However, the comparison isn’t entirely fair. Super Bowl ads reach a general audience that includes millions of people who might impulse-buy products like beer, cars, or snacks. The Game Awards reaches a highly specific demographic of gamers who are already deeply engaged with the medium. That targeted audience is incredibly valuable for game publishers, but it also means the pool of potential advertisers is much smaller. You’re not going to see Coca-Cola or Ford buying three-minute slots at The Game Awards, which limits how much Keighley can diversify revenue beyond game companies themselves.
Gamescom’s Opening Night Live has seen similar cost escalation. In 2024, a 30-second slot cost around $62,500 for the pre-show, with main show prices climbing significantly higher. By 2025, those costs increased roughly 20 percent across the board, with a three-minute slot hitting approximately $506,000. The pattern is clear across all of Keighley’s events: as viewership grows, so do advertising rates, and publishers keep paying because the alternative is losing out on massive exposure during gaming’s most-watched moments.
The Free Spot Controversy
Not every trailer shown at The Game Awards costs money. Geoff Keighley has repeatedly stated that some games, particularly smaller indie titles or games that he personally finds compelling, receive free spots in the show. This creates a two-tiered system where AAA publishers with massive budgets buy premium placement, while select indies get charitable exposure based on Keighley’s personal curation.
One developer who worked on a game nominated for Best Accessibility at the 2024 Game Awards told Kotaku about the experience. While their game was recognized with a nomination, actually getting meaningful screen time or promotional support required either paying for a trailer slot or hoping Keighley chose to feature them organically. For many indie developers, that nomination represents the biggest moment of their careers, but without the budget to buy advertising or the luck of catching Keighley’s attention, it can feel hollow.
This system also raises questions about editorial independence. If Keighley is both hosting the awards show and selling advertising during it, does that create conflicts of interest? Can a game that doesn’t buy advertising realistically win major awards, or does the financial relationship between publishers and the show influence outcomes? Keighley has consistently maintained that awards voting is independent, handled by a jury of media outlets and industry figures, but the perception problem remains. When publishers are spending seven figures on advertising, they expect returns beyond just brand awareness.
Why Publishers Keep Paying
Despite the steep costs, major publishers continue buying trailer slots at The Game Awards because the math still works in their favor. A game like Resident Evil 9 or the next Call of Duty will spend tens of millions on marketing across their entire campaigns. Spending $1 million to reach 154 million engaged viewers in a single night represents efficient spending compared to buying equivalent reach through YouTube pre-roll ads, social media campaigns, or traditional television spots.
The Game Awards also offers something money can’t easily buy elsewhere: cultural cachet. When a game gets revealed or wins an award at TGA, it becomes a topic of conversation across gaming communities, social media, and news outlets for days afterward. That earned media amplifies the initial investment, turning a million-dollar trailer into weeks of free publicity. For a game launching in the competitive spring or fall windows, that kind of visibility can mean the difference between breaking through the noise or getting lost in the shuffle.
There’s also a defensive element to this spending. If your competitor is buying a three-minute slot to announce their big game, you almost have to match that investment or risk looking smaller by comparison. The Game Awards has become an arms race of sorts, where publishers compete not just for awards but for audience attention during the broadcast itself. Skipping the show entirely or settling for a 30-second spot when rivals are buying multiple minutes of airtime sends a message about your marketing budget and confidence in the product.
What This Means for Indie Developers
For independent developers working on smaller budgets, these advertising costs are prohibitively expensive. A typical indie game might have a total development budget of $500,000 to $2 million. Spending a quarter to half of that entire budget on a single trailer slot at The Game Awards makes zero financial sense, especially when there’s no guarantee the exposure translates to sales.
This creates a growing divide in the industry. AAA publishers with marketing budgets in the tens of millions dominate The Game Awards broadcast, while indies are relegated to hoping for free spots or relying on smaller events like the Day of the Devs showcase that runs alongside TGA. While Keighley deserves credit for including indie games when he does, the overall structure of the show increasingly favors big-budget spectacle over scrappy innovation.
Some indie developers have started questioning whether The Game Awards still serves the broader gaming community or if it’s becoming primarily a vehicle for blockbuster marketing. The show’s format dedicates significant time to world premiere trailers and game announcements, often at the expense of actually celebrating the nominated games and their creators. Award categories are frequently rushed through in rapid-fire fashion to make room for more trailers, which makes sense when each trailer represents hundreds of thousands in revenue but feels disrespectful to nominees who worked for years on their games.
FAQs
How much does a 60-second trailer cost at The Game Awards 2025?
According to Kotaku’s sources, a 60-second trailer slot costs up to $450,000 at this year’s Game Awards. That represents a significant increase from previous years and puts it well beyond the reach of most indie developers.
Why are Game Awards trailer costs so high?
The Game Awards attracts over 154 million viewers globally, making it the most-watched gaming event in the world. That massive reach justifies premium advertising rates, especially compared to the cost-per-viewer of other major events like the Super Bowl.
Do all trailers shown at The Game Awards cost money?
No. Geoff Keighley has stated that some games, particularly indies or titles he personally finds compelling, receive free spots in the show. However, most major trailers from AAA publishers are paid placements.
How much does a Super Bowl ad cost compared to The Game Awards?
A 30-second Super Bowl commercial costs approximately $8 million, significantly more than even a three-minute Game Awards trailer. However, the Super Bowl reaches a broader general audience while TGA targets engaged gamers specifically.
Are these prices increasing every year?
Yes. The cost for a three-minute trailer more than doubled from $486,600 in 2024 to over $1 million in 2025. All of Geoff Keighley’s events including Summer Game Fest and Opening Night Live have seen similar year-over-year price increases.
Can indie developers afford to advertise at The Game Awards?
Generally no. These advertising costs represent a significant portion of typical indie game budgets, making paid trailer slots financially impossible for most independent studios. They must rely on free spots selected by Geoff Keighley or alternative marketing strategies.
How much does it cost to show a trailer at other gaming events?
Summer Game Fest 2024 charged $250,000 to $550,000 depending on length. Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 charges approximately $500,000 for three minutes. The Game Awards commands the highest rates among gaming events due to its viewership numbers.
Where does the money from these trailer slots go?
While there’s no public breakdown, the costs presumably cover venue rental, celebrity appearances, musical performances, production crew, and other operational expenses for running a major live broadcast event. The Game Awards is a for-profit enterprise run by Geoff Keighley.
Conclusion
The revelation that Game Awards trailer slots now cost over $1 million for three minutes of airtime underscores how much the event has grown since its humble beginnings in 2014. What started as an alternative to the canceled Spike Video Game Awards has evolved into a genuine media powerhouse that commands Super Bowl-level viewership and increasingly Super Bowl-adjacent pricing. For major publishers, the investment still makes sense given the unparalleled reach and cultural impact of the show. But for smaller developers and anyone concerned about the commercialization of what’s supposed to be an awards ceremony, these rising costs represent a troubling trend. As The Game Awards continues growing, the challenge will be maintaining its identity as a celebration of gaming achievements while also functioning as an expensive advertising platform. Tonight’s broadcast at 4:30 PM PT will likely be the most-watched Game Awards ever, validating Keighley’s pricing strategy even as critics question whether the show has lost sight of its original purpose. Whether you see it as smart business or a betrayal of gaming culture probably depends on which side of that million-dollar price tag you’re sitting on.