Geoff KeighleyThe Summer Game Fest starts later this week and people all over the world are excited about all the trailers and teasers. And a new report, confirmed by My cityreveals the high price that publishers and developers have to pay to present their games at the event.
On June 7, Summer Game Fest 2024 begins with a major streaming showcase with new trailers for upcoming games. The annual showcase has become increasingly important for the video game industry after the slow death of E3the last big summer event where new games were unveiled and revealed. Millions of people will be tuning in on Friday to see what’s coming next. And if you want to be there, all you have to do is spend a few hundred thousand dollars.
As first reported by esquire on 6 Junethe cost to place your game’s trailer in the main show at Summer Game Fest this year starts at $250,000 for 1 minute, $350,000 for 1.5 minutes, $450,000 for 2 minutes, and $550,000 for 2.5 minutes. My city was able to verify these and other figures using a non-public document that he received from a source associated with the event.
“These shows are damn expensive,” said an insider esquire.
In the document that My citythe money spent on a trailer aired during the SGF launch event also includes a set number of social media posts from the official SGF account. 1-minute trailers will receive a single post, 1.5-minute teasers will receive two posts, and 2 minutes or more will receive three.
Not every trailer is paid for. The so-called “earned editorial placements” are free to play and are likely reserved for big reveals from major companies like Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft. Part of what other, smaller developers are paying for is likely the chance to be featured alongside these bigger games and get the attention they attract.
Updated: 06/06/2024, 2:05 p.m. ET: After the publication of this story, a handful of indie publishers and developers contacted My city and explained that some “free airtime” is given to smaller, non-AAA games and studios. It seems that sometimes Keighley gets games suggested to him to include, and he provides free airtime to those projects as part of the “earned editorial placements” mentioned earlier.
Additional prizes for the Summer Game Fest 2024
Elsewhere in the SGF 2024 document, which My city are the prices for stands at Summer Games Festival. You must be approved and pay $500 for a Biz Dev Partner Pass, which grants you access to the show on June 10 only.
A private meeting cabana – including seating for up to six people, table service, free parking and six SGF passes – costs $50,000 for all three days or $20,000 per day.
Finally, you can purchase a “Full Hands-On Pod” that has four
large HDTVs, seating, credenzas with lockable storage, signage, six SGF passes and free parking. However, SGF also allows publishers and developers to spend more on custom venues or spaces that can include features such as bars, outdoor seating, covered parking and sponsored lounges.
“The current pricing tiers make Summer Game Fest an unattainable goal for most indie developers and publishers,” said a PR agent who represents indie games esquire.
However, others who spoke to the outlet said the high prices were worth it.
“In terms of overall brand awareness, the impact is pretty big. The caveat here is that it depends on the placement and length of the trailer. Longer slots work better and seem to get more reach, while short trailers don’t get quite as much attention,” another PR professional told the outlet.
As Summer Game Fest and Keighley’s Winter E3—The Game Awards—continue to grow and become one of the biggest events in the video game industry the world, it is becoming increasingly important for publishers of increasingly expensive video games to participate in these shows. esquire reports that these prices are similar to those charged at last year’s Game Awards, and so publishers and developers are paying the price to play, hoping that the millions of people who watch the events will pre-order, wishlist, or just talk about their new video game.
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