Summer Game Fest ads keep the show running, Keighley says

pcgamesn.com:

Summer Game Fest is not a Nintendo Direct, and Geoff Keighley doesn’t have Jim Ryan’s funding. These statements may seem obvious, but The Game Awards creator says it’s important people remember the limitations he faces when putting together showcases such as the Summer Game Fest, which rely almost exclusively on advertisement revenue to keep going – for now. Keighley made the comment in a new interview with PCGN’s sister site The Loadout, where he opened up about how mixing advertisements with announcements ultimately make the experience better for everyone.

“We have to figure out a way to subsidise the shows and pay for them, and that’s through advertising,” Keighley says. “I get the conversation and I see it all. I’m fully aware of it. But that’s just sort of the model that we have and that tends to work pretty well for most people.”

Beyond helping fund Summer Game Fest and The Game Awards each year, Keighley says ad revenue lets him turn the shows into something more than just another flashy event. E3 and similar events cater to the press and select attendees who can attend the actual showcase, leaving most people, especially international fans, out of the loop. Keighley wants the opposite for Summer Game Fest.

“I think one of the things that I really found with The Game Awards was how global our show was, and the fact that people in China and India and other countries really wanted to watch the show and be a part of it,” he says. “I always try to think of the kid in Stockholm or in the outskirts of Germany, who’s probably never going to get to go to an E3, but wants to feel a part of something. To democratise that experience is really important.”

That mindset also led to the creation of initiatives such as Future