The Game Awards has become a massive platform for the announcement of new games. Big reveals this year included Crystal Dynamics' new Tomb Raider games and Lucasfilm Games and Arcanaut Studios' Star Wars Fate of the Old Republic (yeah, we'll believe that when we see a release date).
But how much did those developers pay to announce their games at the event? Some figures being quoted have sparked a viral 'anti-Game Awards trailer' trend among indie devs who already felt that the event was failing them.
I didn't have $1 million for a Game Awards Trailer so I'm posting my stealth roguelike game here instead for free!#gamedev https://t.co/C4lo5cDWA8 pic.twitter.com/DnxIMdp2GADecember 15, 2025
The Game Awards sells spaces for reveals, trailers and previews as well as sponsorship of specific awards. According to sources cited by Kotaku, submitting a trailer to the Game Awards can cost up to $450,000 for a 60-second trailer and $1 million for a three-minute one.
Some slots are reportedly reserved for big surprises that are seen as benefiting the event itself, and Geoff Keighley is said to curate "free slots for what he personally wants to champion."
While the price sounds steep, it seems to be in line with previous years. On Reddit, someone who worked at an agency says they saw an estimated cost of around $5,000 a second in around 2022. At that time, it was also confirmed that some placements were free “if Geoff deemed it relevant enough”.
Clearly there are AAA developers who can pay that kind of money. It's also worth remembering that The Game Awards reported 154 million livestreams in 2024. That's more than the viewership of the Super Bowl, so perhaps we shouldn't be surprised if fees aren't so far from Super Bowl territory.
But most indie devs don't have like that kind of budget. They're posting their trailers on X for free in what's quickly become a trend.
I didn't have $1 million for a Game Awards Trailer so I'm posting my Survival-Horror game here instead for free! https://t.co/REkwr8iaDg pic.twitter.com/lHX9TmPAMsDecember 14, 2025
I didn't have $1 million for a Game Awards Trailer so I'm posting my Desktop Roguelike game here instead for free! https://t.co/RuZSqTuVk9 pic.twitter.com/GJxVknWCnuDecember 14, 2025
I didn't have $1 million for a Game Awards Trailer so I'm posting my ASCII 3D RPG game here instead for free! https://t.co/YQYYvDXwJV pic.twitter.com/1WQVTGHXuLDecember 16, 2025
The revelation of the hefty price Game Awards trailer screenings comes as indie devs were already feeling let down by the event. Most games nominated for awards this year were AAA titles, marking a notable imbalance with their share of the games market.
Although Clair Obscur Expedition 33's developer Sandfall Interactive is technically an independent studio, the size of its team, funds and its partnership with publisher Kepler Interactive mean it was hardly operating on most indie devs' budgets.
Some suggest there should be a system to grant free spots to indie devs. One proposal is a platform to host trailers where the community could vote on which ones make it to the show. Others suggest organising an alternative event for indie games at the same time as The Game Awards.
In the meantime, you might want to check out our own pick of the best-looking games announced at the Game Awards 2025.
