NoClip, the online gaming documentary company, has released a new and exclusive interview with Geoff Keighley, famed gaming journalist and founder of The Game Awards. The 8-minute video delves into why Keighley created the Game Awards and what he is aiming for with the annual show. It also gives fans some very interesting backstory covering how Keighley got started with the idea in the 80s and 90s.
Why Geoff Keighley Set Up the Game Awards
The 2018 Game Awards were the largest and most successful iteration of the event ever held. Indeed, it was certainly one of the largest gaming events of the year. The show was also utilised by a number of gaming studios to announce new projects or show off trailers; something which certainly served to bolster its visibility among gamers. The event also featured an orchestra led by Lorne Balfe, the noted composer and Game Awards Musical Director. You can read our recent interview with Balfe here.
As the documentary interview explains, Keighley has been involved with gaming award shows since their very earliest iterations. The idea seems to have stuck with him, even as those early attempts failed to make a lasting impact. Now, with the Game Awards, he appears to be getting close to where he wants the show to be. He even says, with just a little humour, that the 2019 Game Awards could be bigger than the Oscars. While that might seem a silly statement at first glance, it certainly isn’t.
The enormous success of the 2018 Game Awards is likely to draw more attention from fans, studios, and advertisers for 2019; serving to grow the event even more. The Oscars does have a deeply ingrained place in our entertainment culture, one that’s hard to compete with. However, the gaming industry exceeded the size and financial revenue of the film industry several years ago. Indeed, it continues to outpace it more and more with each passing year. With an awards show produced as professionally as it now is, and a growing audience, the Game Awards certainly has the opportunity to expand at a rapid pace indeed.