The Game Awards will beef up security to prevent stage-crashers this year: ‘That’s top of mind for us,’ Geoff Keighley says

One of the more memorable moments in the 2022 Game Awards came courtesy of a kid who crashed FromSoftware’s acceptance of the Game of the Year award for Elden Ring. Don’t expect something similar to happen in 2023, though, as TGA founder and host Geoff Keighley said during a recent Q&A livestream that “we definitely have plans” for better security at this year’s event.

Last year’s stage-crasher was a bizarre prankster—he thanked his “Reformed Orthodox rabbi Bill Clinton” for the win—but ultimately harmless. A similar disturbance interrupted Gamescom Opening Night Live in August when two attendees rushed the stage and spoke into Keighley’s microphone “Bill Clinton wants to play GTA 6,” an apparent nod to the Game Awards stage-crasher.

But the ease with which these people infiltrated two major gaming events laid bare the fact that someone who isn’t harmless could do the same thing. Sadly in this day and age, that’s something organizers of public events like The Game Awards have to bear in mind.

“Yeah, we are,” Keighley said when asked if security would be beefed up this year to prevent stage crashers. “We don’t want to talk about that stuff too publicly, just because it’s security and we definitely have plans, and we’re trying to do all we can to keep me safe, but also everyone watching the show, in the audience, participating in the show and everything.

“So yeah, it’s something we’re certainly thinking about. We appreciate the concern. Believe me, that’s something that’s top of mind for us, but we also want to put on a great show that celebrates these games, and celebrates our love for videogames. So that’s an important thing to keep in mind as well. But I appreciate the concern around that.”

Nobody wants to see a ring of bouncers standing post around The Game Awards stage (unless they’re cosplaying the underappreciated Square Enix beat ’em up and PS2 launch title The Bouncer) but there will no doubt be people keeping an eye on the audience, and particularly those heading up on stage, as the show unfolds to ensure nobody makes any untoward moves. I would imagine there will be quite a bit more scrutiny of who gets into the show too, although that’s a bit trickier as tickets to the event were available to the general public.

The Game Awards 2023 takes place at 4:30 pm PT/7:30 pm ET on December 7, and will be livestreamed on Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, and various other streaming and social media outlets. We’ll be there in person as well, reporting on how the show unfolds. Voting is open now at thegameawards.com.