05/05/21
Earlier this year event organizers Koelnmesse stated that Gamescom 2021 would be a hybrid event with presentations online as well as a physical “entertainment area” for punters to play the latest games.
While the pandemic is somewhat under control here in the UK Europe is still having a tough time with Germany currently reporting over 24,000 new cases every day. With numbers like that it was inevitable that Gamescom 2021 would go all digital, and that has now been confirmed.
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NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER! #gamescom2021 goes digital! Ready for an adventure? ➡️ gamescom epix will lead you on a special quest Back again: gamescom: Opening Night Live with @geoffkeighley and our awesome shows. Statement: https://t.co/kV25mQWAJTpic.twitter.com/qBM5qiE8AP
2020 saw many of the industries biggest events either get cancelled outright, or translated into a digital format, due to the global pandemic
caused by COVID-19. Despite many advances in moving towards combating the virus, it would seem many event organisers are not yet ready to risk in-person events. Such is the case with Gamescom, which will once again host an all-digital event in 2021.
Making the announcement in a press release, they revealed “The German Games Industry Association have decided to hold gamescom 2021 as an all-digital event. This decision was made after extensive discussions with partners and exhibitors. Thus, the organizers take into account the current situation, in which too many companies are unable to participate in physical events this year due to the still difficult development.”
Canada's own Geoff Keighley will once again return to produce the German gaming event's Opening Night Live show, which will feature a variety of game reveals and other announcements.
Gamescom 2021 is Returning to an All-Digital Format After Promising a “Hybrid” Show May 5, 2021 14:10 EDT
Earlier this year, with the tide seemingly turning against COVID-19 thanks to vaccines, Gamescom announced that this year’s show would be a “hybrid” event featuring both online presentations and the return of a limited number of on-site visitors at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany. Some felt Gamescom was perhaps getting ahead of themselves, and it seems they were right, as it’s now been announced the event will be returning to an all-digital format.
Ultimately, it seems the crucial issue isn’t so much the live fans, as the publishers themselves, as there was uncertainty whether some would be able to attend given the return of lockdowns in many parts of the world.