© Provided by Dot Esports Despite initial plans to run as a hybrid online, on-site event, gamescom 2021 will now be held exclusively online.
The German Games Industry Association made this decision following "extensive discussions" with its gamescom partners and exhibitors. The event will now pivot to being a digital event available free of charge in August for all fans.
"Even though the hybrid concept was very well received by the partners, we had to recognize that gamescom still comes too early for many companies in the industry due to the required planning reliability," said Oliver Frese, chief operating officer of Koelnmesse. "That's why we're going for a purely digital gamescom again this year and, with sufficient lead time, will be able to offer the gaming community an even stronger online event at the end of August 2021."
With this decision, the gamescom team will look to build on the success of 2020's online event, starting with Opening Night Live with Geoff Keighley on Aug. 25 and ending on Aug. 27. A full lineup of highlights, promotions, and additional programming will run on the weekend, too.
Gamescom's developer conference, devcom, is also transitioning to a full digital schedule that will connect different sectors of the games industry, with the focus switching between content, business, and more over the course of a week. The gamescom congress will run on Aug. 26 and will touch on the "social, economic, and cultural potential of games."
You can learn more about all of gamescom's digital offerings on the event's official website, along with a full schedule and information about the business portions of the event. More information will also be shared in the coming weeks.
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