The urging concerns that continue strangle society has drawn event organizers to think long and hard on what should be executed to avoid from more participants from spreading the COVID-19 ailment. Informa Tech for instance decided to postpone the Game Developers Conference to a later date assuming that the pandemic will have been properly contained by then. However, other orchestrators are looking to take other approaches on the matter.
According to a press release regarding this year’s summer-slated Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, the organizers for the European event is currently looking for digital alternatives to host the event. The venue for the show Koelnmesse and German Games Industry Association press on the matter telling that more information on the situation will be shared later on in May.
The organizer confirms that last year’s Opening Night Live show hosted by Game Awards host Geoff Keighley will be returning this year. Keighley went to Twitter to validate the show’s return.
“If an on-site event is possible, there will also be more information at that stage with regard to which changes need to be made in order to fully ensure the health of all visitors,” Game explains in the release. “This has been arranged with the largest exhibitors, therefore all gamescom plans are continuing at full speed.”
The organizers do press on the topic of potentially cancelling the entire event if the pandemic continues to push in that direction: stating that all attendees alongside exhibitors that will be visiting Gamescom can expect to be refunded. Again, the organizers clarify that more information is set to be shared later on in the approaching months on more specific questions.
Especially witnessing the catastrophic impact that the novel coronavirus has left on European nations this past month, it is for the betterment of the people that Game takes these precautionary steps to orchestrate a physical and digital alternative for Gamescom. While other events have ultimately cancelled its show, Gamescom is still fighting to keep its doors open in either offered aspect.
What do you think might fall into place for Gamescom later in 2020?
Gamescom is scheduled to commence in Cologne, Germany on August 25, 2020 and running until August 29, 2020.
Source: Gamescom
