Gamescom 2021 will be returning this August as an all-digital event set to highlight and celebrate some of the biggest recent and upcoming titles in the gaming industry. There are already some major developers and publishers confirmed to be in attendance, as revealed recently through a list provided by event organizers. Given there's still over a month until Gamescom kicks off, it's likely that more attendees will be announced moving forward as well.
Gamescom, which is typically held in Germany, is widely considered to be the European equivalent of the E3 conference - and similarly to E3 and other major gaming events like EA Play Live, Gamescom will be going fully digital this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While organizers were initially planning to host an in-person event alongside its digital presentations earlier this spring, this plan was scrapped later in May, stating that too many difficulties were arising due to partner companies being unable to attend a physical presentation. Instead, Gamescom 2021 will be free to attend virtually from August 25 to August 27. Opening Night Live will be returning this year as well, hosted once again by Geoff Keighley.
The event also went digital in 2020, but despite that was still largely considered a major success. Several highly anticipated games were showcased at Gamescom 2020, including the then-unreleased Cyberpunk 2077 which won five awards as well as the event's top Best of Gamescom prize. Trailers, gameplay, and release dates of other upcoming titles were also featured. Many of last year's Gamescom partners were recently confirmed to be attending the 2021 event, meaning that it seems likely that some of 2021's most anticipated releases will see some time in the spotlight this August.
Gamescom 2021 Attendees As Of July 15
The current list of partners was posted on the official Gamescom website early on July 15, and confirms the participation of the following companies:
- 505 Games
- Activision
- Aerosoft
- Assemble Entertainment
- astragon Entertainment
- BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment
- Bethesda Softworks
- Electronic Arts
- GAMEVIL COM2US Europe
- Headup
- Indie Arena Booth
- Koch Media
- NExT Studios (Tencent Games)
- SEGA Europe
- Team17
- Thunderful Games
- Ubisoft
- Wargaming
- Xbox
The post also discussed this year's Gamescom theme more in depth. The focus on "Games: The New Normal" will aim to showcase the potential of video games in a world that's steadily becoming more digital and networked. Emphasis will also be placed on live streaming and affordable and free video games in an effort to highlight the importance of accessible gaming. The above creators will evidently be joined by around 80 indie titles at Gamescom's Indie Arena Booth Online, the official lineup of which will be released later this July. As it grows closer to the official start of Gamescom 2021 this August, it's probable that more attendees will be announced in preparation for what organizers are hoping will be one of gaming's biggest events of the year.