The Game Developers Conference is going hybrid for 2021 with an in-person gathering taking place in July alongside a digital event. GDC is one of the industry's staple conferences, which normally takes place in San Francisco during the spring. Whereas most video game conferences are fan-centric festivals, the Game Developers Conference is uniquely focused on the industry and is a place for game creators and other business insiders to network, make deals, and examine industry trends.
This year’s typical schedule for gaming events has been disrupted, to put it mildly, by the global coronavirus pandemic. Suddenly, industry tent-pole shows like E3 and PAX posed a huge health threat and could not physically go forward, leaving their organizers scrambling for digital solutions. As one of the first of the major expos to be affected, GDC organizers optimistically rescheduled the March conference for a few months later in the summer, but it soon became apparent that the large physical gathering would need to transform into a virtual one.
The newsletter section of the GDC website reported the plans to put on a hybrid event in 2021 saying the organizers, “are excited to offer a choice of attendance options and possibilities for GDC going forward, and the 2021 event will be the inaugural roll-out of this format.” The second half of the quote certainly suggests that, should this half-digital conference be successful, the GDC may be in for a permanent update. The post also announces a set of virtual courses coming later this year and a week-long community celebration stream starting March 1st, 2021. March would have been the typical time slot for GDC, but the show is now scheduled to commence July 19th and run through July 23rd next year.
Of course, the Game Developers Conference is not the only show of note to go digital in 2021. The Consumer Electronics Show announced its switch from a physical to an online format just a few weeks ago, citing concerns for public safety. And even as far back as April, reports began to emerge that Microsoft might be adjusting its 2021 schedule to account for COVID-19, possibly making both internal and external events digital until July of next year.
While fans and industry insiders alike would love to see the great gaming expos return next year, it remains to be seen whether that is even a possibility. The Game Developers Conference is walking a tightrope by planning an in-person conference, but the organizers have a built-in safety net as the digital portion of the show could be expanded if needed. It's possible conference-goers will have to wait longer than a year until it's irrefutably safe to attend another big show. Right now, it's impossible to know what another year of all-digital events will mean for the industry. Will conferences die out completely? Will the accessibility of the internet bring in more viewers than traditional hands-on shows, making them more popular than ever? The answers will only start to materialize over the coming years once the dust settles.
Source: GDC