While most of the video game industry’s biggest events for the year have now been cancelled or postponed, Game Developers Conference was one of the very first. The conference would have kicked-off on March 16th, but the growing threat of the coronavirus pandemic resulted in a postponement from the event’s organizers, Informa Tech. The pandemic is still very much on the forefront of everyone’s minds, but Informa Tech has officially rescheduled the event. GDC Summer will be held August 4-6 at Moscone Center in San Francisco. It remains to be seen what COVID-19’s status will be during that time, but Informa Tech has stated that they will continue to monitor the situation until then.
According to the event’s organizers, GDC Summer attendees can expect something similar to the traditional GDC format. Attendees should not expect to see the Game Developers Choice Awards, however. While those were initially set to occur during the show, the awards shifted to an online format, which aired on March 18th.
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Interestingly enough GDC Summer’s proposed date will place it directly following another industry event, EVO 2020. The fighting game tournament is set to begin July 31st and run through August 2nd, though that event’s organizers have also stated that they will be monitoring the global situation before making a final decision. Still, if both events do take place, it could be a very interesting week for video game fans!
GDC organizers plan new 3-day GDC Summer event for August https://t.co/WaXbdNRnDC
— Official_GDC (@Official_GDC) March 19, 2020
GDC has been an ongoing part of the video game industry since 1988. During that time span, the 2020 conference was the first to ever be fully postponed. While events such as E3 focus more on the spectacle of gaming, GDC has always focused more on the development side of the video game industry, through a number of roundtables, talks, and more. According to Informa Tech, GDC Summer will retain these elements, and will also include tips for pitching video game concepts, how to find a publisher, and more. For up-and-coming developers and those interested in the industry as a whole, GDC Summer could prove to be a great way to celebrate gaming.
Are you happy to see GDC rescheduled for this summer? Are you considering attending the conference? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!
