Gamescom 2020 Canceled, Digital Event Planned as Replacement

Gamescom as video game enthusiasts know it will not be taking place this year, but the event’s organizers are indeed planning on holding a digital event to make up for its absence that’ll showcase big games and announcements. News of the event’s cancellation comes after new regulations in Germany threatened Gamescom and other events by banning public events until the end of August, a timeframe which Gamescom fell under seeing how it was supposed to take place during that month. The digital event in the works appears to still be planned for August, given what was said in the statement.

The official statement about Gamescom 2020 was shared on Thursday through the event’s Twitter account. It’s been confirmed that the event definitely won’t take place on-site in Germany in response to the regulations put in place to counter the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s official: unfortunately, gamescom will under no circumstances take place on site in Cologne this year,” the statement read. “Just like many of you, we are disappointed, because, as the gamescom team, we have been working on a wonderful gamescom 2020 for months, just like the many exhibitors. However, it is also quite clear to us that, in the face of the corona pandemic, we must stand united. This means that we must all be considerate of each other and reduce the risk of infection.”

All is not lost for those who were looking forward to the largest gaming event in the world, however. Just as other companies are planning digital events to make up for the absence of their live events, the Gamescom organizers will look to hold something digitally in August.

“We are, however, already working at full speed on a digital gamescom,” the statement continued. “It is, after all, the world’s biggest event for games, and that’s what it should be again this year. You can already look forward to how we will celebrate the best games and gamescom together with you and millions of gamers worldwide at the end of August, even if it will only be digital and not on location this time. Because one thing is certain: this year too, gamescom is and will remain ‘The Heart of Gaming!’”

Gamescom will hopefully indeed have a digital event to replace the traditional plans, but as those who’ve been keeping up with these sorts of events will recall, there was also a digital replacement planned for E3 that’s now been scrapped.