The Coronavirus might have changed a lot of plans for this year’s gaming events, but that doesn’t mean all is just canceled. The German organizers of the annual Gamescom have announced that they will be holding an unprecedented large digital event between August 27th-30th.
E3 may still be the gaming event of the year for most gamers but the truth is, the popularity of the show has been declining sharply over the past years. With more and more large platform holders like Nintendo and Sony significantly scaling down their presence there, the digital revolution started getting a massive boost.
Add on to that trend this year’s Coronavirus pandemic and you have a recipe for a never-before-seen shift towards digital shows. Many online events have already been announced by Microsoft, Ubisoft, and many more. But E3 simply got canceled with no substitution.
As such, E3’s largest competitor, Gamescom is seizing the moment by announcing a digital event for this August. Gamers can look forward to a four-day marathon of game premiers, news, awards, and more between August 27th-30th. In a press release, the organizers of the event have detailed that the first digital-only Gamescom will consist of four pillars.
Opening Night Live with Geoff Keighley, one of the widest-reaching gaming shows worldwide last year, will kick off Gamescom 2020 on August 27.
In addition, other formats will be produced this year such as the first-ever Awesome Indies. In this surprising show, you will get to hear all the important announcements and news about the most anticipated indie titles.
Also new is the Daily Show, which will talk about and expand on the highlights from its own formats as well as the shows and promotions of the gaming companies and partners on a daily basis. In the Gamescom studio, top developers will be interviewed and provide background information on the latest developments.
This year’s Gamescom will be topped off with the Best of Show. On August 30, this new format will close the event with a summary of this year’s Gamescom highlights and presentation of the Gamescom award.
