Gamescom 2021 Will Be a Hybrid Event, With In-Person and Digital Sections

Koelnmesse has announced that Gamescom 2021 will be a hybrid event, with in-person and digital sections. The team behind the huge European gaming show asked the community what they wanted from this year's event, using feedback to inform how the Cologne convention would take shape in 2021. "In addition to the digital aspects, the possibility of trying out the latest games on-site and diving into the gaming world form an integral part of Gamescom," the release reads. "This is why Gamescom 2021 is going to be staged as a hybrid event and thus unite the best of both worlds, physical and digital." Gamescom 2021 will take place from the 25th to the 29th of August 2021 and feature an entertainment area similar to previous years, albeit with "a reduced amount of on-site visitors," where attendees will be able to test new games on-site. This will be complemented by a "digital queue management system" to control crowds. There will also be an event area that offers space to host esports competitions and cosplay contests, as well as an expanded business area to provide trade visitors with "optimal networking conditions" under current conditions. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/27/gamescom-2020"] Gamescom's digital output will be "further developed" in tandem, with Koelnmesse looking to create "a central meeting point on the web for gaming fans all over the globe." Those exhibiting at the event will be able to "organize their participation flexibly," and Gamescom shows such as Opening Night Live will also return. The show is being built around a set of #B-SAFE4business construction, hygiene and social distancing measures to safeguard its attendees amid the COVID-19 pandemic. "In late summer, we are striving to make an on-site Gamescom event possible for the gaming fans again at last. We will hereby be placing a focus on the superfans and the on-site testing of the latest games this year," said Felix Falk, Co-Organizer of Gamescom. "At the same time, Gamescom 2021 will once again reach millions of people worldwide as a result of the further developed digital offers. The results of the community surveys confirm this concept, which we have developed in close cooperation with many of the most important exhibitors." Gamescom's approach is in contrast to E3 2021, which will be a digital-focused event, with a live event seemingly cancelled according to LA city documents. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.