Het coronavirus heeft ervoor gezorgd dat grote bijeenkomsten in de meeste landen verboden zijn of worden geannuleerd, en nu zal ook Gamescom dit jaar zijn deuren niet meer kunnen opendoen. Althans, toch niet fysiek, want de organisatie kondigt aan dat de gamebeurs 'zeker digitaal zal doorgaan'. Net zoals in België heeft de Duitse regering gisteren beslist om op z'n minst tot eind augustus geen massa-bijeenkomsten te laten plaatsvinden. De beurs stond gepland voor 26 tot 29 augustus in Keulen.
Veel wil de organisatie nog niet kwijt, al beloven ze wil om binnenkort met meer informatie te komen over de 2020-editie. Vermoedelijk zullen we aankondigingen en nieuwe gameplay en trailers in online presentaties voorgeschoteld krijgen. Bezoekers die al een ticket hebben aangekocht krijgen een terugbetaling.
❗ Even though not all details are known at present, the nationwide ban on major events until the end of August will also affect the planning for #gamescom2020. Furthermore: gamescom 2020 will definitely take place digitally! We will provide further information shortly. ❗
— gamescom (@gamescom) April 15, 2020
Update 16-4-2020 20:30
We kregen zojuist een statement binnen van de organisatie van Gamescom:
The nationwide ban on major events until 31 August announced yesterday by the German government and states has direct consequences for hosting gamescom 2020 at the Cologne fair grounds. This means that a business or entertainment area in the previous format will not be possible this year. That does not change the fact that gamescom will definitely take place digitally. In addition to established formats such as gamescom: Opening Night Live and gamescom now, we are currently working intensively on the expansion of these offerings and introducing additional modules. In light of yesterday’s decision to suspend all major events until the end of August, the devcom developer conference will also be held exclusively in digital form. The first concrete information regarding digital gamescom 2020 will be announced in mid-May. However, the organizers ensure that visitors will receive a refund for already paid tickets and exhibitors will be reimbursed in full for payments made to Koelnmesse. Further information on the handling of ticket and booking refunds will be made available in the coming weeks.
Oliver Frese, Managing Director of Koelnmesse GmbH: “As the organizer, this decision is as painful for us as for the half million gamescom fans who come to Cologne every year to celebrate games together. However, we are looking forward to the digital gamescom 2020.”
Felix Falk, Managing Director of game – the association of the German games industry: “Even though we unfortunately will not be able to come together with the games community and industry on site in Cologne this year, we’ll still celebrate the latest games with each other digitally at the end of August. That is why we are working at full speed together with our partners on the further development of gamescom: Opening Night Live and gamescom now, and will be presenting new and exciting digital formats. Our goal is clear: this year, gamescom will once again be ‘The Heart of Gaming’ for millions of fans throughout the world.”
Bron: Gamescom
