Multiple gaming events were either canceled or delayed due to the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak. One of them was the Game Developers Conference that was originally scheduled to take place this week, but was unfortunately delayed. The organizers have now decided on a new date for the event. The event will take place on August 4 and is now called GDC Summer. However, some of the GDC events have already occurred via livestream.
GDC organizers claimed that the new event will have “expert-led talks” along with a two-day expo show floor which will take place between August 5 and August 6. The event will still take place in San Francisco at the Moscone Convention Center unless something major changes.
"Safety remains the GDC organizers’ paramount concern and the GDC team will continue to monitor the latest information from health officials to ensure a safe and compelling event for everyone at GDC Summer," GDC's organizers said in a press release.
Not to be a pessimist, but I think that the new date might be changed again. If things do not get better over the next few months then the new event will probably be canceled again. San Francisco, where the event is supposed to take place, is currently in complete lockdown.
Covid-19 has become a major issue for the entire world for a while now. Multiple industries have been affected by it, including the gaming industry. E3 2020, along with many esports tournaments, has been canceled. Several companies like Ubisoft, CD Projekt, Rockstar and Nvidia have told their employees to work from home. If the virus is not controlled, things could get worse. You can learn more about the virus on the official CDC and World Health Organization websites.
So what do you think? Are you interested in GDC Summer? Do you think that organizers should wait even longer before announcing new dates? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
