Last year’s Game Developers Conference, such as most in-person game business events in 2020, was postponed, then converted into an online-only occasion , due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Together with the pandemic still raging, GDC has declared it will take”a fresh strategy” for 2021 using a set of online events which will run during the year.
“The new limitations around in-person parties and traveling additionally brought imagination, and we’ve been in a position to come up with new formats, and new approaches to supply content and community service during the entire year,” GDC overall director Katie Stern stated . “So, as Game Developers Conference celebrates its 35th edition this season, instead of pack everything into a week, we’re hosting a household of GDC events which will deliver high quality, curated articles in much more flexible and accessible manners on the web, in addition to designing events which play into the advantages of virtual conferences, such as more fluid media and matchmaking opportunities”
GDC Masterclass (March 4-5): A set of two-day small-group digital workshops which provide in-depth, hands-on instruction around a few of the most crucial challenges facing game developers now. These courses are a return to heavier, more extreme learnings which return into GDC’s roots and supply personalized feedback and practical expertise.
GDC Showcase (March 15-19): This initial exhibition occasion is a free-to-attend, all-digital occasion made to supply that the GDC community a opportunity to come together in March. The event will offer a flavor of exactly what GDC is about while researching a slightly new and different selection of formats and content including spotlight lectures, AMAs, interactive boards, reside podcasts, and much more.
GDC 2021 (July 19-23): While we did believe an in-house component this season, we’ve determined that it is important that our speakers, attendees and sponsors have the ability to plan ahead, to continue to be as secure as you can, and to devote our focus on delivering the very best possible GDC. As in a more customary calendar year, this year’s summit is going to be full of profound content created using our advisory board, an emphasis on community-buildingsocial media and parties that GDC is famous for. The awards will occur back-to-back as normal and will be livestreamed on the official GDC Twitch station .
The all-digital GDC program follows less than fourteen days supporting the Entertainment Software Association’s statement that E3 are also completely online this past year. Bizarrely, Penny Arcade is still holding on strategies for in-person events in 2021: PAX East is now scheduled to operate June 3-6 at Boston, even though organizers admit that is an”optimistic situation.”
Added GDC events are intended for the next half 2021,”to maintain the learning and media going throughout this age of what seems like continuous change.” More info on this will be shared once it is available.