The Game Awards host and producer Geoff Keighley has announced that Gamescom Opening Night Live will be returning later this year. It will take place on August 24th and kicks off Gamescom 2021 with video game news, announcements and the odd “World Premiere” or two. As for the main show, it will have both physical and digital formats this year.
As a hybrid event, there will be an entertainment area for testing new games on-site (which will have a reduced number of visitors). Esport competitions and cosplay shows will take place in an event arena while a business arena will provide networking conditions for trade attendees. Gamescom Biz will also be introduced, providing an online B2B platform based on the DMEXCO @home concept.
Gamescom 2021 will run from August 25th to 29th with more information coming this Summer. Last year’s on-site event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and relegated to digital-only event. Vaccines are rolling out this year but it remains to be seen if the physical event will take place. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.