What you need to know
- GDC 2021 is coming, with three all-digital events spread out over the year.
- GDC 2021 will consist of a masterclass, free showcase and then the main weeklong event in July.
- The Independent Games Festival and Game Developers Choice Awards will also return in July.
GDC 2021 is on the way and will be a completely digital event. The announcement comes alongside the news that it'll be divided into three events, with each event being held online, in line with the plans for GDC 2021 that were shared a few months ago.
First up is a GDC Masterclass, which will be held on March 4 and 5, focusing on a series of workshops with training for developers from "some of the sharpest minds in the industry." Next will be a full GDC Showcase that's free for everyone and will be held March 15 to 19. Finally, GDC 2021 will be held as a "traditional" weeklong event from July 19 - 23. This is also when the Independent Games Festival and Game Developers Choice Awards will be held.
Last year, GDC 2020 was delayed after multiple companies pulled out from the physical event at the onset of the ongoing pandemic, with a digital conference held after being psuhed back later into the year.
GDC 2021 won't be alone as a digital showcase, with E3 2021 currently being planned as a digital event as well, though it's currently unclear which gaming publishers will be partaking in the event instead of holding their own separate streams. Summer Game Fest, led by Game Awards creator and host Geoff Keighley, is also returning this year however it will take a more compact form over the course of a month instead of a multi-month event.
