Everybody's favorite blue hedgehog has been having a good few years thanks to the success of the Sonic the Hedgehog films and the excitement surrounding the upcoming Sonic Superstars game. Sega recently launched a campaign, called Fast Friends Forever, to celebrate the millions of fans the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise has amassed over the decades.

The campaign has kicked off with a promotional video, as well as the launch of a website where fans can expect updates. ??Fast Friends Forever will last "all year long with a variety of events and activations."

[caption id="attachment_396029" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Sega.[/caption]

Sonic and his pals

The Fast Friends Forever site currently promotes a few Sonic-related events. It announces the opening of an official Sonic-themed restaurant in? San Diego on August 20. Here, you can enjoy "Sonic's classic chi?li dogs, Knuckle sandwiches, Blue Blur slushies, Golden Rings, and more."

Music has always been an integral part of the Sonic franchise, and Sega has previously celebrated the series with beautiful orchestral recreations of Sonic soundtracks. As the?? Fast Friends Forever site reveals, The Sonic Symphony Tour will kick off on September 16 in London before heading to several cities including Los Angeles, Boston, Paris, and more.

//youtu.be/RMHLBPGouwc

As part of the campaign, a series of Fast Friends Forever digital comics is planned. These comics have?? been created by fans from around the world, and the first one, titled "Live Without Regrets!", is already available. Created by Ian Jones-Quartey, th??e comic features Tails and Sonic, and it tells a story about never giving up.

//twitter.com/sonic_hedg??ehog/status/1689310641897750528?s=46&t=S0QbrEQa7rSHobLwyn8t0Q

Though plenty of franchises have loyal and dedicated fan bases, Sonic is a little different, as the community has been particularly motivated to create tons of fan-made projects. The focus on friendship is relevant because, as the site highlights,?? Sonic "knows the importance of friendship, teamwork, inspiration, and loyalty." This has been demonstrated throughout the franchise, with Sonic becoming great friends with Tails, Amy Rose, and even Knuckles who initially appears ??as a rival.

Sonic fans also have Sonic Superstars to look forward to. The upcoming game seeks to capture the fun of the classic Sonic games, but it ditches the pixel art style of Sonic Mania. It is set to l?aunch on October 17 on PC, Switch, PlayStat??ion, and Xbox.

The post Sega launches Fast Fr??iends Forever campaign to celebrate Sonic community appeared first on Destructoid.

First time at European expo in four years

Nintendo has revealed that it will be in attendance for this year's Gamescom, which is scheduled to take place in Germany in August �As confirmed by Koelnmesse and The German Games Industry Association, The House of Mario will make its return at the annual event, marking the first time in four years that the publisher has made the trip to th??e European expo.

"We are excited to announce that Nintendo will be exhibiting at Gamescom 2023," said the event's organizers on Twitter. "Many more exhib?itors will follow in the com?ing weeks. Stay tuned!"

Nintendo's attendance comes as something of a surprise as the publisher has not only shied away from exhibiting at industry events in recent years, but will have also already launched its biggest titles (that we know of) for 2023 �namely Metroid Prime Remastered, Fire Emblem Engage, and the incoming Pikmin 4, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. ??One might assume that the publisher simply wishes to further p??romote these releases.

//twit?ter.com/gamescom/st?atus/1651179325167906816?s=20

But, perhaps Nintendo has a surprise or two up its sleeve �Gamescom 2023 will, as always, premiere with Geoff Keighley's "Opening Night Live" streaming event which, in the wake of E3's struggles, has become the de-facto summer streaming event for major updates and announcements. Will Nintendo have something to showcase during this live stream? Right now, it's a dice roll, but seeing t?he publisher actually leave its offices for once is definitely a curious situation.

Gamescom 2023 will take place at Koelnmesse, Germany between A??ugust 22-27. Opening N?ight Live will take place on the evening of August 22.

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'The same old shit is still happening'

[Update: A GDC spokesperson reached out to Eurogamer with a statement regarding the abuse reports of the past few days??.

"We are very upset to hear that some people, especially women, reported concerning experiences during the GDC week at off-site events, including assault and drink spiking. This is outrageous and unacceptable; everyone has a right to feel safe. We severely condemn any such behavior and support the victims; we encourage reporting to the police and hop?e the perpetrators will be found.

"At the GDC event, we take everyone's safety very seriously, we do our best to? provide a secure?? environment on-site, we enforce a strict code of conduct and make sure that the GDC team is available to help participants contact venue security or local law enforcement, to provide escorts, or to otherwise assist those experiencing unacceptable behavior to feel safe for the duration of the conference."

Original Article:

Last week saw the annual Game Developers Conference (GDC) take place in San Francisco �Unfortunately, in the closing days of the event, multiple attendees came forward re?porting incidents of abuse, assault, harassment, and drink-spiking that took place either during, or at events related to, the week's conference.

"Women at GDC this year have been belittled and undermined in their roles, been hit on relentlessly, and had their drinks spiked by predatory men," reported game developer Leena van Deventer on Twi?tter. "Two women were even lured up to a hotel room by a man in a position of power for a 'pi?tch', where he then assaulted them."

"It’s gutting to thud back to earth w?hen hearing these things. They shouldn’t happen. This year we shared their photos in group chats, though. And we strategised redress. And we reached out to the women to provide care. We’re better at being kind than you are at ?being a deadshit."

"Get the hell out of our industry."

//twitter.com/LeenaVa??n?D/status/1639347400249864193?s=20

Van Deventer's comments came the same day that Stride PR Vice-President Guy Blomberg confirmed that they had received multiple reports of serial drink-spi?king that took place at a karaoke night held in relation to the conferenc??e. Blomberg says "multiple folks" had their drinks tampered with at the event.

"Thankfully they had friends who looked after them and they're ok, all things considered," wrote Blomberg on Twitter. "I'm so very sorry they had to go through such a horrifying experience, it's absolutely not their fault, and we're already in the process of tracking down the fucki?ng scumbag who did this."

"I'm furious this not only happened, but that it tends to happen so frequently that it's become almost commonplace.?? It's NOT fucking ok or acceptable. We ar??e doing everything we can to work with the venue, look through security footage, and reach out to various people. "

//tw??itter.com/YugSTAR/status/1639706520052027396?s=??20

In addition to the inci??dents noted above, other attendees reported a t??rend in typically misogynistic behavior �including comments on appearance, inappropriate touching, or passive-aggressive prodding and questioning over the validity of their roles within the industry. (Links to these reports not supplied to protect accusers).

"This is where games has yet to find the maturity of measures needed to protect our own," summarised one attendee. "This isn't a one-off. This is continuous, growing and being allowed to do so [...] As a Director of a AAA Game Studio, I do not feel safe in attending. I want to feel safe. What do you need??? Who do you want consultancy from? Let's not be humble anymore."

"People are in da?nger and?? that fucks me right off."

The Games and Online Harassment Hotline issued a statement in response to the reports.

"Every year, there are stories about groping, drugging, harassment, and even more stories of countless attempts to create opportunities for assault at ga?mes industry events like [GDC 2023], begins the statement. "It's heartbreaking and infuriating that this feels so normalized. [..?.] It wasn't okay; it was never okay. Ho??wever you feel about it—angry, resigned, depressed, scared, numb—is real and right. If you want to talk, the Games and Online Harassment Hotline is here?? for you."

You can reach the support group by texting SUPPORT to 23368.

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(Speed) Running Up That Hill

The Games Done Quick (GDQ) team has released a jam-packed schedule for its next speedrunning event, AGDQ 2023 �Onc?e again, the fastest fingers in gaming will be gathering online to lay waste to a wide variety of new, classic, and debuting games, from a variety of ?genres, and all for a worthwhile cause.

While GDQ had planned to host the AGDQ 2023 extravaganza in a physical capacity, the team decided that Florida does not currently provide a safe enough environment, (from a social or COVID-19-related standpoint), for such a community gathering. As explained on the official GDQ Twitter, the cancellation of the Floridian venue has left the organizer out of pocket, an?d thus requires the event to now be held in an ??online capacity.

AGDQ 2023 will be held live, on Twitch, from Sunday, January 8 through Sunday, Jan??uary 15.

?//twitter.com/GamesDoneQuick/status/1567558908948135937?s=20&t=xCJ0JLRkstUGq?mmHkilEFA

Viewers jumping online over the course of the week can expect to see an array of speed runs, challenges, and time trials across hundreds of great (and not-so-great) titles. These modern and classic Nintendo releases such as Splatoon 3, Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Metroid Prime 1 & 2, to recent PlayStation, Xbox, and PC hits including Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Neon White, Dark Souls II, Cult of the Lamb, and Capcom's Resident Evil 7.

Of course, there will be a metric ton of retro action also on offer, so be sure to tune in for runs on Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers, Vampire Night, Ax Battler, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, and Gunstar Heroes, as well as a bevy of releases from the Sonic the Hedgehog, Metal Gear Solid, Castlevania, and Mega Man franchises. Check out the full AGDQ 2023 schedule, adjusted for your time zone, right here!

The audience will be able to vote for bonus games, character names, and speedrun options, while entering competitions and giveaways. Once again, all proceeds and donations will go directly to AGDQ's chosen charity, the Prevent Cancer Foundation. Founded in 1985, this non-profit organization continues unceasingly in its efforts to research and fund life-saving developments in the curing and prevention of cancer in the worldwide populace. You can read more about the organization's tireless mission on the official website.

AGDQ 2023 takes place online January 8-15.

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It Takes Two and Ratchet & Clank also at the winners' table

This weekend saw the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) host its annual awards ceremony, The IGDA Global Industry Game Awards. The event recognizes some of the best titles?? in recent memory, with a keen focus on the mechanics, technical prowess, and use of new and upcoming technology to create titles that are as respected by developers as they are by button-mashing players.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBal-P2BT4Y

While many titles were featured in the 2022 edition of the IGDA Game Awards, several titles, in particular, walked away with armfuls of gongs. The biggest winner was Arkane's time-warping shooter Deathloop, which bagged itself a very impressive 13 awards across numerous categories. This was closely followed by Electronic Arts' co-op adventure and frequent GOTY winner It Takes Two, which would go home carrying 10 trophies.

Among the other big winners were Housemarque's excellent PS5 blaster Returnal, and Insomniac Games' cartoonish adventure Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, both of which masterfully used the fledgling PS5 infrastructure to create ambitious titles with dazzling visua??ls, epic locations, and exciting, cinematic gameplay. On the indie front, newcomer Double Loop Games won the awards for Upcoming Indie Studio and Workplac??e Diversity and Inclusivity.

You can check out the full list of winners from the 2022 IGDA Global Industry Game Awards below.

Art

• 2D Animation â€?Unpacking by Witch Beam
• 2D Character Design â€?Boyfriend Dungeon by Kitfox
• 2D Environment Art â€?Unpacking by Witch Beam
• 3D Animation â€?em> It Takes Two by Hazelight Studios
• 3D Character Design â€?It Takes Two by Hazelight Studios
• 3D Environment Art â€?Deathloop by Arkane
• Cinematography â€?Life is Strange: True Colors by Deck Nine
• UI Art â€?em> Deathloop by Arkane
• VFX â€?Returnal by Housemarque

Audio

• Music Composition â€?Deathloop by Arkane
• Sound Design â€?Returnal by Housemarque
• Voice Acting â€?Deathloop by Arkane

Design

• Accessibility Innovation â€?Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart by Insomniac Games
• Gameplay Design â€?It Takes Two by Hazelight Studios
• Level Design â€?It Takes Two by Hazelight Studios
• Systems Design â€?Deathloop by Arkane
• UI/UX â€?em> Deathloop by Arkane

Engineering/Technology

• Achievements in New Technology â€?Returnal by Housemarque
• AI â€?Returnal by Housemarque
• Audio Technology â€?Deathloop by Arkane
• Engine Technology â€?Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart by Insomniac Games
• Gameplay Technology â€?Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart by Insomniac Games
• Graphics Technology â€?Forza Horizon 5 by Playground Games
• Networking Technology â€?Valheim by Iron Gate AB & It Takes Two by Hazelight
• Systems Technology â€?Deathloop by Arkane

Support

• Community Management â€?It Takes Two by Hazelight Studios
• Customer Support â€?em> It Takes Two by Hazelight Studios
• Marketing â€?Deathloop by Arkane
• Production/Management â€?em> Deathloop by Arkane
• Quality Assurance â€?Deathloop by Arkane
• Research & Analytics â€?Deathloop by Arkane

Writing/Narrative

• Dialogue â€?It Takes Two by Hazelight Studios
• Narrative Design â€?It Takes Two by Hazelight Studios
• Story â€?em> It Takes Two by Hazelight Studios
• World Building â€?Returnal by Housemarque

Miscellaneous

• Representation â€?Deathloop by Arkane
• Upcoming Indie â€?Double Loop Games
• Workplace Diversity and Inclusivity â€?Double Loop Games
• Trust/Safety â€?Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker by Square Enix

The post Dea??thloop, Returnal score big at the 2022 IGDA Game Awards appeared first on Destructoid.

Geoff's Big Bash returns

As we hit October and the nights grow colder, we already begin the countdown to this year's GOTY season, as video game fans the world over pick over their favorite titles, to ascertain which games represented the crowning achievements of good tech and good times in 2022. And, of course, it wouldn't be the GOTY season without the coming of Geoff Keighley's big-ass extreme bash: The Game Awards.

This year, ticket-buying members of the public will be able to purchase entry to the live event. This marks the first time the public is allowed entry to the event, having been understandably being barred from attending since the onset of COVID-19. For the 2022 event, however, we mere peasants will be al??lowed to rub shoulders with the game industry's great and good, (there are some, honestly), to enjoy a few hours of live performances, trophy handouts, and trailer, after trailer, after trailer �no doubt rounded out with a 20-second video from Hideo Kojima.

So, if you fancy heading to Los Angeles for this year's event to see Elden Ring win everything, then keep your eyes glued to both Geoff Keighley's Twitter, and the Microsoft Theater website. Tickets will go on sale on November 1, though the price for entry is yet to be been announced. Be sure to iron your T-shirt ?with a tuxedo drawn on it, and don't forget to bring your wheelie shoes and invisible dog leash??. We'll make them sorry that they ever re-opened the doors to the little people.

The Game Awards 2022 will take place December 8 at Microsoft Theater, Los Angel??es.

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Xbox signs up for Europe's biggest gaming event

Xbox has confirmed that it will be in attendance for Gamescom?? 2022, which is scheduled to take place in Germany next month. The industry giant ?is expected to offer up further information regarding its upcoming hardware and software plans, focusing on the next wave of releases for the Xbox Series X platform.

"Following our recent Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase, we’re excited to confirm that Xbox will be back on the show floor at Gamescom 2022 in Cologne, Germany," wrote the company in this morning's press release. "Fans in Europe and around the world can expect updates on some announced ga?mes coming to Xbox in the next 12 months."

As noted, Gamescom 2022 w?ill see the industry event return in a live capacity for the first time in two years, since the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forced the trade show to shift to an online model. Returning to its regular stomping ground of the Koelnmesse center in Cologne, Germany, Gamescom 2022 will offer attendees the opportunity to check out hundreds of upcoming releases on a multitude of platforms. Geoff Keighley will? once again host an "Opening Night Live" stream to kick off the event.

While Xbox will be appearing on the show floor, both PlayStation and Nintendo have already confirmed that they will not be hosting booths at this year's event. Since the pandemic shifted t??he balance of marketing mechanics, many publishers have chosen to highlight their products through their own channels, utilizing live streams and smaller, more localized events to demonstrate their upcoming releases.

Gamescom 2022 will take place in Cologne, Germany from August 24-28. You can find out more details about the hybrid event and its range of in-person and online activities over on the official website.

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Something to look forward to

E3 was already struggling before the pandemic hit, so its gradual departure over the past few years seemed to be a long time coming. While it may not have taken anyone by surprise, it was still pretty sad to see an event that had become such a staple of the gaming industry close its doors indefinitely. We've had plenty of other news streams to keep us busy, but it just hasn't quite been the same. So naturally, we're pretty excited to hear from the Entertainment Software Association (the organization that runs E3) that the event will be back fully in person in 2023 after three years, as they told The Washington Post.

As ESA?? president and CEO Stan Pier??re-Louis told the site: "We’re excited about coming back in 2023 with both a digital and an in-person event. As much as we love these digital events, and as much as they reach people and we want that global reach, we also know that there’s a really strong desire for people to convene—to be able to connect in person and see each other and talk about what makes games great."

E3 had already been in a transition period before the pandemic hit �the event had been struggling with attendance and its own identity for years. They were making big changes, like allowing fans to attend what was previously a trade-only event in?? 2015, but even that wasn't enough to keep them afloat with many of the large companies opting for their ?own solo press conferences.

While it can be a lot of fun to have one huge event to look forward to every year, some have considered the be?ne??fits of sunsetting E3 for good, like more games being able to stand out when the press is paced more evenly throughout the year, rather than being dumped on us all at once.

As an LA local, I'd love to be able to go in person again for E??3 2023, but I know for others it's not that simple. I guess now it's just a waiting game to see if the ESA actually pulls through on this one.

The post The ESA say??s that E3 will definitely be back in person next year appeared first on Destructoid.

Over 30 major companies in attendance

And with the arrival of June, comes the road to E3 �or, as we call it these days, "Geoff Kei??ghley and his mates advertizin' stuff." With yet another absence form filled in by the Electronic Entertainment Expo, the spotlight falls on the Summer Game Fest, a seemingly endless showcase of publisher wares that will roll out over those hot summer nights.

Yesterday, Mr. Keighley got the hype machine in gear with a brand new post on Twitter, spotlighting 30 of the larger partner companies that will be taking part in this year's event. The w??hole gang is present and accounted for, with a who's who list that includes 2K Games, Bandai Namco, Capcom, Bloober Team, Act?ivision Blizzard, Sega, Square Enix, Skybound, Devolver Digital, Dotemu, Epic Games, and many, many more. In fact, there are very few major publishers not featured in the splash image... save, of course, for Nintendo �notoriously standoffish when it comes to playing with others.

The core of the Summer Game Fest showcase is set to take place be??tween Ju??ne 9-12, via a selection of live streams, online presentations, social media reveals, and exceedingly long days for your friends at Destructoid and other gaming outlets. This will not suffice, however, as players can expect news, reveals, trailers, and other surprises throughout the summer months.

The action kicks off tomorrow, June 2, as Sony hosts its first State of Play stream of the new season. Be sure to tune in at 15:00 PT / 18:00 ET / 23:??00 BST for 30 minutes of news and headlines pertaining to all things PlayStation. Of course, over the course of this summe?r, we will be working tirelessly to bring you all of the pertinent details regarding all of the hottest scoops right here on Destructoid.

Who will survive and what will be left of them?

//twitter.com??/geoffkeighley/status/1531666856989237253?s=20&t=yHz5Bzozfw??Flvv6Sm52jjw

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PAX premiere for Marvelous' next big release

As we roll out of the cold, cold, winter, we find show season is already fast approaching. XSEED Games, along with its parent company Marvelous, is already getting in gear for the fi??rst big event of the year, PAX East 2022, which emanates from the Boston Convention & E??xhibition Center one week from today.

XSEED has offered up info on three of its biggest titles that will be on show at the trade event. First and foremost, day one of PAX East will see the unveiling of brand new title Deadcraft, a mysterious su?rvival adventure set within a post-apocalyptic society. Marvelous has kept details for this particular project under wraps for some months now, but attendees and viewers ??will be able to check out the intriguing new title in action as soon as PAX opens its doors.

//youtu.be/5tid917AfcM

Elsewhere at the show, Froach will also be showing off PC sequel Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories. This "story exploration" game will see the protagonist, melon factory worker Honeydew, explore the corrupt 'berg of Hog Town, where melons are outlawed. I swear, I'm just reading the blurb. Honeydew will meet new friends and enemies, confront the Cavity Crew... speak with the fearsome Kitten King... All set to... a jazzy, low-fi soundtrack... Look, let's just wait and see, shal??l we?

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq1B5qLpL0k

Voracious Games' deckbuilder Potionomics will also be on show, affording PAX attendees the opportunity to check out its fun-sounding blend of fantasy spe??ll brewing and entrepreneurial management. Potionomics will task players with creating the best and most effective mystical mixes, before using their savvy sales skills to corner the market on magic retail. Expected to launch this fall on PC, Potiono???mics looks to be a particularly unique take on the typical management sim.

Finally, XSEED will have its most recent release, Rune Factory 5, also in attendance on the PAX show floor. Available right now on Nintendo Switch, you can read more info about this latest entry in the long-running farming/life simulator in this review from our own CJ Andriessen.

PAX East 2022 will take plac????e at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center between April 21-24.

The post XSEED bringing Deadcraft, Rune?? Factory, Potionomics, and more to? PAX appeared first on Destructoid.

See ya next year, I hope

For decades, E3 has been one of the biggest opportunities for developers to show off their games to a massive audience. It's no secret, however, that the event has seen a steady decline in attendance over the years, and it already seemed like it was at death's door even a few years ago. Fans and developers alike thought that the pandemic would be the final nail in the coffin, and IGN has confirmed that both is �and isn't �??the case. What we do know for sure right now, though, is that the E3 event that was scheduled for summe??r 2022 has officially been canceled.

While E3 was also canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19, it made a return last year as a digital event only. T?he original plan was to have both an in-person and online event for 2022, but the ESA shared now they will be focusing their "energy and resources to delivering a revitalized physical and digital E3 experience next summer."

So, after two of the most tumultuous years in the event's history, its organizers have decided to take a step back, most likely to figur??e out how E3 will continue on in a media landscape that has changed drastically since the event's beginnings.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="960"] _{Nintendo's E3 2019 booth with Luigi's Mansion 3, Link's Awakening, and Pokemon Sword and Shield.}[/caption]

E3 is a longstanding symbol of the games industry �while there are plenty of other games showcases out there, the hype and community surrounding E3 will ?always be unique, especially as it was five to ten years ago.

Even so, some in the industry believe that decentralizing game announcements are a much better way of doing things, so that studios, publishers, and indie devs won't all be fighting to be heard in the tidal wave of news. Either way, we still have a big event to look forward to this summer, because Geoff Keighley quickly took to Twitter to remind us that he's hosting the Summer Game Fest again in June.

I for one will be looking forward to se??eing what a revamped version of E3 might look like, bu??t for now, we have plenty of other gaming events to look forward to.

//www.tiktok.com/@destructoid/video/70843277054239??57254?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7052788164067706373

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For realsies this time, honest

As we push toward the second quarter of 2022, industry folk are starting to lay out their plans for summer's extravaganzas. Europe's premier live event, Gamescom, has announced its intention to run a hybrid event for its next iteration, combining a live in-person event ??with a slew of online elements.

The live event, (assuming that it does go ahead this time), will see the Gamescom expo return to Koelnmesse in C??ologne, Germany for the first time in two years �the past two live shows having been cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Gamescom 2022 will take place in late-August, and will run for four days, with organizers assuring visitors that safety and hygiene protocols will be in place for those in attendance.

In addition, Gamescom is working with environmental concern ClimatePartner to promote a "Game??scomGoesGreen" campaign. This project will endeavor to see that the summer's event will be as "climate-friendly" as possible, offsetting the show's emissions and footprint with numerous green-themed side-activities. These will include teaming with planting group Treener to finance a major reforestation effort in Bayreuth, Germany, as well as numerous charity drives and collections, as well as free transport options within the vicinity of Koelnmesse.

For more details on Gamescom and the GamescomGoesGreen project, visit the official website. Gamescom 2022 will take place online and at Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany between August 24-28. The Opening Night L?ive st??ream will return August 23.

The post Gamescom 2022 to return as an online?/in-person hybrid event appeared first on Destructoid.

25 years of dread-burning adventure

This year sees the 25th anniversary of one of the most successful, stylish, and loved RPG franchises of all time, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona. Publisher Atlus has announced that it will be holding a special two-month li?ve exhibition to celebrate the birthday of its slick, stylish, and uber-melodramatic series.

Persona 25 FES, which will take place in Saitama, Japan between May 28 and July 10, will take over the Tokorozawa Sakura Town complex to showcase the fascinating worlds, characters, and demons that make up the Persona universe. The event will feature artwork pulled from the entire series, as well as recreations of some of its most famous locales, and incredible full-size statues of Persona 3's Thanatos, Persona 4's Izanagi, and Persona 5's Arsene.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=82ekgDPf0V8

Several stores and eateries, decorated in Persona-themed fashion, will be selling exclusive goodies and merchandise, while the local EJ Anime Hotel will see feature "collab rooms" with the Persona cast welcoming you in staff uniforms. If that wasn't enough, then a smartphone app will let visitors take on specially designed A.R. missions located around Sakura Town. It sounds like a neat couple of days for Japan-living Persona aficionados. I hope Ohya is found propping up the local bars.

Will we get an?y new announcements during the event? It'??s the hope that kills you.

Persona FES 25 kicks off at Tokorozawa Sakura Town, Saitama, Japan from May 28, additionally, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax launches on PS4, PC (Steam),??? and Nintendo Switch on May 17.

The post Persona 25 FES exhibition to celebrate JRPG series’ anniversary appeared first on Destructoid.

It Takes Two (trophies)

This past weekend saw The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hold the 2022 iteration of its annual DICE Awards, which recognizes technical, design, and narrative excellence in ??our wonderful world of video gaming. This year's event saw awards handed out to some of 2021's biggest hitters, helping to bolster the trophy cases of several releases that have already bagged themselves multiple industry gongs.

Among the biggest winners of the night were EA's co-op adventure It Takes Two, which took home the coveted Game of the Year award �a trophy that will no doubt sit snugly next to its previous GOTY award, won during December's Game Awards 2021 ceremony. It Takes Two also picked up the Outstanding Achievement in Game Design award, beating out deserved nominees including Deathloop, Inscryption, and Loop Hero.

Insomniac Games' excellent adventure Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart was another of the night's big winners, taking home a hefty four trophies in the field of animation, art direction, technical achievement, and family gaming. On the audio front, Housemarque's sci-fi epic Returnal won awards for both its music and evocative and immersive sound design. Also around to make a scene, Resident Evil Village's undeniable Lady Dimitrescu won th?e award for Outstanding Achievement in Character.

You can check out the fu??ll list of Dice Awards 2022 nominees and winners ?below.

Game of the Year

• Deathloop
• Inscryption
• It Takes Two
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Returnal

Outstanding Achievement in Animation

• Call of Duty: Vanguard
• Deathloop
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Resident Evil Village

Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction

• Call of Duty: Vanguard
• Deathloop
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Resident Evil Village

Outstanding Achievement in Character

• Deathloop â€?Colt Vahn
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits â€?Kena
• Life is Strange: True Colors â€?Alex Chen
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart â€?Rivet
• Resident Evil Village â€?Lady Dimitrescu

Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition

• Deathloop
• It Takes Two
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits
• Psychonauts 2
• Returnal

Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design

• Forza Horizon 5
• Halo Infinite
• It Takes Two
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Returnal

Outstanding Achievement in Story

• Before Your Eyes
• Inscryption
• Guardians of the Galaxy
• Psychonauts 2
• The Forgotten City

Outstanding Technical Achievement

• Battlefield 2042
• Forza Horizon 5
• Moncage
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Returnal

Action Game of the Year

• Deathloop
• Halo Infinite
• Metroid Dread
• Returnal
• The Ascent

Adventure Game of the Year

• Death's Door
• It Takes Two
• Guardians of the Galaxy
• Psychonauts 2
• Resident Evil Village

Family Game of the Year

• Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Happy Home Paradise
• Cozy Grove
• Mario Party Superstars
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Warioware: Get it Together

Fighting Game of the Year

• Guilty Gear Strive
• Melty Blood: Type Lumina
• Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl

Racing Game of the Year

• F1 2021
• Forza Horizon 5
• Hot Wheels Unleashed

Role-Playing Game of the Year

• Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker
• Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous
• Shin Megami Tensei V
• Tales of Arise
• Wildermyth

Sports Game of the Year

• FIFA 22
• Mario Golf: Super Rush
• NBA 2k22
• Riders Republic
• The Climb 2

Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year

• Age of Empires IV
• Gloomhaven
• Griftlands
• Inscryption
• Loop Hero

Immersive Reality Technical Achievement

• Lone Echo II
• Puzzling Places
• Resident Evil 4 VR
• Song in the Smoke
• Yuki

Immersive Reality Game of the Year

• Demeo
• I Expect You To Die 2
• Lone Echo II
• Resident Evil 4 VR
• Song in the Smoke

Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game

• Death's Door
• Inscryption
• Loop Hero
• Sable
• Unpacking

Mobile Game of the Year

• Behind the Frame
• Fantasian
• League of Legends: Wild Rift
• Moncage
• Pokémon Unite

Online Game of the Year

• Back 4 Blood
• Call of Duty: Vanguard
• Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker
• Halo Infinite
• Knockout City

Outstanding Achievement in Game Design

• Deathloop
• Inscryption
• It Takes Two
• Loop Hero
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction

• Deathloop
• Inscryption
• It Takes Two
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• The Artful Escape

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Are you ready for the GAME CRAZE?

The Tokyo Game Show (TGS) is officially set to return in ?full capacity later in 2022. As announced by organizers CESA, Nikkei, and Dentsu, Japan's premier industry event, which has been on hiatus for the past three years, will make its grand comeback this September, hosting a four-day extravaganza for both industry folk and the gaming public.

The theme for the show will be "Nothing Stops Gaming" �referencing the f??act that the ongoin?g COVID-19 pandemic has caused a steady shutdown of industry events across the globe, including TGS itself.

"Over these two years, various fun events disappeared from our daily life, but games still lightened up our days," explained CESA in a press statement. "Games will continue to? brighten up the days of everybody now and forever �this year’s theme implies such st??rong determination."

In case you still haven't gotten it, the organizers have even banded together to write an actual theme song for the eve?nt, which goes as follows *clears? throat*

Nothing Stops Gaming

"We had to give up doing fun things one after another over these two years. How many times we thought, what happened to our days? Even then, we still had games that kept us going. Thrilling plot twists, captivating and heated experience lightened up our everyday life. Games became our hope.

2022 is the year to show the real spirit of games. Tokyo Game Show has the mission to create our hope and beyond. Update our possibilities. Unprecedented excitement is always born out of something you have never imagined.

Let’s open the gate to the forefront of games. Give courage and enthusiasm to everyone. Show your love of games to each other.

For everyone to share the 'great feeling of living in this era.' Let’s dive into the heart of game craze.

Nothing Stops Gaming!!!"

Makes you think.

TGS is just the latest in a selection of global events that are feeling optimistic about making a comeback in 2022. The San Francisco-based Game Developer Conference (GDC) and European megashow Gamescom have already announced their own "live" events for the year, though E3, typically considered the biggest games show of the entire year, may or may not be making an appearance this summer.

It should be noted that the threat of COVID-19 remains very much in existence, and continues to spread among the global populace. As such, some visitors might still be understandably discouraged from attending said events. It does seem, for the most part, that the industry is ma??king a concerted effort to return to normal... or at least a "new normal."

Tokyo Game Show 2022 is scheduled for September 15-18. It will be hosted at M?akuhari Messe in Chiba City, Tokyo.

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Mark your calendars for 2022

Games Done Quick's all-women speed-running event is back yet again, and ready to set some new records with their semi-annual marathon this winter. The event yet again will be run by GDQ's sister community the Frame Fatales. This time it's branded as the "Frost Fatales," as it will be snowballing onto our screens during the week of February 27 to March 5 in 2022. Over 100 women are set to participate, and will be racing through titles like Spyro: Year of the Dragon, Zelda II: The Adventures of Link, Ducktales: Remastered, and many, many more.

The event will also benefit The Malala Fund, which has been supported by the Frame Fatales in their previous events as well. Co-founded by activist, author, and youngest Nobel prize winner in history Malala Yousafzai, the fund is a n??on-profit organization that supports the secondary education of women all over the world.

Last year during their event in November, Flame Fatales was able to raise over $80,000 for the cause, and are hoping to top that goal this year. With GDQ being one of the biggest fundraising events in all of gaming, it's only a matter of time before its sister event is able to catch up to its massive charity donations.

You can check out the full schedule on Frame Fatales' Twitter.

//twitter.com/Fram??eFatales/status/1471203188636192769

The post All-women’s GDQ speedrunning event Frost Fatales back again, full schedule released appeared first on Destructoid.

Organizers hope to return to Cologne in summer 2022

Last week's Gamescom 2021 event was viewed by an amazing 13 million viewers, smashing the precedent set by last year's event. Game??scom was once again held in an online capacity, as the world continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Thursday, August 26, over 5.8 million viewers tuned in to the 150-minute Opening Night Live stream, once against hosted by The Game Awards Geoff Keighley. The stream featured the official reveal of Volition's Saints Row reboot, as well as new footage from upcoming releases such as Death Stranding: Director's Cut, Outlast Trials, and Marvel's Midnight Suns. The viewership increased 30% on la?st year's stream, which previously peaked at two million viewers.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D9T_vK2CjE

Following on from the success of ONL, Gamescom continued to pull in viewers over the following days with a string of interviews, Q&As, and workshop panels. The Awesome Indies stream d??oubled its audience from 2021, with over half a million viewers, while over 15,000 people took part in Gamescom's Indie Arena Booth event �an interactive virtual space that showcased a selection of upcoming and current releases.

My personal favorite moment from Gamescom 2021 took place during Opening Night Live, where Keighley was faced with a mural of 20 recognizable Star Wars characters, and only name-checked Jar Jar Binks.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgasSvbP26I&t=3s

Gamescom organizers have already unveiled their intention to return to the regular stomping ground of Cologne, Germany for next year's event, currently scheduled for the week of August 24, 2022. The tentative plan is to hold Gamescom 2022 as a hybrid online/live show, which is very likely to be a format adopted by much of the industry once the world begins its efforts to rebuild a sense of normality. Of course, there are no guarantees of any such timeframe, but the success of Gamescom clearly shows that developers, publishers, and fans are starting to adapt to international industry events in the new and necessary digital fo??rmat.

Digital-only Ga??mescom attracted 13 million viewers [GamesIndustry.biz]

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Honestly, I just want a Ratcatcher II game now

It's been a helluva long time since we last heard anything from the DC Comics Computer & Video Game Universe (DCCC&VGU), but all that is set to change in October, with the coming of the annual DC FanDome event. For the uninitiated, this is a single-d??ay live stream presentation packed with news, updates, and reveals pertaining to DC Comics, its video games, cartoons, toys, and its terrible, terrible movies.

Among what will no doubt be a slew of premieres, trailers, interviews, and Q&A panels, fans can expect to see brand new updates on the two biggest gaming releases currently on deck at Warner Bros. Interactive. This will include new deets on WB Montreal's delayed Gotham Knights, and Rocksteady's multiplayer-centric Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJjRRErYdO4

Gotham Knights, which sees Red Hood, Robin, Batgirl, and Nightwing team-up to patrol the mean streets of Gotham City, was originally scheduled to launch on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms this year, but has since joined the myriad AAA titles that have been pushed back to 2022. Players will guide the team of young heroes on their righteous and tireless crusade �supporting a society that now lives without the security of Bruce Wayne and his dark alter-ego, Batman. Incidentally, WB Montreal released a new poster just this morning, seemingly referencing the sinister Court of Owls.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EVFYstVuVk

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League received an incredibly bombastic trailer at E3 2020, and simply hasn't been heard from since. While only a fool would bet against Rocksteady �the team that brought us the masterful Batman: Arkham trilogy �it's also extremely likely that the continually crumbling status of Square Enix' Marvel's Avengers could have potentially put a little trepidation in Suicide Squad's multiplayer-centric concept. Hopefully, we'll see Quinn and co. in action at this upcoming event?, ahead of their eventual arrival on P??C, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

Away from the world of gaming, DC FanDome will also spotlight updates on upcoming movies such as The Batman, The Flash, and Black Adam. The stream will also showcase new and returning TV shows such as Batwoman (Poison Ivy!), Supergirl, Superman & Lois, and Suicide Squad spin-off Peacemaker. Among all of these media properti??es, there might also be some comics. Ratcatc??her II is pretty much my DC obsession right now, so here's hoping for her own run.

DC FanDome kicks off October 16 and can be watched live over on the official site and its related social media.

//twitt?er.com/DCEU??_Updates/status/1432551003031756802?s=20

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Industry event set to return in March 2022

The organizers of the annual Game Developers Conference, Informa Tech??, have announced that it fully expects to hold GDC 2022 as a live, in-person event when the trade sho??w returns in March 2022. The conference will once again be held at its regular haunt: the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

GDC 2022 is expected to be a return to form for the annual developer conference, which was held in an online capacity for the years 2020-2021 �one of many, many industry events canceled or forced online due to the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic. Informa Tech has not de??clared whethe?r it intends to retain any form of its online/virtual components once GDC returns in its original physical form. A slight submission window for next year's event will be open from August 3-31.

The COVID-19 pandemic is still wreaking havoc across the globe, despite a major increase in the vaccinated populace. As science and the public attempt to come to grips with the vaccination program, various COVID-19 variants, ??and efforts to return business, travel, and general living to any sense of "normalcy," as an international community we will be struggling with COVID-19 �albeit in a decreased capacity �into 2022 and beyond. Whether ?shows such as GDC, E3, gamescom, SDCC, and many others will be fit to return "same as before" remains to be seen.

GDC 2021 is currently taking place this week in a???n online capacity.

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Online event set to return September 6-18

Women in Games has revealed its expanded itinerary for the upcoming Women in Games Global Festival, which will take place from September 6-18 2021. The event, which this year promises to be bigger than ever before, will take place in an online capacity, allowing attendees from a??ll over the world to be a part of its huge range of workshops, conferences, and other activities.

"The Women in Games ??Festival is a hugely important event in the calendar for highlighting gender diversity across games and esports around the world," said Women in Games CEO Marie-Claire Isaaman. "The Festival is the only one of its kind and is celebrated for bringing women and allies together for two weeks of learning and inspiration. We urge as many individuals and organisations as possible to get involved and look forward to seeing man??y of you in September."

The key attraction of the festival is the two-day  Women in Games conference, an online gathering th??at will include interviews, panels, Q&As, and chats with a host of established and respected?? individuals from across the industry. The conference will focus on WiG's four key pillars of Community, Industry, Education, and Policy. The Women in Games conference hopes to inspire, educate, and encourage more women to find personal success within their chosen field.

Alongside the main conference, the Women in Gaming festival will feature a wide variety of activities pertaining to the video game industry. The Women in Games Jam will offer a week-long workshop on game development, while the weekend of September 11-12 will feature a women-only esports tournament. A slew of sat??ellite events will also be hosted by WiG's organizers and members throughout the festival, with great activities such as webinars, roundtable discussions, cosplay workshops, virtual quizzes and competitions, and much more.

The Women in Games festival is shaping up to be an awesome fortnight, and there's still plenty of time to get involved. If you want to be a part of the Games Jam, have an idea for a satellite event, or just want further information on any of the activities, then drop WiG an email at hello@womeningames.org. For dates, events, and ticket prices, be sure to check out the Women in Games Global Festival website.

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Dead Island 2 remains lost at sea

Koch Media is already getting? set for E3 2021, and will be taking a moment out of the jam-packed weekend in order to make some big announcements. These announcements, however, will not involve subsidiary Deep Silver, nor ?any of the latter publisher's upcoming releases.

As confirmed by the publisher on Twitter, titles such as the Saints Row sequel, the recently announced TimeSplitters entry, the next Metro, or even the long, long, loooong in development Dead Island 2 will not be putting in an appearance at any point during either E3 or the Summer Game Fest. It appears that Deep Silver's catalogue wi??ll be taking a backseat during this summer's important media blitz. Deep Silver ends the tweet by telling fans that it will be sure to inform them when it has new news to share on the aforementioned releases.

Instead, Koch Media will be dedicating its airtime to revealing what it has been referring to on social media as "THE big announcement". Koch will play its hand on June 11, when it sits down with Summer Game Fest host Geoff Keighley for the mysterious revelation. If you want to check out the news live, then visit the weknowsomethingyoudontknow website at 12:00 PT / 15:00 ET / 20:00 BST. We will also keep you informed right h??ere on Destructoid, naturally.

As for Deep Silver, while it is a shame we won't be seeing any of the above titles, it is also a much different media world now, with new streams seemingly taking place every few weeks. When the time is right, there will be plenty of time throughout 2021 for Deep Silver to show off its litany of upcoming releases... except for Dead Island 2, of course, which isn't ev???er coming out in my lifetime or yours.

//twitter.com/deepsilve?r/status/??1400814786884116483?s=20

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Keighley and Co. will return August 25

The German Games Industry Association has officially confirmed that Ga?mescom 2021 will follow a fully digital streaming format this summer, abandoning previous plans to showcase this year's iteration as a hybrid online/physical event.

Previously, Gamescom had hoped that the situation regarding the global COVID-19 pandemic would have settled enough to allow for a small-scale live show. But despite the global rollout of vaccines and steadily declining infection numbers, the organizers have decided that it r?emains too late-in-the-day for companies to commit to travel and marketing plans, as well as designing programs and displays for the show floor. Thus ??the decision was made to replicate 2020's online-only format.

"Together with game — The German Games Industry Association, we have put all our energy into making Gamescom 2021 in a hybrid format possible for fans and industry alike," said Koelnmesse CEO Oliver Frese. "However, even though the hyb??rid concept was very well received by the partners, we had to recognize that Gamescom still comes too early ??for many companies in the industry due to the required planning reliability."

Gamescom 2021 will kick off on August 25 with Geoff Keighley's Opening Night Live stream. From there, Gamescom will run until the evening of August 27, showcasing a slew of announcements, trailers, developer interviews, Q&A's, and much, much more. This year's event will also see the debut of "Gamescom Epix", a community-driven experience that will allow viewers to team up for "qu??ests?" on social media and the new-and-improved Gamescom hub.

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Submissions open May 18-25

The button-mashing speedrunners over at Games Done Quick are getting set t??o sweat once again. The GDQ organizers have announced that sibling community Frame Fatales will be holding another fantastic, all-women's speedrunning event this coming summer.

Rebranded "Flame Fatales", the week-long event will see some of the world's greatest speedrunners gather online to showcase their twitchy, glitchy abilities. Game submissions are set to open on May 18 and will remain open until May 25. So if you're a fast lass and want in on the action, drop a DM to the Frame Fatales Twitter for access to the ??official Discord, w??here you can speak to the event organizers and meet the friendly Frame Fatales community.

The "Fleet Fatales" event back in November 2020 successfully raised over $80,000 for The Malala Fund, a non-profit organizat?ion that fights to ensure women and girls across the globe are afforded access to safe, free, and high-quality education, regardless of status, background, nationality or? economy. The team will no doubt be looking to smash that number this summer, so be sure to check out the action come August. Don't worry, we'll be sure to remind you!

Flame Fatales takes place August 15-21. For more information, visit Frame Fatales on Twitter.

Flame Fatal??es, an ?all women speedrunning event, will run from August 15th - 21st!

ðŸ—“ï¸ Upcoming Dates 🗓ï¸
🔘 Game Submissions Open:
May 18th - 25th
🔘 Gameslist / Schedule:
July 15th
🔘 Volunteer Submissions:
July 15th - 24th
🔘 Volunteer Schedule:
August 1st pic.twitter.com/EFV7ACIMLj

— Frame Fatales (@FrameFatales) April 30, 2021

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Fun out of the Sun

The jovial Geoff Keighley is the latest event organizer to announce their plans for summer in lieu of the typical E3/gamescom live-show gatherings. Keighley has announced that Summer Games Fest will return this June, bringing with it news, reveals, interviews, and ??Q&A sessions - as well as a?nother "Day of the Devs" showcase for upcoming studios.

Described as a "free, industry-wide celebration of video games", Summer Game Fest 2021 will give viewers the opportunity to check out a wide variety of incoming releases and exciting trailers from the comfort and safety of their own homes. This year's show promises world exclusive reveals, as well as musical performances. ??Keighley will, of course, be on-hand to host live streams and chat with featured developers and other industry pals.

The "Day of the Devs: Summer Game Fest Edition" is a sub-event produced in association with Double Fine Productions and iam8bit. This feature will spotlight developers and games on a more focused basis and will feature a specially curated selection of upcoming games and studios chosen by Keighley and the Day of the Devs team. If you are a developer and would like your game to be considered for the show, then you can submit your application right here. Submissions ??close on April 9, so get a wriggle on.

Summer Games Fest 2021 will take place this J??une. Specific dates wil??l be disclosed soon.

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Organizer addresses 'paid E3 content' rumors

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has addressed reports that it will be hiding con??tent from its upcoming E3 2021 experience behind a "Premium Package" paywall, which was rumored to be offering demos and other content for an "entrance" fee of sorts.

News outlet VGC originally reported that it had spoken with sources within the industry who had indeed been offered a "paid access" E3 experience. But following the publishing of said report, The ESA contacted VGC - and also took to social media - to declare that "that there will be no elements at E3 2021 that will be behind a paid??-for pass or paywall." and that everyone will be able to tune into the online event free-?of-charge.

2021 is a vital year from the long-running industry show. E3 has been held annually in Los Angeles since 1995, and for decades has been considered the premier industry show. But the modern proliferation of the internet,? the rise of social media, and the simplicity of live streaming has led many major publishers to hold their own showcases online, away from the hustle and bustle of the event.

This reached a peak in 2020, where the COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of E3 for the first time in decades, forcing many in the industry to go it alone with their summer marketing, inevitably finding it an easier and cheaper option than rolling out to the L.A. Convention Center every June. With the pandemic unfortunately still in effect today, and the live E3 iteration cancelled for a second year running, The ESA faces an uphill battle in keeping the annual event both relevant and necessary ?in the modern climate.

E3 will likely never be able to return to the heralded position it previously maintained for over 20 years. Last year demonstrated to publishers large and small that it is possible to go it alone and still have the eyes and ears of the world on your products. And while E3 will continue to exist - and is likely to return as a reinvented live experience - the industry has already begun to adapt to a market without that "one golden week" of summer advertising, for better and worse.

E3 2021 is?? scheduled to take place between June 12-15.

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Japan's premier industry celebrates 25th anniversary

Tokyo Game Show is the latest in a growing crowd of industry events that will once again be held online in 2021. As COVID-19 continues to render mass gatherings unsafe environments, the decision was made by organizers CESA, Dentsu, and Nikkei BP to return to an online format similar to that used for the previous TGS event, held back in September 2020.

TGS 2021 will still offer up news and previews of a catalog of upcoming releases, and will offer online interviews between developers and press. The organizers are looking int??o ways to roll out demos online, and will also host a small, socially distanced, in-person event to allow members of the gaming press to try out games and hardware. Viewers at home will be able to check out all of the action through various social media outlets.

This year will see the?? Tokyo Game Show celebrate its 25th anniversary, and will run TGS 2021 under the banner theme o?f "We'll Always Have Games." It's a shame that this marked occasion will have to be held in an online capacity, but it's definitely the right thing to do given the ongoing uncertainty of the current global climate.

Tokyo Game Show 2021 will take place between Thursday, September 30 and Sunday, Oct?ober 3.

Tokyo Game Show will be online-only in 2021 [Gematsu]

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COVID-19 continues to halt industry events

It was inevitable, but now it's official. Organizers Reedpop and Penny Arcade have regrettably announced the cancellation of PAX East, whi?ch had been scheduled to take place at the Boston Convention Center the weekend of June 3, 2021.

The announcement was made via a statement on the official PAX East website.

"In light of ongoing public health concerns, ReedPop and Penny Arcade will not hold PAX East this year," said event director Kyle Marsden-Kish. "While we hoped PAX East could safely take place, we remained realistic and did not sell any tickets or space to exhibitors to avoid significantly inconveniencing our friends and partners. As we have shown via our actions thr??oughout the pandemic, our utmost concern is the safety of the PAX family - from attendees, exhibito?rs, and show staff to media and content creators - as well as the local communities that host our celebrations of all things gaming."

ReedPop/PennyArcade announced that, much like last year, an extended streaming event would be held in PAX East's stead. PAX Online will take place between July 15-18, and is expected to offer up news, reveals, and interviews pertaining to a wide variety of major and ?minor video game releases. The statement closes with optimism that 2021's remaining PAX events - PAX West and PAX Unplugged - might still go ahead ??as planned.

"Given the United States' progress towards addressing COVID-19 in recent months, we are cautiously optimistic PAX West and PAX Unplugged will proceed as planned with in-person festivities September 3 to 6 and December 10 to 12, respectively [...] ReedPop and Penny Arcade will continue to monitor the situation surrounding COVID-19, observe government guidelines and local laws, and defer to health officials and experts ??on what is deemed safe. We are grateful for the efforts everyone made to make PAX East happen in 2021, and we look forward to returning to Boston in 2022."

The post PAX East 2021 cancelled, PAX Online event c??oming this summer appeared first on Destructoid.

L.A. city documents list state annual gathering cancelled

It will hardly come as a surprise to anybody at th?is point, but it appears that, for the second year running, the 2021 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) has been officially cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

While the event failed to take place last year - one of many industry events forced off-calendar by coronavirus' impact - the organizers remained optimistic that the show would be returning to the L.A. Convention Center for its 2021 edition of the annual gathering of developers, publishers, and fans. But, as reported by VGC, recent documents from the Board of Los Angeles Convention and Tourism Developme?nt Commission clearly list E3 2021 as a "cancelled event".

There have already been rumblings this year that E3 wishes to transition the show to an online affair, presenting a long weekend of near non-stop live streams, interviews, reveals, and other online presentations. For this, it would require the backing of an army of major industry publishers from around the globe, ?many of whom may simply choose to host their own live-streams as and when they respectively deem appropriate, similar to the seemingly endless glut of streams that ran throughout the summer (and into the fall) of 2020.

Undaunted, E3 organizers The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) have confirmed to VGC that its plans ??go ahead to host a substitute digital event. "We can confirm t?hat we are transforming the E3 experience for 2021 and will soon share exact details on how we’re bringing the global video game community together," said an ESA spokesperson to VGC. "We are having great conversations with publishers, developers and companies across the board, and we look forward to sharing details about their involvement soon."

E3 2021 is not the first - and most certainly will not be the last - annual event to be cancelled for the second year running. The Game Developers Conference (GDC) has already announced its intention to hold an online-event event this July, while many of the year's biggest video game-based gatherings - such as fighting game tourname??nt EVO, European festival gamescom, and the various editions of PAX - all rema?in equally tentative with solidifying their respective plans for 2021.

E3's 2021 live event ha?s been cancelled, LA city do?cuments claim [VGC]

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Annual event to take place July 19-23

The organizer of the Game Developers Conference (GDC) has officially announced that its 2021 iteration will be an online-on??ly affair. The annual event had originally planne?d to make GDC 2021 a hybrid in-person/online showcase, but concerns from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have rendered that impossible, forcing organizer Informa Tech to go all digital.

"While we can't wait to gather in the halls of Moscone [San Francisco] together again, and we did consider an in-person component this year, we have decided that it's more important that our speakers, attendees and sponsors be able to plan ahead, to continue to be as safe as possible, and to spend our attention on delivering the best possible GDC," said Informa Tech in a press statement. "As in a? more traditional year, this year’s conference will be filled with deep content developed with our advisory board, a focus on community-building, networking and celebrations that GDC is known for."

GDC 2021 is scheduled to take place the weekend of July 19-23, and will offer developers and publishers the opportunity to network and converse online, showcasing their respective wares, discussing the industry, and looking for new talent and opportunities. Both the In??dependent Games Festival and Developers Choice Awards will take place on July 21.

Additionally, GDC has several workshops and presentations planned for next month. March 4-5 will see GDC Masterclass offer in-depth advice and training via a series of paid "virtual workshops" held by industry veterans. Just a heads-up folks: They ain't cheap. A GDC Showcase event is also planned for the weekend of March 15-19 and will include AMAs, panel interviews, podcasts and presentations from various developers and publishers. For more information, check out the official GDC website.

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'So much still unknown about what is practical and safe'

Many of 2020's major gaming events were understandably curta?iled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As 2021 beckons, it seems that the coronavirus will continue to make its presence felt, with some publishers already forgoing plans for large gatherings in the new year.

Epic Games, publisher of the biggest title on the planet, Fortnite, has already announced that it will not be holding any in-person live events for the duration of 2021. While online tournaments, streams, and presentations will take place - including the heralded Fortnite Championship Series - Epic is not ready to start cramming interna??tional crowds into arenas across the glove. Quite sensibly, I might add.

"With so much still unknown about what is practical and safe, we do not plan to hold in-person events in 2021, including a Fortnite World Cup," said Epic in a press release??. "We will continue to provide online competitions throughout 2021 with the hopes that physical events, in some form, can return at some point in the future."

"FNCS (Fortnite Championship Series) will be the constant measure of success in competitive Fortnite, but we’re looking at? other avenues for high-level competition 2021. Beyond our biggest competitions, in 2021, we’re putting together a sch?edule featuring more weekly tournaments, unique tournaments, and Creator Cups throughout the year. There will be plenty of competitions (not just Trios!) to scratch the competitive itch between FNCS seasons."

While Epic Games is the first company to err on the side ??of caution when it comes to planning its 2021 schedule it seems - with the COVID-19 pandemic still heavily prevalent throughout North America and much of the world - that it will not be the last.

Epic won't hold in-person Fortnite events in 2021 [GamesIndustry.biz]

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