Just a short time before its set March date, it has been decided that 2020's Game Developers Conference will be postponed to a later date.
In an update on the GDC's website, some details were given on the decision to delay the Game Developers Conference. Calling it a "difficult" decision, the update says that the staff behind the GDC is "genuinely upset" to not be able to hold the GDC at the planned time given a year's worth of preparation with associated "advisory boards, speakers, exhibitors, and event partners."
The staff writes that they are grateful for the support and encouragement behind the decision. Although, the staff writes that the Game Developers Conference will instead be held in late summer. More information regarding this decision will be revealed as time goes on.
As the Game Developers Conference is one of the largest gaming industry conferences of the year, many will likely be disappointed by this news. Like other events of its kind, the GDC is a time for developer to showcase their upcoming projects in an intimate way, which makes the announcement all the more depressing.
The decision to hold the GDC in late summer is an interesting choice. A delay to late Spring may be a bit soon given current health and public safety conditions. Furthermore, E3 generally takes place in the early summer. As such, a GDC conference in late summer should help fill any gaps while also avoiding other pervasive concerns.
Of course, while the update doesn't provide a particular reason for the postponement, it is likely that the coronavirus played a strong, if not sole, role in the decision. The coronavirus caused many companies, such as Sony and Square Enix, to drop out of PAX East and spurred more to skip the Game Developers Conference. In addition to EA's pullout from the GDC, Kojima Productions, Sony, and Facebook have been among the developers to drop out of the Game Developers Conference.
By the time the GDC arrives, different projects may be in a presentable state. Further, other projects planned for the GDC in March will be further along in development, meaning that they will be in a more polished format as well. We will have a long way to go until the next game conference after PAX East, but it might be for the best.
Source: GDC