GDC claims they will have an in-person 2021 convention in San Francisco in late July. That just might maybe be possible. Or not. What's thinking on this? Are the usual big exhibitors signing up?
Moscone Center's calendar is blank - they're closed for the duration, they say.
I don't see any way an in-person conference happens in July. Given current vaccination trends, most countries will barely be through the elderly and high risk by then - and no one is going to be willing to allow mass international travel in that timeframe.
Why wouldn't it happen. Because of covid? It disappeared last easter. It was like a miracle.
Seriously, you want convention predictions during a pandemic that is mutating and still out of control? Who cares what the big exhibitors are doing? They don't know any more that the rest of us do.
swiftcoder said:
I don't see any way an in-person conference happens in July. Given current vaccination trends, most countries will barely be through the elderly and high risk by then - and no one is going to be willing to allow mass international travel in that timeframe.
I pretty much agree, but the GDC site says “In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, GDC 2021 will be held as a hybrid event on July 19-23, 2021, taking place physically in the Moscone Center in San Francisco along with a robust virtual offering online.”
Maybe they'll broadcast the speakers from Moscone, but not have any attendees present in person? Even that seems risky, when they could do an Apple-style remote-composited keynote.
My guess is it will be just like the web site describes. They will likely have an open event there at the event center, which will mostly have people who are either already vaccinated or willing to risk attendance, will have mask and distancing requirements, and the event will also have significant online presence. International in-person participants will be more limited due to travel restrictions, but virtual attendance will be huge, potentially multiple times regular attendance numbers.
Since many people have successfully run virtual conferences (I've attended several) the common difficulties are easily understood.
Presentations can be pre-recorded or live, both are straightforward. A mixed venue can have some presentations that take place with in-person viewing on a large display for remote/recorded speakers, and a lectern and camera for live speakers. Social rooms and other mingling is also straightforward, and often less intimidating than physical spaces, and with some cameras and group chat can be easily handled. In-person rooms can have a small conference room while people online can be individuals in video chat. Demos floor breakout rooms become chats run by individual vendors showcasing whatever they want, which they can do from the safety of their own homes showing on live video, or in person with cameras on a demo room floor.
Some gems from last years thread…
February 07, 2020 02:26 PM
I doubt it. It doesn't seem like something that would get affected by the coronavirus. Especially since it hasn't really spread much outside of China. At least, last time I checked.
February 13, 2020 06:17 PM
Viruses don't like warm weather, so it would be better to host "international" events during the summer, and not in the middle of winter. But, obviously won't happen since everyone is on their own schedule.
February 26, 2020 09:03 PM
In Europe I expect SARS-CoV-2 to be peaking in about the time GDC starts. This of course depends on how many untreated cases get loose, which is very likely due to long incubation period and in most cases not developing severe symptoms.
February 26, 2020 10:18 PM
I’m not sure about it peaking in the next few weeks. It seems like the spread has only just started. Hopefully the warm weather will slow it, as we approach spring and summer.
GDC was sending out emails after canceling for “GDC Summer 2020”, to be held August 4-6, 2020 at Moscone Center in San Francisco.
LOL
most of it will be online here:
Even if they do have in person, the restaurants will all be closed.
I'm glad they made the online part free this year, I think they learned from last year, how you can't charge $200 or more for an online conference.
GeneralJist said:
most of it will be online here:
Even if they do have (it) in person, the restaurants will all be closed.
I'm glad they made the online part free this year, I think they learned from last year, how you can't charge $200 or more for an online conference.
That's GDC Showcase (March 15-19, 2021), not to be confused with GDC Tutorials ("Master Class", March 4-5, 2021) and the original GDC (July 19-23, 2021). They're struggling to keep GDC alive while they can't actually have a convention. It's good that they're coping.
As far as I can find, you can't actually register and pay for for the real GDC 2021. So they're not serious about an in-person convention. That's realistic.
Moscone Center is now being used as a COVID vaccination site, anyway.
It's officially not happening in person. From the GDC site: “For the health and safety of our attendees, staff, speakers, and sponsors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, GDC 2021 will be held as an all-digital event on July 19-23, 2021.”
Well, it's on, it's virtual, and it's expensive. $199 for expo only, $899 for the full conference.
Any idea what the “expo" will be like? It could be anything from a full virtual world down to a web page with links to vendor sites.
That's ridiculous.
GDC showcase was free. and it likely won't be that much better.
GDC 2020 was online too, and they charged like $200 it was a joke.
For $249, you can get an “expo pass”.
What does that get you, exactly? The web site is rather vague.
@nagle An Expo Pass lets you wander the buildings but not go into any sessions. The Expo floor is where companies have their hiring booths, and vendors have their booths to show off their development software packages. You don't get a T-shirt or a lunch but you can network with other attendees.
How that applies to a virtual conference I don't know.
Tom Sloper said:
How that applies to a virtual conference I don't know.
That was the question. If what you get for an Expo Pass is a link to a web site with links to vendor web sites, it's a dud.
If you get an immersive 3D world where all the exhibitors have staffed virtual booths, that's something else.
Nagle said:
It's officially not happening in person. From the GDC site: “For the health and safety of our attendees, staff, speakers, and sponsors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, GDC 2021 will be held as an all-digital event on July 19-23, 2021.”
Should've been digital-only years ago. I can do without the big crowds, long lines, and parties full of alcoholics.
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