The people behind Gamescom have ditched plans for a hybrid event and announced its 2021 show will be digital only. Gamescom will now be online and free for all, the German Games Industry Association announced. “This decision was made after extensive discussions with partners and exhibitors,” Gamescom said. “Thus, the organisers take into account the current situation, in which too many companies are unable to participate in physical events this year due to the still difficult development. In this way, they also meet the partners’ strong need for planning security.” Gamescom will host its Opening Night Live event with Geoff Keighley on the evening of 25th August. It’s a free online stream. Gamescom then runs to the evening of 27th August. Gamescom also planned a hybrid event last year, before switching to entirely digital as the year wore on.