2020 has been a weird year for fan conventions, in large part because the current situation has forced events big and small to adapt or risk cancellation entirely. Gamescom, the biggest trade show in the video game industry, is taking operations online this year, bringing the convention floor to fans at home. In addition to the Opening Night Live stream, the Indie Arena Booth is set to be a part of the festivities, featuring 185 independent development teams at a digital showcase that anyone can visit over the weekend.
The booth is set to include appearances from studios big and small, including Lord of the Rings: Gollum developers Daedalic Entertainment, SteamWorld publisher Thunderful, Night In The Woods and Chicory publisher Finji, and Everspace 2 makers Rockfish Games, to name just a few. Fans will be able to try out demos of upcoming titles, buy merch for featured games, and chat with developers and fellow players, all in a virtual space with booths themed around the games and developers' unique work.
It's only fitting that an event dedicated to independent game development would adapt to an online setting by using games as a framework. The booths that fans, streamers, and press members can explore feature an isometric view that resembles a modernized take on virtual worlds like Habbo Hotel, with a similar art style to the Indie Arena Booth's past promotional material. It's a creative solution to a problem no one saw coming, and if there's anywhere fans could find the next surprise success like Fall Guys or a hidden gem to appreciate, it just might be there.
The virtual Indie Arena Booth will be available from August 27 to 30 at the event's website. Fans and press can pre-register there before the show opens with Gamescom.
The show is also set to include reveals for triple-A titles like Destiny 2's Beyond Light expansion, but fans that are in the mood for something different from the usual may find it worth checking out. The booth's organizers are also planning a set of livestreams on the official Indie Arena Booth channel on Twitch. These broadcasts will showcase conversations and panels with featured developers and trailers for featured games during Gamescom's opening night and throughout the weekend.
Gamescom isn't the only large-scale fan and press event to go digital in the wake of the pandemic. DC's FanDome event last weekend was meant to bridge the gap between fans and creators with digital panels and announcements, and the Summer Game Fest events over the past few months gave publishers a chance to share their upcoming projects in the absence of traditional big shows like E3 and San Diego Comic-Con.
Source: GameSpot, Indie Arena Booth