QuakeCon will be back this year, but it won’t be back in person. Even so, Bethesda’s annual event is slated for its usual August slot, and there’s plenty of good-sounding stuff planned.
QuakeCon will run from August 18 through 20, and as stated on Twitter, it will “once again be a digital-only event.” Conventions require “months of planning,” the statement explains, and the decision to go digital again was made “when there was still too much uncertainty” around covid-19. Even so, the event will bring “exciting new streaming programming, online meetups, giveaways, charity opportunities, the virtual BYOC, and more,” with more details on all of that coming in June.
The BYOC (bring your own computer) meetup seems to suffer the most from a digital-only event, as the entire purpose of a LAN party is to be physically present with other PC players. Still, this decision is understandable, and an actual in-person QuakeCon is planned for next year.
Game announcements are the least affected by this digital shift, as Bethesda can simply pack its news into a tight, livestreamed showcase. Last year’s show teased a new Quake level from Machine Games and hyped up fans for the release of Deathloop. Panels, another staple of QuakeCon, can also go digital fairly easily, Q&A included.
