The Game Developers Conference was originally scheduled to take place this week, but was postponed due to health concerns from the coronavirus outbreak. Now organizers have announced a new date for the event, officially renamed GDC Summer, which will take place on August 4.

The announcement was brief, but GDC organizer InformaTech said the summer event will "maintain the same high level of expert-led presentations as the previous GDC, along with a freestyle two-day exhibit hall."

GDC Summer will open on August 5, as in previous years, It will be held at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco.

"Safety remains the primary concern of GDC organizers, and the GDC team will continue to monitor updates from health officials to ensure that GDC Summer is a safe and engaging event for everyone," GDC organizers said in a press release.

It is hard not to feel that this announcement is out of step with the current situation. According to many experts, the Covid-19 pandemic will continue to worsen in North America in the coming weeks, with many cities (including San Francisco) in full lockdown in an attempt to contain the spread of the virus. It is not known if the coronavirus epidemic will be contained by August. Who would commit to a major event at this point?

Even if the epidemic subsides and public gatherings are safe, the economic damage caused by Covid-19 will be severe. It is hard to imagine many developers wanting to book flights and accommodations in one of the most expensive cities in the world.

Only time will tell. But even if GDC Summer does take place, it is unlikely to be as exciting as a regular GDC.