The coronavirus pandemic and ensuing lockdown protocols had an impact on many aspects of the gaming industry, from delayed game releases to canceled conventions to the chronic shortage of next-generation consoles even six months after their launch. One of the affected gatherings was QuakeCon 2020, an annual convention run by ZeniMax through Bethesda to promote the franchises of developer id Software and other ZeniMax-owned studios.
The 25th annual QuakeCon convention was originally planned to be held in Dallas, Texas, in August 2020. It was canceled entirely in March, with an announcement stating that the organizers would look for other ways to celebrate the spirit of QuakeCon in August. This resulted in 2020’s QuakeCon at Home, a multi-day online showcase that began with a clip of Bethesda Senior Vice President Pete Hines sipping coffee in his backyard.
This year, despite the successful creation of COVID-19 vaccines, the situation is still too precarious for many companies to risk launching in-person events again. Expressing continued concern for the safety of staff, volunteers, and the community, Bethesda has announced that QuakeCon 2021 will again be a digital-only event, which will run from August 19 to August 21. Additional details, such as information about the streaming lineup, charity events, and giveaways, will be released in June.
On March 2, 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed an executive order greatly reducing restrictions in the state and lifting the mandate on wearing face masks, though coverings are still required in some businesses and public places. This perhaps explains why, despite the relaxing of rules, Bethesda felt it safest to avoid a live convention altogether.
In its announcement, Bethesda proclaimed that QuakeCon 2021 would still have “all the Peace, Love, and Rockets,” alluding to the reputation the convention has earned over the years of being the Woodstock of gaming, where thousands of gamers from all over the world come together to share their love of Quake and the creations of the multiple other studios under the Bethesda, and now therefore Microsoft, umbrella.
The convention consists of gaming tournaments, including 1v1 and 2v2 duels as well as deathmatches, in games like Quake 2, DOOM 1 and 2, Elder Scrolls Online, and the post-apocalyptic multiplayer RPG Fallout 76. QuakeCon also provides the opportunity to raise money for different charities, with the 2020 event bringing in over $30,000 for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Direct Relief, The Trevor Project, and UNICEF. In thanks, Bethesda gave away Quake 2 and 3 for 72 hours through the Bethesda Launcher.