Trade fair organiser Leipziger Messe has confirmed that its Games Convention 2009 event has been canned.
The event had been scheduled to take place from August 20-23, and its cancellation is most likely due to the fact that the German publishers association decided to back a rival event, Koelnmesse's GamesCom, in Cologne from August 19-23.
"If the industry is again in search of a platform for console and PC games and hardware with the know-how of the GC - Games Convention, we will immediately be available," said Leipziger Messe CEO Wolfgang Marzin, not wishing to rule out the possibility of the event returning in the future.
The company also revealed that it'll launch a new gaming fair, Games Convention Online, to take place from July 31-August 2.
Focusing on browser, client and mobile games, the Games Convention Online will be organised into two separate areas, one for the trade and professional public and one for gamers.
Individual forums at the conference will be shown online for registered participants (for a conference fee).
"This is a completely new and fully independent product for a market that is adjusting to new business models, setting off along new sales routes and appealing to new target groups. Browser, client and mobile games are on course to becoming a big success story and in that way, the Games Convention Online is like the GC - Games Convention when it first began. We are delighted that as trade fair organisers, we can again accompany this development too."
