It was expected: Games Convention will be no more this year. German-based event organizer Leipziger Messe announced today that plans to kick off GC 2009 through August 20-23 have been canceled. Instead, the show will be replaced – in spirit – by gamescom, which will host an exhibition from August 19-23 in Cologne. Several companies will be attendance to show off their latest wares, including prominent publishers such as Ubisoft and Electronic Arts.

Leipziger Messe of course isn’t leaving the industry entirely, they will host their own show dubbed Games Convention Online. Based in Leipzig, the show will primarily be focused on lesser-known browser and mobile games. Seeing as Germany’s BIU pledged their support towards gamescom late last year, it’s likely that it will remain as the major game trade show in Europe for the foreseeable future. So long GC.

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