In a letter to delegates, Clarion Managing Director Stuart Hunter said there had been a deterioration in Covid conditions over the past 48 hours, which had lead to concerns amongst international attendees who were planning to travel to London for the event.
Clarion said that new dates would be provided as soon as possible, potentially in April 2022.
Based on requests from its customer base, the next edition of ICE London will take place at ExCeL London (1-3 February 2022) alongside iGB Affiliate London (3-5 February).
An expanded and enhanced edition of Clarion’s flagship iGB Live! event will retain its traditional dates this year (28 September – 1 October, RAI, Amsterdam) and in the process help kick-start the recovery for gaming communities in Europe.
“Both the ICE London and iGB Affiliate London brands have been successful because they have consistently worked with, and listened to, the needs of their respective customers,” Clarion Gaming managing director Stuart Hunter said.
“The soundings we’ve taken and the ongoing conversations we are having with exhibitors of all sizes across both events have shown continued and significant uncertainty about the year ahead. Exhibitors have expressed a desire to put the experiences of the last 12 months behind them and instead focus their collective energy and creativity into making the 2022 editions into memorable in-person celebrations.”
Aristocrat Gaming’s General Manager – EMEA, Erik van den Berg, welcomed the decision to return in February 2022. “We are fully behind Clarion Gaming’s view that people’s safety and comfort must always come first and we therefore welcome this decision. Returning ICE to its traditional February window offers much more chance of a return to normality with a vibrant, business-led event that truly reflects the exciting sector we all serve.”
Andrew Ludlow, Managing Director of gaming technology provider, NRM Group, added: “I’m pleased that we have this clarity and can instead plan for ICE London ’22 when the immunisation programmes will have taken place, travel will not be such an issue and the world will be a lot safer and a lot calmer. This is a pragmatic and sensible response from the organisers.”
Sportradar’s Global Head of Marketing, Adam Azor, added: “The industry has certainly missed participating in key live events such as ICE London but given the current landscape, we believe that working towards ICE London in February 2022 represents the best option – for everyone. By following this path forward there is clarity for 2021 and we can return to the most influential show in the world in 2022, ready to meet the opportunities that lie ahead.”
On the return of iGB Affiliate London to its traditional February dates, Shona ODonnell, Head of Strategic Events at Better Collective, said: “While we are very sorry that this year’s postponed edition will not take place, we fully support the team at Clarion Gaming in making this difficult decision.
“We are now focussed on iGB Live! in September and look forward to seeing our industry colleagues face to face for the first time in over 18- months and to supporting the iGB team in Amsterdam.”
Stuart Hunter concluded: “We are totally focused on helping all sectors of the industry bounce back from what has been an horrendous year. ICE London and sister event iGB Affiliate London both stand shoulder to shoulder with their communities and the team is ready and primed to help our loyal stakeholders wherever they are and in any way possible.
To best service its clients during the pandemic, Clarion has expanded its digital offerings and digital publishing portfolio. Hunter also revealed Clarion would in the coming weeks be introducing a new integrated technology platform to serve the industry year-round, following nine months of development, market-testing and refinement. This will be launched alongside invitation-only executive summits to meet the continual market need to connect buyers with sellers.
The live product offering will also be expanded at iGB Live! and iGB Affiliate Amsterdam. “Everyone is excited to get the gaming community back together at a physical event and our autumn shows are well placed and on a safe timeline to do that.”
