Due to the changes, the event this year is entirely free. You can watch and ask questions without the need for a pass, though it’s unlikely there will be any big news. Despite this, press will get a virtual room to communicate in. According to CNBC, this year’s event will have a stronger focus on the core developer audience, which means we may not see much talk of new consumer features or other non-technical advancements. There will also be shorter keynotes and we’ll get some pre-recorded ones rather than the live spectacles we’re used to. Even so, there should be some interesting topics, from AI to Azure, Microsoft 365, and more. There will also be a “Microsoft Build Film Festival”, during one of the social hours, where developers can share the movies and videos they’re making. It’s going to be a subdued event on the whole, but Microsoft is making an effort to keep up the community spirit. It’s encouraging developers to attend virtual social sessions and can also submit the topics they’d like to learn about. Physical demos and tutorials will obviously be impossible, though, and the conference will run for one day less than usual. Instead of the usual three days, Build 2020 will run from May 19 to May 20. However, given the situation and the fact that it’s free, I don’t think anyone will complain.
