Following the cancellation and postponement of several tech expos over the past few weeks, the world’s biggest gaming convention, E3, has now also been called off because of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Scheduled to be held in Los Angeles from June 9-11, the E3 2020 is the second major gaming convention to be cancelled this year because of the COVID-19 crisis that has now been officially declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO).
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the organizers of the show, ESA, said: “After careful consultation with our member companies regarding the health and safety of everyone in our industry – our fans, our employees, our exhibitors and our longtime E3 partners – we have made the difficult decision to cancel E3 2020, scheduled for June 9-11 in Los Angeles”.
The ESA also said that it is looking into the possibility of hosting an online event to allow the studios and game publishers to showcase their games, but the proposed event is yet to be finalized. In a statement to Gamespot, the organizers further asserted that the event will be back in 2021, saying: “We look forward to bringing you E3 2021 as a reimagined event that brings fans, media, and the industry together in a showcase that celebrates the global video game industry”.
While most of the companies expected to attend the event are yet to reveal their new plans, Microsoft’s Xbox head, Phil Spencer, has announced that the company will showcase its new games and gaming products via an online event in the coming weeks. “E3 has always been an important moment for Team Xbox. Given this decision, this year we’ll celebrate the next generation of gaming with the @Xbox community and all who love to play via an Xbox digital event. Details on timing and more in the coming weeks”, he said.
