The Entertainment Software Association has officially canceled this year's E3, herald as one of the most important gaming events in the industry. The event was originally scheduled to take place from June 9-11, but as fears over COVID-19 (coronavirus) looms, venues all over the world continue to shut down.
The E3 2020 cancellation rumor started on Twitter following a tweet by Devolver Digital telling its followers to "cancel E3 flights and hotels." It caused an uproar with fans suspecting that the tweet was driven by sources confirming the cancellation of the 3-day event.
Microsoft has previously announced its huge plans for E3 2020, while Sony opted to skip the event again like it did last year. Both companies plan on releasing its next-generation consoles next holiday, though, and with E3 officially canceled, it's possible that the Xbox Series X and PS5 could be revealed via virtual events.
The annual Electronic Entertainment Expo, albeit a premier trade event in the gaming industry, has been called irrelevant by fans and critics alike. That being said, it will be interesting to see the effect of E3 being canceled, whether publishers gain or lose from missing out on the event altogether.
Meanwhile, the Game Developers Conference, originally scheduled to run from March 16 to 20, has been postponed to a date later in the summer.
The dreaded COVID-19 has affected more than a hundred countries across the globe, and the coronavirus shows no signs of abating. Next to China, where the virus originated, Italy comes second with over 9,000 recorded cases and more than 400 deaths. The virus has caused the airline industry to shut down, with many countries implementing a stringent process of screening international passengers upon entry.
COVID-19 has devastative effects on the tech industry as well. Reports indicate that the coronavirus has affected the global supply and is continually causing delays in production. Companies all over the world are suffering losses and have so far canceled or postponed events where huge crowds are known to flock.
Google, for one, has advised its North America staff to work from home. Previously, the search giant recommended that all of its full-time staff in Seattle, San Francisco, and Dublin offices work remotely. More companies are expected to follow suit.
The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at John Hopkins offers real-time information on the global infection rates of COVID-19. The dashboard shows the extent of the virus' spread across the globe, as well as total recoveries/deaths and infection rates per country.
