The Coronavirus has possibly claimed another victim, in terms of public events. According to multiple different insider sources, this year's E3 has been canceled, of course, due to the outbreak of COVID-19. As is the case with previous E3's, they take place yearly in Los Angeles, one of the United States' largest cities, which is currently in a state of emergency due to the virus. Rumors were further fueled by developer Devolver Digital stating on Twitter for people to "cancel your E3 flights and hotels, y'all". Should an official cancellation of E3 happen in the coming hours or days, this would mean companies would need to adjust their scheduled announcements, or take things digital, much like Nintendo already does. At this time, E3 2020 is still set for June 9-11, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

UPDATE: In an email made to press attending the event, the ESA formally announced the cancellation of this year's E3.

WASHINGTON – MARCH 11, 2020 – 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.

Following increased and overwhelming concerns about the COVID-19 virus, we felt this was the best way to proceed during such an unprecedented global situation. We are very disappointed that we are unable to hold this event for our fans and supporters. But we know it’s the right decision based on the information we have today.

Our team will be reaching out directly to exhibitors and attendees with information about providing full refunds.

We are also exploring options with our members to coordinate an online experience to showcase industry announcements and news in June 2020. Updates will be shared on E3expo.com.

We thank everyone who shared their views on reimagining E3 this year. 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.

For vendors and companies that purchased booth space for the event, the ESA will be refunding those who request it. As for the event itself, industry leaders are in talks of trying to organize a possible digital showing in place of E3, though nothing is confirmed just yet. Next year's E3 is still scheduled to take place, in June of 2021.

 

[chrisrlink]

geez just have covid kill all of humanity already, this is torture if they go the live stream route how can i cross e3 off my bucket list now? i pitched the idea to my family for 2021 but nope may not happen

 

[JuanMena]

ONE WORD:

Nintendo DIRECT

 

[tiamat999]

It's not like they had any actual gameplay to show in years just more pretty trailers

 

[Pipistrele]

Why do people like you join game sites

I'm fine with thing going under too, to be honest. E3 is an outdated format for general audience, isn't as useful as a trade show anymore, ESA is a scummy organization, and while something will be missing for the lack of fancy annual announcements at first, we'll be better off without the thing in the long run.

 

[weatMod]

As a school teacher in Japan, both have been cancelled for me! I've been wearing pajamas for two weeks!

sounds comfy

but at least your country is handling it well

i was amazed that it hit Italy harder than Japan given population density in Tokyo
and how badly they fucked up handling the Diamond Princess
i figured japan would be the worst hit
you are lucky you are not in the US they are fucking this up royally ,

 

[Chary]

The official statement was made to those attending the show:

WASHINGTON – MARCH 11, 2020 – 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.

Following increased and overwhelming concerns about the COVID-19 virus, we felt this was the best way to proceed during such an unprecedented global situation. We are very disappointed that we are unable to hold this event for our fans and supporters. But we know it’s the right decision based on the information we have today.

Our team will be reaching out directly to exhibitors and attendees with information about providing full refunds.

We are also exploring options with our members to coordinate an online experience to showcase industry announcements and news in June 2020. Updates will be shared on E3expo.com.

We thank everyone who shared their views on reimagining E3 this year. 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.

Womp womp. Sad I won't be able to have fun in LA this year, but hey, at least they care about the media's safety. Yep. Totally not because they were pressured to do the right thing, no they care. Shhh, don't remember how they doxxed all the journalists in a plaintext file.

Turning everything into a digital extravaganza isn't going to just work. People need to realize that if companies don't have to have a booth, then they really don't need to show gameplay, leaving players with less information in the end. It'll result in a hot mess of 100 different companies vying for your adhd scrolling on Twitter to get you to pay attention to THEIR reveal the most.

E3 isn't much better, as an aging format, but at least it's what both media and viewers are familiar with. Hopefully something can be worked out, but watching the reveals be made in lieu of E3 will be...a thing.

 

[Kyusetzu]

I don't know if I should agree to prevent any more infections
OR JUST FCKING CRY BECAUSE E3 JUST GOT CANCELED

 

[osaka35]

Refunds only if they request it? how lovely of them.

It's definitely the responsible thing to do. Which surprises me, normally businesses roll with whatever is gonna make bank. Why are they doing the responsible thing? Are they worried about bad PR? Loss of income due to spread of the virus is more than loss of income due to prevention?

 

[ShadowOne333]

Pussies.
Why fear the virus?
Let it infect as many as possible, world is already over-populated as it is, this is just nature reminding humans that they are not on top of the cycle of life :^}

Might as well cancel even breathing while we are it too, given how everything is getting cancelled.
Come with me, boys, let's cancel Trump's golf trips too!

 

[weatMod]

Pussies.
Why fear the virus?
Let it infect as many as possible, world is already over-populated as it is, this is just nature reminding humans that they are not on top of the cycle of life :^}

Might as well cancel even breathing while we are it too, given how everything is getting cancelled.
Come with me, boys, let's cancel Trump's golf trips too!

"everything is getting canceled"

uh huh
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...ncil-foreign-relations-business-a9393371.html

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

ONE WORD:

Nintendo DIRECT

snip

that's 2 words actually

but here are 2 better ones
SPACE WORLD

 

[deinonychus71]

So now Nintendo can decide to throw their direct whenever they want without notice so we can't prepare for it!
Yay!
I'll miss E3.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

I guess we will still get a big Nintendo Direct like always. Here's hoping.

I think it's a bit early to cancel E3 personally. It's still 3 months away, and usually this kind of spreading of illness dies out once the weather improves. It might be almost completely gone when June rolls around.

 

[the_randomizer]

Well, if E3 2019 was bad, 2020 would've been worse

 

[Essasetic]

The official statement was made to those attending the show:



Womp womp. Sad I won't be able to have fun in LA this year, but hey, at least they care about the media's safety. Yep. Totally not because they were pressured to do the right thing, no they care. Shhh, don't remember how they doxxed all the journalists in a plaintext file.

Turning everything into a digital extravaganza isn't going to just work. People need to realize that if companies don't have to have a booth, then they really don't need to show gameplay, leaving players with less information in the end. It'll result in a hot mess of 100 different companies vying for your adhd scrolling on Twitter to get you to pay attention to THEIR reveal the most.

E3 isn't much better, as an aging format, but at least it's what both media and viewers are familiar with. Hopefully something can be worked out, but watching the reveals be made in lieu of E3 will be...a thing.

I'm actually surprised you still want to go to E3 after the ESA data leak.

 

[DANTENDO]

I guess we will still get a big Nintendo Direct like always. Here's hoping.

I think it's a bit early to cancel E3 personally. It's still 3 months away, and usually this kind of spreading of illness dies out once the weather improves. It might be almost completely gone when June rolls around.

What you think they set up everything in one day lol these events take months to produce -logistics etc etc - someone can't say with a week to go oh shit soz everyone we got cancel now - when thousands of pounds and time spent would of been wasted

 

[depaul]

Really the situation is getting more and more dangerous.. Everyone and anyone could get infected.

For me I don't really fear death but I don't want to infect my loved ones, especially my parents.

It's better if we limit activities at least until the situation is under control. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Chary]

I'm actually surprised you still want to go to E3 after the ESA data leak.

It’d be tantamount to still wanting to have a credit card after the Equifax leak, or using that iso site after its 100th data breach, or giving your payment info to Sony after their hack.

And heck, the ESA is the least of my worries, considering in the original dox, I used outdated information anyway.

I’m not saying it wasn’t incompetent of them, but it’s not a dealbreaker for me.

 

[the_randomizer]

Well given that they wanted E3 to be a public/social media influence, etc BS, it's just as well.

 

[DANTENDO]

And WHO hav just declared corona is a pandemic so this year is basically a write off for events - shit the next most used word we are gonna hear this year is delay lol

 

[djnate27]

I've seen those demo kiosk they have at those conventions. You'd be lucky if all you caught was covid after touching some of those controllers.

Same goes for the ones in the department stores. Do they ever clean those things? So gross!