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.

 

[Scarlet]

It'll be incredibly interesting to see E3 next year if this turns out to be the case. Companies will shift to a digital event this year and realise there's not really much in it for them with the show itself.

 

[Flame]

Which video game bad guy killed E3?

my money is on the one viruses in Dr. Mario

 

[Chary]

It'll be incredibly interesting to see E3 next year if this turns out to be the case. Companies will shift to a digital event this year and realise there's not really much in it for them with the show itself.

This will probably be the case, but at the same time, digital events can only do so much. Since there's no gameplay kiosks, it'd be questionable what games would get gameplay trailers and not just cinematic ones. Or, smaller games and interviews wouldn't get covered, so indies/smaller weeb games might slip through the public eye at the time, without media outlets to talk about them.

 

[64bitmodels]

yaaay.
e3 is finally dead
now time to embrace online events instead of this BS.

 

[x65943]

For as long as I can remember, going back to being a little kid, E3 was like Christmas in Summer. I was always super excited to find out about the next installments in my favorite series. It always made me happy when Shigeru showed up.

I hope E3 comes back next year. Maybe they can just do the whole thing livestreamed this time.

 

[Larsenv]

Apparently Sony and Microsoft both dropped out, and Nintendo would might have. It wasn't directly because of the coronavirus. It would be too far in advance to cancel it due to the coronavirus, right?

 

[SS4]

Well, since its like a 30-40 hours drive to go to E3 i don't really care coz i can never really go to it anyways lol
I'll watch the stuff online as usual

 

[DJPlace]

i don't know what to say anymore.... this is like the SARS outbreak but way worse.... there fucking closing event's EVERYWHERE!!

 

[Burlsol]

It'll be incredibly interesting to see E3 next year if this turns out to be the case. Companies will shift to a digital event this year and realise there's not really much in it for them with the show itself.

E3 was always more about press and investors than consumer market. It's kinda like how most retailers lose money on Black Friday, but keep doing it for sake of stock price and market share.

 

[Deleted User]

For as long as I could remember, E3 was always one of the events I'd look forward to as a youngster. So it sucks to see it in such a condition like this.

Nothing could ever really place that feeling I had when it came to watching all the events and gossiping with my siblings and friends about all the cool and cringy shit that we'd just witnessed.

 

[Randy95354]

Bullshit overated flu if you think you cant handle the virus stay home bunch of hype corona and its cousins will be back next year and so on

 

[Lodad]

This will probably be the case, but at the same time, digital events can only do so much. Since there's no gameplay kiosks, it'd be questionable what games would get gameplay trailers and not just cinematic ones. Or, smaller games and interviews wouldn't get covered, so indies/smaller weeb games might slip through the public eye at the time, without media outlets to talk about them.

This is exactly what Stadia and GFN could really pull through for and get people to install their platforms, having the kiosks for new games' demos actually be cloud-hosted. No lines, no backseaters, no awkward rep spewing a sales pitch at you, no concern over god knows how many people have touched that controller with their grubby nubbies, the list goes on. Somebody get me a consulting job somewhere.

 

[ken28]

Let us cancel everything! Even work and school.....

 

[deinonychus71]

yaaay.
e3 is finally dead
now time to embrace online events instead of this BS.

This BS had the advantage of being a single point in time when people could just take a few days off and enjoy massive announcements.
if they all do like Nintendo and announce their events at the last fucking second possible, people can't take time off, can't enjoy their show, so it's a completely different thing.
I know I know, they are just "shows". They're still part of the experience for a lot of us.

 

[weatMod]

E3 is not canceled , they're just moving it to NY
but the only publisher going will be Ubisoft and every "game" will be the division

 

[TheZander]

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.

 

[CeeDee]

smaller weeb games might slip through the public eye

This is supposed to be a bad thing???

 

[MrCokeacola]

And nothing of value was lost.

 

[Bladexdsl]

no surprise there it's useless now anyway even nintendo have abandoned it