E3 2020 has been officially cancelled, the ESA (Entertainment Software Association) confirmed. Although there have been rumors that the game showcase will not take place this year, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has issued an official statement confirming that E3 2020 has been canceled due to coronavirus issues. "After careful consultation with our member companies regarding the health and safety of everyone in our industry - our longtime E3 fans, employees, exhibitors and partners - we have made the difficult decision to cancel 'E3 2020, scheduled from June 9 to 11 in Los Angeles," the ESA said in its statement. "Due to the growing and overwhelming concerns about the COVID-19 virus, we felt it was the best way to proceed in an unprecedented global situation. We are very disappointed that we will not be able to host this event for our fans and supporters." But we know it's the right decision based on the information we have today." The city of Los Angeles, where E3 2020 is held annually, has declared a state of emergency surrounding the coronavirus epidemic (via LA Times). E3 2020 took place from June 9 to 11 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (home of E3 since 2009).
Not a big surprise
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(Image credit: Future) The cancellation of E3 isn't a huge surprise. Ars Technica previously reported that the show had likely been cancelled, writing that "several sources familiar with the Entertainment Software Association's (ESA) plans confirmed to Ars Technica that the organization, which is responsible for the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3 ), will soon cancel the three-day exhibition." Regardless of this, publisher Devolver Digital (Hotline Miami, Katana Zero) tweeted that it was time to cancel the trip and lodging for the expo, lending additional credence to the cancellation. Additionally, E3 2020 was plagued by internal disagreements, high-profile walkouts, and the ripple effect of other technologies and gaming conferences being canceled in response to the COVID-19 virus.
Why is it a big problem?
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(Image credit: Microsoft) E3 is the biggest show on the gaming calendar, with celebrities like Microsoft, Nintendo, and a host of developers and publishers announcing (and often featuring) their upcoming hardware and games at the conference. And this year had to be longer than ever. With the PS5 and Xbox Series X launching in late 2020, we were expecting a bunch of next-gen games to be announced for the new consoles, as well as a closer look at Microsoft's Xbox Series X. However, Sony had already confirmed that it would not be participating in E3 this year. Companies like Microsoft, Nintendo, Warner Bros, Bethesda, Sega, and Ubisoft have confirmed their participation in E3 2020. How and when these developers and publishers will present their next projects is now pending. However, we expect individual updates to be rolled out for each company in the coming months. This is a developing story. We will continue to update this article as we learn more.