The coronavirus has had a major effect on the gaming industry already. Last week, GDC was postponed until later this summer. However, in a statement from the ESA, it was confirmed that E3 is still “moving ahead full speed”. Of course, they will continue paying close attention to how the situation evolves. And, as E3 takes place in Los Angeles in June, there is plenty of time left for E3’s fate to dramatically change. It all depends on how the coronavirus situation improves or declines going forward.
The ESA’s full statement reads:
“Everyone is watching the situation very closely. We will continue to be vigilant, as our first priority is the health, wellness and safety of all of our exhibitors and attendees. Given what we know at this time, we are moving ahead full speed with E3 2020 planning. Exhibit and registration sales are on track for an exciting show in June.”
The effect on the gaming industry
The coronavirus has spread into several countries around the world and reached almost every single continent. Many expect that events with large crowds, such as E3 and PAX, will be impacted by it. PAX East, which took place this past weekend, saw major companies like Sony, Capcom, Square Enix, and CD Projekt Red all skip it due to coronavirus concerns. EVE Fanfest 2020 was also canceled due to the health concerns. And, of course, many major companies chose to drop out of GDC. These included some of the gaming industry’s biggest players, such as Sony, Facebook, and Microsoft. This all led to GDC’s postponement last week.
E3 is still months ahead, and at this time tickets and registration are still on track. The next few months will surely paint a better picture of how this situation will evolve and how it will affect the industry.
