E3 called off over coronavirus concerns

E3 slated to take place on June 9-11, 2020, is being cancelled as coronavirus situation deteriorates.

This is coming from Bloomberg whose sources indicate that the ESA will announce the cancellation at 9:30 am Los Angeles time on March 11.

Bloomberg cites Ars Technica, which was tipped off about the plans of the ESA to call off the event.

Independently, publisher Devolver Digital tweeted this:

Cancel your E3 flights and hotels, y’all.

— Devolver Digital (@devolverdigital) March 11, 2020

It’s unclear what exactly has changed the ESA’s plans to go ahead with running “a safe and successful E3 show.” Nor is it clear if the event will be delayed, change the venue or go fully online.

Overall, 2020 hasn’t treated E3 well. Even before Geoff Keighley dropped out over the E3 website security, Sony chose to skip the show to unveil its next-gen console elsewhere.

Still, E3 2020 should have been a big deal with Microsoft planning to announce more Xbox Series X news. Other confirmed participants included Nintendo, Ubisoft, Bethesda Softworks, Sega, Capcom, Square Enix, Take-Two Interactive Software, Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc., and Warner Bros. Games.

Meanwhile, coronavirus cases have surpassed 118,000 worldwide; deaths have exceeded 4,200. In the U.S., over 1,000 have been registered. The city of Los Angeles, where E3 should have taken place, declared a state of emergency.