Nearly a week after the announcement of the cancellation of South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, the Entertainment Software Association has announced that this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo, best known as E3, in Los Angeles has also been cancelled over coronavirus concerns.
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In their official statement, the ESA said the “difficult” decision came “after careful consultation with our member companies” and that it was chosen in regards to the health and safety of fans, employees, exhibitors and E3 partners.
“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.“
Much like the Texas-based film festival, the ESA is assuring those who were set to attend and exhibit new projects at the LA Convention Center will be hearing from their team soon with information on what are the next steps, including 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. 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.“
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E3 is generally considered the largest gaming expo since its 1995 inauguration, with many major publishers and developers getting to debut their new games alongside indie publishers for fans, as well as gaming streamers from platforms including YouTube, Twitch and more.
