E3, the video game industry's largest expo in the United States, has been recently canceled due to the growing concerns of the coronavirus.
It's a big year for the gaming industry. We're not only expecting dozens of highly anticipated games to release in the near future, but we're also on the frontier of the next generation of consoles. As exciting as it would be to see what's around the horizon, the average attendance of the event is between 60,000 and 70,000 people, with some coming from different parts of the world just to be there. In order to reduce the spread of the disease, the ESA officially called to cancel the event.
“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,” the ESA announced.
“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” they added.
Although the timing is unfortunate, and as much as we want to see more footage of the new Avengers game, or see a sneak peak into the PS5, us gamers are honestly more fortunate than other communities. While every professional sports league in America is suspending it's 2020 season, even if push comes to shove, we still have the power to stay home, continue playing, and continue to stay connected with one another.
Remember that the virus, the majority of the time (especially for younger people), will leave behind mild symptoms similar to the flu. If at any point you feel sick, be sure to avoid any tournaments and local events. Stay home, pick out your favorite game, stay cozy and stay connected.
For more information on what you can do to prepare for and prevent COVID_19, check out this link:
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public