Will E3 2020 be cancelled? Here’s what we know

UPDATE: Article updated with the most recent statement from The ESA (E3 2020 organisers).

Several events have been cancelled or postponed in the wake of coronavirus – from MWC to GDC. The ESA, the organiser of E3 2020, has issued a statement regarding the event but where do the big games companies stand? We’ve reached out to find out.

Ultimately, the decision on whether or not to cancel E3 will come down to the organisers (unless the US government steps in, of course). The ESA has provided a new statement on E3 2020 following Los Angeles declaring a state of emergency:

“The health and safety of our attendees, exhibitors, partners, and staff is our top priority. While the ESA continues to plan for a safe and successful E3 show June 9-11, 2020—we are monitoring and evaluating the situation daily.

Our E3 team and partners continue to monitor COVID-19 via the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). We are actively assessing the latest information and will continue to develop measures to further reduce health risks at the show.

Again, please know that we will continue to evaluate new developments and provide updates, as needed.”

Several events have been cancelled or postponed in the wake of coronavirus – from MWC to GDC. The ESA, the organiser of E3 2020, has issued a statement regarding the event but where do the big games companies stand? We’ve reached out to find out.

Related: Best Xbox Series X games

However, as we’ve seen with the 2020 events that have already been cancelled, the writing is often on the wall when the larger attendees begin to pull out. So we’ve reached out to the likes of Microsoft, Nvidia, Bethesda, Square Enix, Activision, Nintendo and more to get their takes – we’ll update this article with any responses as they come in.

A Microsoft spokesperson has provided us with the following statement on its attendance of the upcoming gaming showcase:

“The health and safety of our community and employees is our top priority at Microsoft. We will continue to monitor the situation and take action as necessary.”

E3 2020 is a huge event for Microsoft and we expect to see more of what’s on offer from upcoming Xbox Series X at the event in Los Angeles – a cancellation would likely be a big disruption to its plans.

Related: Xbox Series X vs PS5

So far in 2020, we’ve seen the cancellation or postponement of MWC 2020, GDC 2020, Facebook’s F8, Google Cloud Next, Adobe Summit and Microsoft’s own MVP summit. Along with E3, doubts remain for the rest of the events in the 2020 tech calendar – with SXSW, Computex and more on the horizon.