On Wednesday, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) canceled the Electronic Entertainment Expo – better known as E3 – over concerns about the distribution of COVID-19, a novel coronavirus. World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic on Wednesday.
ESA said it is "considering options with our members to link online experience to reflect industry announcements and news by June 2020." Shortly after the event's cancellation, game companies began discussing plans for digital events. Microsoft Xbox Manager Phil Spencer is filmed Wednesday that Microsoft will host a "Xbox digital event" to showcase the "next generation of games." Details about the digital show will be announced "in the coming weeks," Spencer said.
Microsoft is preparing for the launch of the next-generation console, the Xbox Series X, slated for release 2020. Microsoft will have a two-day event next week, where it will share some details on the Xbox Series X and Project xCloud, replacing its canceled Game Developer talks . The GDC was postponed in late February with the dissemination of CCIDID-19.
E3 has always been an important moment for the Xbox Team. Given this decision, this year we will celebrate the next generation of gaming and players @Xbox community and everyone who loves playing with the Xbox digital event. Details of the time and more in the coming weeks https://t.co/xckMKBPf9h
– Phil Spencer (@ XboxP3) March 11, 2020
The full list of companies hosting the E3 press conference has not yet been announced, but it is common for major publishers such as Square Enix, Bethesda, and Nintendo to showcase upcoming games. A Ubisoft representative told Polygon that it is "exploring other options with a digital experience." No timeline information is available right now.
Technology experts told Polygon that "revisions" are being made for the changes to EA Play 2020. "We have continued to follow what is happening around the world," Electronics Arts said in a statement. "Obviously this situation is unfolding right now, we have been looking at how our plans for EA PLAY 2020 will change. We will share soon."
Nintendo told Polygon that it "supports ESA's decision to cancel this year's E3 to help protect the health and safety of everyone in our industry – our fans, our employees, our viewers and our long-term E3 partners." No information is available about its planned E3 presence; in general, Nintendo is hosting an expanded Nintendo Direct presentation during E3, with live coverage via the Nintendo Treehouse.
Devolver Digital Publisher he was one of the first to tweet about the cancellation of E3 on Tuesday night: "Cancel your E3 flights and hotels, numbers." Following the official cancellation of the event, it released a statement on Twitter.
"E3 week has always been a big part of what we do is genuinely concerned about the cancellation itself," email publisher
Sony Interactive Entertainment, on the other hand, announced in January that it is skipping E3 2020. Like Microsoft, Tony is preparing to launch its next-gen console, the PlayStation 5, during the 2020 holidays. There are a few details available on the PS5, but Sony introduced some new details this year – all we've seen so far with the new (yet familiar) logo.
Polygon has reached out to Square Enix and Bethesda, along with other companies, for more information on E3 – or E3 – nearby – and emergency plans.
Update: This story has been updated to supplement the statement from Nintendo, as well as other information from Microsoft.
Update 2 (1:53 p.m. EDT): We updated this story to add a statement from Devolver Digital.
