E3 2020 in Question After Los Angeles Declares State of Emergency

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on the video game industry, causing hardware shortages, event cancellations, and more. And now it seems that the industry's biggest event of the year may also be in jeopardy because of the coronavirus, as the city of Los Angeles has declared a state of emergency that could potentially lead to the cancellation of E3 2020.

The ESA has released a statement on the coronavirus situation, stating that it is still planning to host E3 2020 from June 9 to 11 at this time. However, if the Los Angeles state of emergency is still in effect come June, it's totally within the realm of possibility that E3 2020 would have to be canceled. The ESA's E3 team is actively monitoring the coronavirus situation and are developing "measures to further reduce health risks at the show," but did not provide specific details.

RELATED: E3 2020 is Undergoing Serious Changes

Basically, E3 2020 happening in Los Angeles this June is going to largely depend on where things are with the coronavirus in a few months. The number of infected and death toll continue to rise on a daily basis, and so it's possible that things will still be worsening come June. However, it's also possible that the virus will be better contained by the time E3 2020 rolls around, but that remains to be seen.

If E3 2020 is canceled, it would be the first time in history. E3 has been held consistently every year since the first ever E3 in 1995, and while the event may not be quite as big as it once was, its absence would still deliver a considerable blow to the industry. After all, E3 is where many video game developers and publishers show off their latest games and hardware, and this year's E3 was set to be especially important in that regard.

Both Microsoft and PlayStation plan to launch next-generation consoles this year in the form of the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, respectively. Microsoft is set to have an Xbox Series X showcase at E3 2020, and while PlayStation has no plans to be at the show, other game developers no doubt have plans to show off PlayStation 5 titles at E3. Needless to say, E3 2020 being canceled could have a hugely negative impact on the momentum of the next-generation consoles.

The coronavirus may cause more problems for the next-generation than just the possibility of it canceling E3, though. Some analysts have predicted that the coronavirus could cause PS5 and Xbox Series X hardware shortages, in turn cutting into their sales and possibly even inflating their prices. But it should be stressed that none of this has been confirmed, and at the time of this writing, E3 2020 is still set to take place this June and the next-generation consoles are still set to launch this coming holiday season.

MORE: Every Publisher Confirmed for E3 2020, and What It Could Be Presenting

Source: GamesIndustry.biz

Photo Credit: Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAM

from Game Rant - Feed https://ift.tt/2VHGfBT