It seems that Xbox and Ubisoft will not let the cancellation of E3 hold them down.
Both Xbox and Ubisoft have announced that they will be holding digital events in place of E3. It was announced today that E3 2020 was cancelled due to the growing concerns of COVID-19, aka the coronavirus.
"E3 has always been an important moment for Team Xbox," Phil Spencer stated on Twitter. "Given this decision, this year we'll celebrate the next generation of gaming with the Xbox community and all who love to play via an Xbox digital event. Details on timing and more in the coming weeks."
Ubisoft also announced that they are exploring options for a digital event in place of E3 this year. The company stated that they support the ESA's decision to cancel the event, as the health and well-being of their teams, players, and partners are their top priority.
"We're exploring other options for a digital experience that will allow us to share all the exciting news we have planned, stay tuned for more!" the company posted on Twitter.
The news that these two companies will be holding digital events comes after the announcement that E3 will no longer be taking place this year. The ESA made the news official in a statement:
"After careful consultation with our member companies regarding the health and saftey 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."
E3 is the latest of events to be cancelled or postponed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. The Game Developers Conference was delayed indefinitely, while events like SXSW and Coachella saw hits due to the illness. The ESA has stated that E3 will still take place in 2021, though it will be a reimagined experience.
