Honestly, it was bound to happen. Around a month ago I wrote about how Gamescom and Koelnmesse were still planning to go ahead despite current fears over the coronavirus pandemic. Following the cancellation of GDC, E3 and EGX Rezzed, it was always going to be a challenge to get Gamescom up and running, even with it being scheduled for the end of August. As of today, we can class Gamescom as cancelled, or at least forced to reschedule which will likely be a challenge.
In a tweet posted by GamesWirtschaft, it has been revealed that the German government has extended its ban on all mass gatherings until August 31st, at the earliest. This is guaranteed to have an impact on Gamescom.
BREAKING NEWS#Bundesregierung und Ministerpräsidenten verlängern Verbot von #Großveranstaltungen bis einschließlich 31. August 2020. Mehr gleich bei GamesWirtschaft … #Covid19de #CoronaVirusDE pic.twitter.com/kd3sukEPTs
— GamesWirtschaft (@gameswirtschaft) April 15, 2020
Using the power of Google translate, this tweet says:
# Federal government and prime ministers extend ban on # large events up to and including August 31, 2020. More right away at GamesWirtschaft … # Covid19de #CoronaVirusDE
Gamescom was scheduled to take place between the 25th and 29th of August so, unless Gamescom and the Koelnmesse, where it’s held, are able to rearrange then it’s likely that the largest gaming event in Europe will go ahead this year. A further issue with rescheduling is that it becomes even more congested, with EGX, the largest gaming event in the UK, being scheduled for the 17th to the 20th of September.
I can’t honestly find fault with the decision, despite the fact that I look forward to going to Gamescom every year. The German government has been on top of the coronavirus pandemic from a very early stage, testing far beyond that of most countries and tracing the virus from person to person. Only time will tell to see if Gamescom can be rescheduled but keep your eyes on the site because as soon as I know, you’ll know.
The post Gamescom Cancelled Due to Coronavirus? Government Ruling Almost Guarantees It by Chris Wray appeared first on Wccftech.
source https://wccftech.com/gamescom-almost-certainly-cancelled-due-to-coronavirus/
