GDC 2020 Indefinitely Postponed as Major Tech Firms Withdraw Over Coronavirus
The Game Developers Conference 2020 is officially postponed after industry giants like Microsoft, Sony, and Epic Games pulled out due to growing coronavirus concerns.
The Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2020 faces an indefinite postponement after organizers consult with industry partners regarding the global coronavirus outbreak. Originally scheduled to take place in San Francisco from March 16 through March 20, the event is the latest in a string of tech trade show cancellations driven by public health risks.
Major exhibitors gradually abandon the conference in the days leading up to the postponement. Sony and Oculus are the first to withdraw, quickly followed by EA, Hideo Kojima, PlayStation, and Facebook. Just a day before the official delay, Microsoft, Epic Games, and Unity also drop out, with Microsoft explicitly citing concerns for the wellbeing of its teams and the wider community.
With so many key players backing out, organizers determine that postponing the event is the only viable option. This cancellation highlights how the tech world is largely unable to continue business as usual in the face of a biological threat, similar to recent predictions that factory shutdowns and dropping demand will lead to a decline in PC sales this year.