E3 2020 is reportedly canceled

One of the most important events for gaming of the year, the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), has been canceled due to unspecific reasons.

A report from ArsTechnica notes that several sources working for the organizer the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), told the publication that the firm will make an official announcement soon. 

[Read: Sony to skip E3 again, leaving the floor open for Xbox to shine]

Earlier this month, ESA said in a COVID-19 update that it’s “monitoring and evaluating the situation daily.” We’ve asked ESA for a comment, and we’ll update the story if we hear back.

If the expo gets canceled, it would be for the first time since its inaugural edition took place in 1996.

Edit 10:45 am CST: It’s now official. The ESA has issued a statement saying it’s cancelling the event to minimize the risk to exhibitors during the coronavirus outbreak: “After careful consultation with our member companies regarding the health and safety 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.” It’s also contemplating doing some of this year’s scheduled events online in June.