EVE Online developer CCP Games announced today that its annual fan convention, called EVE Fanfest, will be cancelled this year due to concerns over the ongoing Covid-19 (generally referred to as the coronavirus) outbreak. The event, which was supposed to happen over the weekend of April 2, typically draws in thousands of players from all over the world who come to talk with the developers and learn about what's next for the 16-year-old MMO.
"We feel absolutely compelled to follow the most responsible course of action and prioritize the safety and well-being of our attendees, our staff and of course the general Icelandic public," CCP said in a blog post announcing the cancellation. "We realize that the situation a month from now could be very different, but the way events are developing both globally and in Iceland’s neighboring countries, an in-depth and serious review has made it clear that this is a necessary step to take."
EVE Fanfest joins a growing number of gaming events that have been cancelled or severely impacted by the outbreak of Covid-19. Several of the biggest exhibitors at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco have cancelled their attendance, leading many to expect that the show will be cancelled altogether. IEM Katowice, a large CS:GO and StarCraft 2 tournament, is no longer open to the public (though it will still be broadcast online), and League of Legends' entire Chinese pro circuit is suspended until further notice.
For an up to date list on the effects coronavirus is having on the videogame industry, check out our comprehensive overview. For more information on the Covid-19 coronavirus, visit the Centers for Disease Control for updates in North America, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control , or the World Health Organization.
