CD Projekt Red and PUBG Corp abandon PAX plans amid coronavirus fears

(Image credit: Penny Arcade)

The spread of novel coronavirus continues to wreak havoc on gaming conventions, with a number of major exhibitors having pulled out of PAX East. The convention kicks off in Boston this Thursday, but both CD Projekt Red and PUBG Corp have announced at the last moment they won't attend, though neither had confirmed presences on panels or the showroom floor.

CD Projekt Red's North American head of communications, Stephanie Bayer, revealed the studio's decision in a tweet earlier today. "I just found out my team is cancelling our PAX East trip so I will NOT be at PAX East as previously planned," she wrote. The studio's next big game, Cyberpunk 2077, wasn't confirmed to be appearing at the convention.

Gamespot has also confirmed that PUBG Corp has canceled its PAX East 2020 commitments. These two join a growing list of PAX East cancelations from companies including Sony, Square Enix, Capcom, though the latter will go ahead with its planned Monster Hunter: Festa event.

GDC 2020 has already lost EA, Facebook, Sony, and Kojima Productions, including Hideo Kojima himself. 

Correction: This article originally reported that PUBG Corp had pulled out of GDC 2020. This reference has been removed, as the company was never scheduled to attend. A note has also been added to reflect that neither company had scheduled appearances on panels or the showroom floor.

Shaun Prescott
Australian Editor

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.

Latest in Events & Conferences
Nolan North and Jennifer English, who will be hosting the Future Games Show's Spring Showcase.
Jennifer English (Shadowheart) and Nolan North (Nathan Drake) will be the illustrious hosts of the Future Games Show this year
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree's Rellana
AGDQ 2025 kicks off this weekend, featuring an Elden Ring saxophone boss rush, an 'All Romances' run of Fallout: New Vegas, and some of the worst games ever made
Key art for the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted
How to watch the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted 2024
Golden Joystick awards 2024 banner
The 42nd annual Golden Joystick Awards are live now—watch the whole show here
Promo for the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted, showing host Frankie Ward.
The PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted returns with announcements and reveals galore this December 5
Key art for the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted
Here are the nominees for PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted
Latest in News
Minthara BG3 looking upset
Another round of Baldur's Gate 3 unearthing reveals Minthara can end up living in a sewer, an unused beach ending, and more
A shirtless man rides a big fish underwater
Ark devs distance themselves from AI-generated trailer: 'we did not know that they were doing it'
Team Fortress Spy being shocked
An FPS studio pulled its game from Steam after it got caught linking to malware disguised as a demo, but the dev insists it was actually the victim of a labyrinthine conspiracy
Neighbors Suburban Warfare screenshot a child aims a slingshot at a man from across a cul-de-sac.
A beta of backyard FPS Neighbors: Suburban Warfare is out now, and the balance discussion is hysterical: nerf trash can lids and children
Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer still - woman in the front seat of a car, looking out the back window while holding a wad of cash
The specter of a GTA 6 delay haunts the games industry: 'Some companies are going to tank' if they guess wrong, says analyst
Screenshot from Wreckfest 2
Wreckfest 2 has hit early access for your car-obliterating combat racing enjoyment