Corona virus hits the Gaming Industry.

Coronavirus: The ongoing ripple effect throughout the gaming industry

The impact of coronavirus, officially named COVID-19, continues to grow as multiple gaming companies announce delays and interruptions. The outbreak has disrupted life in China as daily activities in public spaces and workplaces are put on hold while officials try to contain the virus. With much of the tech industry, including gaming, relying on China for production and materials, a ripple effect was quickly felt. As the virus spreads across the world, including the U.S., further impacts on games, conferences, and hardware arise.

E3 2020 canceled

E3 has been the go-to annual occurrence for the video game industry since the ’90s, but the Entertainment Software Association canceled this year’s event. The organization cited the coronavirus as the reason, fearing for game industry employees and attendees’ safety if it were held the traditional way.

A digital-only version could be coming, with several companies like Microsoft, Devolver Digital, and Ubisoft already committing to holding nontraditional press conferences to still deliver the latest game announcements and trailers.

Game Developers Conference postponed

This year’s Game Developers Conference is postponed to help prevent the virus’ spread. The conference will be rescheduled to summer and all attendees will receive a refund.

After close consultation with our partners in the game development industry and community around the world, we’ve made the difficult decision to postpone the Game Developers Conference this March,” an announcement said on GDC’s website.

The decision came after several high-profile game studios dropped out of the event including Microsoft, Sony, and EA. GDC plans to upload planned talks to its YouTube channel and stream certain scheduled events via Twitch.

Nintendo Switch production delayed for the Japanese market

Production on the Nintendo Switch for the entire Japanese market is in flux, leading to shortages of Switch consoles, accessories, and games. Pre-orders for the new Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch model now have no release date in Japan. Orders of Ring Fit Adventure, which is out of stock in the country, won’t be filled anytime soon either. Nintendo said other accessories like Joy-Cons are also affected.

A Nintendo of America spokesperson confirmed to Digital Trends that the company does not expect delays in other regions, including North America and Europe. Nintendo makes its hardware for Japanese gamers in China, where the coronavirus has killed hundreds and continues to spread.