The pesky Coronavirus, also known as the more sinister sounding COVID-19, has been hard at work overnight cancelling events and causing disruption. EA are the latest gaming company to change their plans and have cancelled their showing at GDC 2020 and restricted attendance at other events. Here is a statement they provided to USGamer.
Having closely followed the global situation with Coronavirus and with the recent escalation of cases in new regions, we have decided to take additional steps to protect the wellbeing of our employees including the restriction of all non-essential travel. As a result we are also cancelling our official participation at GDC and limiting attendance to other events. We are continuing to monitor the situation and will adjust guidelines to our employees as we feel is appropriate.”
It’s not just games that are being affected, even the mighty Tom Cruise has been stopped in his tracks.
“Out of an abundance of caution for the safety and well-being of our cast and crew, and efforts of the local Venetian government to halt public gatherings in response to the threat of coronavirus, we are altering the production plan for our three-week shoot in Venice, the scheduled first leg of an extensive production for Mission: Impossible 7,” a spokesperson for Paramount told The Hollywood Reporter.
Even worse, the Japan Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association announced the cancellation of it’s show which was due to be held at the Makuhari Messe in Chiba, and Giorgio Armani cancelled his Milan fashion show and streamed footage of models walking down a catwalk in the internet instead! The horror!!!
The final of the ATP Challenger event in Bergamo, Italy, the World Para Swimming World Series, also in Italy, Overwatch League games in South Korea, the NYU Florence campus, Facebook’s global marketing conference, all shut down. Stock markets are tumbling as investors fear a prolonged global economic slowdown but thee is still no news of an outbreak on the set of Mrs. Brown’s Boys, the one place the virus could do some good.
MrYd
No!!!! Not the Japan Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association show??!?
Wait! Why is that even a thing? Sounds like they could have not said anything and nobody would notice.