Microsoft cancels GDC 2020 presence due to coronavirus concerns

Following Sony, Facebook, Kojima Productions, Epic Games, Unity, and more, Microsoft has cancelled its presence at Game Developers Conference 2020 due to concerns surrounding the novel coronavirus COVID-19.

Find the full statement from the company below.

After a close review of guidance by global health authorities and out of an abundance of caution, we’ve made the difficult decision to withdraw from participating at Game Developers Conference 2020 in San Francisco. The health and safety of players, developers, employees, and our partners around the world is our top priority. Especially as the world is experiencing growing public health risks associated with coronavirus (COVID-19).

In light of this, we plan to move our presence to a digital-only event March 16 to 18 held on Microsoft.com. This event will feature the majority of our planned game developer sessions and experiences, which will be streamed live and available on demand.

Here’s what you can expect to see:

• Join us to learn about the latest in cloud and game development technologies through our technical talks and developer demos.
• Tune into panel discussions with industry leaders about the evolution of game development, intentionally inclusive game design, the increasing role of online services, next gen hardware, and the future of game streaming.
• Get a behind-the-scenes look into design and development decisions made by the creators of Minecraft and Gears of War, and hear from Xbox Game Studios teams Double Fine, inXile, Compulsion, Rare, Obsidian, and Undead Labs.

GDC has long been a moment for us to come together and celebrate Gaming for Everyone with our many vibrant communities. While we won’t be able to bring our G4E events online, we remain committed to celebrating and amplifying our diverse communities in gaming throughout the year.

GDC 2020 will run from March 16 to 20 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California.