Amid concerns about the growing outbreak of the coronavirus, COVID-19, E3 2020 could potentially get canceled. The coronavirus, originally thought to have originated in China, has seen recent cases throughout Europe and in the U.S. This outbreak has already affected the gaming industry, most notably when the 2020 Game Developers Conference (GDC) was indefinitely postponed due to fears about the virus. This decision came after many of the developers who usually attend GDC decided to cancel their appearances over concerns about the outbreak.

The coronavirus continues to affect a great deal of the entertainment industry. Movies have seen their release dates pushed back because of the virus threat. DC Comics has canceled upcoming convention appearances due to concerns about the virus, most notably Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC), which takes place in Seattle, where the virus has already caused several deaths. As the virus continues to spread across the U.S., other cancelations, especially larger conventions, are likely to happen.

Another event potentially affected by the coronavirus outbreak is E3 2020. An updated story on GamesIndustry.biz reports that although E3 is still on, for now, the ESA is carefully monitoring the situation, suggesting that if things get too bad, E3 could potentially get canceled. Here is the official statement:

"The health and safety of our attendees, exhibitors, partners, and staff is our top priority. While the ESA continues to plan for a safe and successful E3 show June 9-11, 2020 -- we are monitoring and evaluating the situation daily.

"Our E3 team and partners continue to monitor COVID-19 via the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). We are actively assessing the latest information and will continue to develop measures to further reduce health risks at the show."

E3 takes place in Los Angeles, where the local government has declared a state of emergency due to a virus outbreak there. If the coronavirus continues to spread throughout the city and further into the U.S., it's highly likely that many developers and industry professionals will cancel their appearances at E3. Although it's still a little too early to know what might happen by June, when the expo takes place, concerns about the virus are only growing, potentially disrupting travel to and from the expo (especially with some airlines already limiting international flights), as well as discouraging potential attendees.

As it stands, it seems that E3 has already become less popular with the gaming industry. Although it was once the biggest event of the year in the industry – where companies announced their new games, consoles, and technology – some might argue that the expo has since lost its relevance. Even regular E3 attendee Geoff Keighley isn't attending this year. For the second year in a row, Sony decided not to have a press conference at the expo, despite the launch of a new console later this year. With E3 seeming less relevant, the coronavirus threat could potentially mean that if the 2020 event does happen, it could resemble a ghost town.