PlayStation PAX East Appearance Cancelled Due To Coronavirus
Among two of the most anticipated games of the year, Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part II and Square Enix’s Final Fantasy VII Remake were to be a special inclusion of PlayStation’s planned appearance at this year’s PAX East. Announced earlier this month, the two titles were to feature at the Boston-held event as playable demos alongside several other big 2020 titles. However, in the wake of the growing worldwide threat of Coronavirus, the PlayStation PAX East proceedings have now been officially cancelled.
“Today, Sony Interactive Entertainment made the decision to cancel its participation at PAX East in Boston this year due to increasing concerns related to COVID-19 (also known as “novel coronavirus”),” Sony revealed in an update to its original announcement (H/T Prima Games). “We felt this was the safest option as the situation is changing daily. We are disappointed to cancel our participation in this event, but the health and safety of our global workforce is our highest concern.”
The PlayStation PAX East event would have featured a myriad of playable games for attendees to take part in, including the likes of Dreams, Marvel’s Iron Man VR, Nioh 2, and DOOM Eternal as well as The Last of Us Part II and Final Fantasy VII Remake. It’s surely a bummer for fans looking forward to playing these titles for themselves, though, understandable when considering the widely-publicized threat of Coronavirus. The disease has continued to be a cause for concern in the weeks since being discovered, as several hundred cases and dozens of unfortunate deaths have seen large-scale events and anticipated projects delayed until further notice.
Update on PlayStation’s presence at PAX East: https://t.co/BLeRha1BKw
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) February 19, 2020
While PlayStation won’t be at PAX East, everything else is still proceeding as planned, with the likes of Baldur’s Gate 3 still expected to present their wares when it event begins on February 28th. That being said, PAX organizers don’t appear to be taking Sony’s cancellation lightly, as the organization has recently issued an assuring update on its official website. According to the statement, PAX has expressed sadness over PlayStation’s absence but has assured proceedings will continue—albeit with “enhanced cleaning and sanitization” to ensure a disease-free environment and the well-being of event attendees.
“PAX East 2020 will take place as scheduled with enhanced cleaning and sanitization across the show, including adhering to the recommendations set forth in the U.S. EPA’s Emerging Pathogen Policy regarding cleaning disinfectants effective against the COVID-19 virus,” the statement read. “We are working closely with the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center and following local, state and federal public health guidelines, including those issued by the CDC.”
While we are saddened that Sony will no longer have a presence at PAX East 2020, we look forward to welcoming our friends at Sony to future PAX events and are focused on making PAX East 2020 a successful and enjoyable event for all attendees and exhibitors.”
What do you think? Are you upset that Sony’s PlayStation PAX East appearance was cancelled, or do you feel this year’s event still has a lot going for it? Will you be in attendance at PAX East? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter and Facebook to be informed of the latest gaming and entertainment news 24 hours a day! For more headlines recently featured on DFTG, check out these next few news stories:
Eric Hall2712 Posts
Phone-browsing Wikipedia in one hand and clutching his trusty controller in the other, the legendary Eric Hall spreads his wealth of knowledge as a writer for Don't Feed the Gamers. Be sure to catch his biweekly "Throwback Thursday" segment for a nostalgic look at trivia from the past.
