PlayStation won't attend PAX East over coronavirus fears Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. PlayStation won't attend PAX East over coronavirus fears UPDATE: Pulling out of GDC too. News by Tom Phillips Deputy Editor Updated on 20 Feb 2020 63 comments UPDATE 11.45pm: Following Sony's announcement that it will no longer be attending PAX East, the company has confirmed it will also be pulling out of this year's Game Developers Conference as a result of "increasing concerns related to [coronavirus]". In a statement obtained by GamesIndustry.biz, Sony Interactive Entertainment explained, "We felt this was the best option as the situation related to the virus and global travel restrictions are changing daily. We are disappointed to cancel our participation, but the health and safety of our global workforce is our highest concern. "We look forward to participating in GDC in the future." This year's Game Developers Conference is scheduled to run from 16th to 20th March and will be held at San Francisco's Moscone Center. ORIGINAL STORY 11.29am: PlayStation will no longer attend PAX East due to "increasing concerns" surrounding coronavirus. PAX East (operated by Eurogamer's US parent company Reedpop) opens its doors next week in Boston (US, not Lincolnshire). "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')," PlayStation said in a statement. "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." PlayStation was due to use PAX East to show a playable demo for The Last of Us Part 2 - which it had previously asked fans to reserve a spot for via the PlayStation app. There's no word yet if and when this may resurface. Watch on YouTube 75,000 people are now thought to have contracted coronavirus worldwide. To date, more than 74,500 of these cases originated in China. The US has seen 15 cases. This includes a Boston man who contracted it after visiting the epicentre of the outbreak in Wuhan, China. No other PAX East attendees have cancelled their attendance due to coronavirus. The largest impact of coronavirus on the video games industry so far has been word of Nintendo Switch console shipment shortages in Japan, as Chinese factories shut down while its citizens self-isolate. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 59 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 4 Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 11 Latest Articles Preview Football Manager's new Console edition is the best you'll get without a PC Getting Touch-right. Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 59 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 4 Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store