EVO 2020 is Still on for this Summer, Despite Other Coronavirus Cancellations

With spring and summer just around the corner, all eyes are now on convention season, as [...]

By Marc Deschamps

With spring and summer just around the corner, all eyes are now on convention season, as Coronavirus outbreaks threaten to bring the video game industry to a grinding halt. Game Developers Conference was scheduled for next month, but the show has been indefinitely postponed because of concerns over the virus. Despite these concerns, it appears that there are no current plans to cancel or postpone EVO 2020. The news comes directly from EVO president Joey Cuellar, who said as such in a brief comment on Twitter. The fighting game competition is set to kick off July 31st and run through August 2nd.

The news follows the Entertainment Software Association's announcement that E3 2020 also remains on schedule. Like EVO, E3 is also scheduled for the summer, which should give the organizers of both events time to plan, should the virus' current status change. Cuellar's comments on the situation seem rather definitive, but time will certainly tell if those comments have to be amended, moving forward.

The Coronavirus is likely posing some major concerns for event planners. The virus has had a small impact on the United States thus far, but with countries such as China, Japan, and Italy seeing a number of confirmed cases, organizers like Cuellar will have to try to plan ahead, in case things get worse. In the cases of both E3 and EVO, organizers stand to lose a lot of money, should the events fall through.

EVO 2020 is set to feature nine major fighting games, including Street Fighter V: Champion Edition, Tekken 7, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Granblue Fantasy Versus, Marvel vs. Capcom 2: Tournament of Champions, Under Night In-Birth, Dragon Ball Fighter Z, Soulcalibur VI, and Samurai Shodown. The line-up caused some controversy when it was initially announced, thanks to its omission of games such as Mortal Kombat 11, and Super Smash Bros. Melee. Fans were quite excited, however, regarding the inclusion of Marvel vs. Capcom 2: Tournament of Champions. The title was selected in honor of the game's 20th anniversary.

EVO 2020 will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada. Are you excited for EVO? What games are you looking forward to seeing during the tournament? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

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