Gamescom 2020 going ahead as planned despite Coronavirus concerns

Gamescom organisers have stated this year’s event is still on course as planned, although they’re monitoring the situation regarding the Coronavirus.

In a statement on Twitter, Gamescom responded to a recent government decree whereby all major events in the city of Cologne with over 1,000 participants are banned.

This ban however only applies to events up to 10th April, so organisers reaffirmed plans were still going ahead - although they will continue to evaluate the situation on a daily basis.

“Since Gamescom takes place at the end of August 2020, we are currently not affected by this decree,” the statement reads.

“However, we will of course follow the recommendations of the responsible authorities regarding major events, evaluate them on a daily basis and make our decisions after careful consideration.

“The preparations for the Gamescom 2020 are continuing as planned according to the current status for the determined date.”

They explain if it does end up being cancelled, all tickets will be reimbursed for those who have already purchased.

It’s difficult to speculate how the virus outbreak will look come August, although 373,000 people from across the world attended Gamescom last year - so it’s certainly a huge safety risk if the virus is still prevalent by then.

Gamescom is scheduled to take place from the 25-29th August in Cologne, Germany, and is the biggest gaming event in Europe. 

E3 2020 was officially cancelled last week due to concerns around the virus and the safety of attendees.