Facebook cancels F8, pulls out of Game Developers Conference together with Sony, Microsoft

Nieuws Algemeen Wereld 28 FEB 2020
Facebook cancels F8, pulls out of Game Developers Conference together with Sony, Microsoft
Facebook has canceled its F8 developer conference, Cnet reported, over concerns about the coronavirus. The conference usually takes place at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in May and last year attracted over 5,000 developers, creators and entrepreneurs from all over the world. Facebook director of development platforms and programmes said that the cancellation was a “tough call to make” but that the company needed to prioritise the health and safety of its developer partners, employees and F8 organisers. 

Earlier, the GSMA cancelled its own Mobile World Congress. The RSA Conference is still taking place in San Francisco, despite IBM pulling out.

Meanwhile, Facebook, Sony and Microsoft have said they will not attend the upcoming Game Developers Conference. Epic Games and Unity said they will also not be there. The annual event showcases new gaming technologies, and is scheduled to take place in San Francisco on 16-20 March. GDC said last week said it would be "able to execute a safe and successful event" thanks to the US quarantine around coronavirus, as well as enhanced on-site measures. 

Microsoft said it will hold on online event on 16-18 March, with sessions on cloud gaming, panel discussions on game development, and the showing off new hardware and game streaming, plus a look at work on Minecraft and Gears of War. Microsoft was expected to unveil more details about its new console, the Xbox Series X. 

Epic Games, which tweeted its decision, said it will be making announcements through “other channels.” Sony was going to unveil details about its upcoming PlayStation 5. 

Facebook said it will instead host GDC partner meetings remotely over the next few weeks, and make announcements through videos and online on its Facebook Gaming developer website. 

Other participants who have said they will not be attending include Electronic Arts and Kojima Productions.

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Microsoft,  Electronic Arts,  Sony

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Cooperations & alliances, Corporate strategy

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