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CCP Games cancels EVE Fanfest 2020 due to coronavirus concerns

The worldwide celebration of EVE Online that is EVE Fanfest 2020 has been unfortunately canceled by CCP due to concerns over the coronavirus.

TJ Denzer

February 28, 2020 9:50 AM

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As the coronavirus continues to be a problem, it continues to have a major effect on events in the gaming industry. EVE Fanfest is a yearly celebration of all things EVE Online, boasting thousands of EVE players and fans in attendance from around the world each year. Unfortunately, due to concerns over travel and the dangers of the coronavirus, CCP Games has made the decision to cancel EVE Fanfest 2020 ahead of the early April event.

CCP made its decision regarding the cancellation of EVE Fanfest 2020 via the EVE Online website on February 28, 2020. Set to take place from April 2 to 4, 2020, EVE Fanfest has been going on for years while the game has been active. This year it was slated to go back to its popular location in Reykjavik, Iceland, dubbed the birthplace of EVE Online. The staff at CCP Games made the decision early in hopes of helping its fans reorganize or cancel travel plans for the event.

In light of the recent and ongoing global developments surrounding the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, we have taken the difficult decision to cancel EVE Fanfest 2020. #tweetfleet #eveonline #fanfest2020

Read more details here: https://t.co/ksffltZXtk pic.twitter.com/xBEtXvrIlG

— EVE Online (@EveOnline) February 28, 2020

CCP Games recognized that while things could change, the current ongoing climate around the disease was proving to be worrisome in regards of fan and staff safety and the safety of citizens in Iceland.

“We realize that the situation a month from now could be very different, but the way events are developing both globally and in Iceland’s neighboring countries, an in-depth and serious review has made it clear that this is a necessary step to take,” CCP staff wrote. “We wanted to get this information to you as swiftly as possible in order to allow you to make the necessary changes to any travel or accommodation arrangements that you may have made. We will be providing further details over the course of the next few weeks, so please keep an eye on all EVE Online social media channels for these updates.”

And so it appears that while we can expect to hear new details soon on EVE Online and further events, for the time being, the yearly EVE Fanfest is another victim of the coronavirus epidemic that has all but crushed participation in events like GDC 2020 and IEM Katowice.

TJ Denzer

Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on Twitter @JohnnyChugs.