Square Enix Restructures PAX East Attendance Due To Coronavirus Concern

It looks that concerns sprawling around the ongoing coronavirus pandemic across the globe has affected yet another developer from attending upcoming, gaming-related events. This time, publisher Square Enix has left an update regarding the increasing notice on the COVID-19 illness that has originated in Wuhan, China.

Unlike the news that came from Sony Interactive Entertainment and Capcom announcing their absence from the approaching PAX East, Square Enix will not be pulling the company’s booth from the show floor. Instead, the firm has decided to restructure their attendance at the event and cancelled a handful of projects that were scheduled throughout the course of the convention.

As the community may be aware, COVID-19 (also known as “novel coronavirus”) is spreading within the East Asia region. Taking into consideration the current situation within the region, sadly SQUARE ENIX has decided to cancel the PAX East attendance of staff who would be travelling from the Japan offices.

Due to the company being based in Japan, Square Enix decided it would be best to help prevent further spread of the coronavirus by withdrawing any employees travelling abroad for the time being. In the last week, Japan has been reported to host an increase in cases regarding the coronavirus outbreak among being one of the highest globally.

Square Enix tells to be cancelling three different sessions that were originally planned for PAX East: a fan meet up with the company on Friday, a panel behind the meaning of the artwork for Final Fantasy XIV and developer signing on Saturday.

Seeing the current situation that continues to develop in both Japan and across the planet, it is understanding as to why Square Enix has decided to abandon flying developers to PAX East. Square Enix will still be at the show, but the initially planned events for the convention have been cancelled instead indefinitely.

PAX East 2020 will take off on February 27, 2020 and will do so until March 1, 2020.

Source: Square Enix