TOKYO, March 13 — The video game giant is “exploring other options to share our games with you” after June’s Electronic Entertainment Expo was cancelled.
Square Enix, the games company behind Final Fantasy, Tomb Raider, Dragon Quest and Disney crossover Kingdom Hearts, is looking at other opportunities to debut new and existing games now that mid-year games expo E3 2020 has been cancelled.
“Our 2020 lineup, and the next-generation that lies beyond, is stronger than ever for Square Enix,” the company said in a March 12 statement. “Where E3 has always been an incredible moment in time to showcase our upcoming games, we’re exploring other options to share our games with you. More to come, stay tuned.”
Square Enix would have been expected to cover plans for a second episode of Final Fantasy VII Remake (the first is due April), its action adventure Marvel’s Avengers (September 2020), and the next game from the Dark Souls and Nier Automata studio, Godfall, among others.
Some of its announcements may have been tied up in pre-launch reveals for Sony’s PlayStation 5 and Microsoft’s Xbox One, both anticipated for Holiday 2020.
One of many 2020 video game events cancelled in reaction to the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, the Electronic Entertainment Expo is one of the largest stages upon which to announce new games, new platforms, and new features to an audience of trade, press, and enthusiastic fans.
The 2020 edition had been under pressure after live panel track host Geoff Keighley stepped back from the event in February, with production company iam8bit likewise departing in early March; Sony Interactive Entertainment would have been absent for the second year in a row, despite the Holiday 2020 launch of its PlayStation 5.
However, the Entertainment Software Association announced the definitive cancellation of E3 2020 on March 11.
Nintendo, Microsoft, Ubisoft, Electronic Arts and Devolver Digital have all expressed desires to reformulate E3 2020 plans, many indicating that alternative digital presentations would be involved. — AFP-Relaxnews
