With 2020 being a big year for the games industry due to the impending release of a new console generation, the coronavirus pandemic has upended many of the major gaming-related events that were scheduled for the year. So far, some of the industry's largest gatherings like E3 and Gamescom have been cancelled, while others like PAX West are seemingly up in the air. Unfortunately, Paris Games Week is another event that has been subjected to cancellation in the wake of the pandemic.The organizers behind Paris Games Week have announced in a statement that the event for 2020 has officially been cancelled, citing "technical and logistical complexities" that PGW would require in the current climate. While not directly mentioned in the official statement, seemingly the event has been cancelled due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. Originally, this year's PGW was scheduled to take place from October 23-27, 2020.

This marks the first time that PGW has ever been cancelled, with 2020 to have been its tenth anniversary. As mentioned by the organizers of the event, the PGW 2020 was shaping up to be "special" and had "a line-up full of new releases, and an anniversary edition which we were thrilled to celebrate with you." While this year's installment of PGW has officially been suspended, the organizers ensured that they "are already preparing next year’s edition," indicating its return for 2021.

With events like E3, Gamescom, PAX, and more drawing crowds in the tens of thousands, it's far from a huge surprise that Paris Games Week ended up being cancelled. With uncertainty around the coronavirus pandemic still running rampant and indications that a second wave of the virus could hit in the fall or winter, it's an unfortunate circumstance that large events like this are being affected in the interest of public health and safety.