EVE Online developer CCP no longer plans to hold its annual fan gathering in Reykjavik this year, citing global concerns about the COVID-19 coronavirus as the reason for the cancellation.
“It is with a heavy heart that we make this decision, and we know this news will be disappointing to our wonderful community, but we feel absolutely compelled to follow the most responsible course of action and prioritize the safety and well-being of our attendees, our staff and of course the general Icelandic public,” reads a statement form the company.
“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.”
Facebook made a similar call earlier this week by canceling its F8 developer conference, while other companies have likewise made the decision to dial back their travel and event presence as the situation surrounding the coronavirus continues to evolve.
Reports of the coronavirus now known as COVID-19 started circulating in late 2019 and early 2020 as cases began to appear in Wuhan, China and later spread to other cities and countries. Currently, the World Health Organization reports that just over 82,000 cases have been reported globally. So far, 95 percent of those global cases occurred in China, though 46 countries have reported at least one case of COVID-19 according to the WHO.