San Diego Comic-Con 2020 cancelled due to coronavirus

San Diego Comic-Con 2020 has been cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, marking the first time in the event's 50 year history that it has been cancelled. San Diego Comic-Con 2020 was due to take place between July 23-26 in California. The event is now due to take place between July 22-25, 2021.

The official statement from the organisers of San-Diego Comic-con reads: "For the first time in its 50-year history San Diego Comic Convention (SDCC), the organizers behind the annual pop-culture celebration, announced today with deep regret, that there will be no Comic-Con in 2020.

“Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures and while we are saddened to take this action, we know it is the right decision. We eagerly look forward to the time when we can all meet again and share in the community we all love and enjoy.” 

The status of the convention was up in the air only until recently, with many fans calling for its cancellation in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Big events in the gaming industry like Gamescom and E3 were previously cancelled earlier into the spread of the virus. 

While this is certainly upsetting news considering social distancing restrictions may very well be lifted by mid-July in some parts of the world, the announcement is not too surprising considering the state of California's recent stance on social gatherings. Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti recently said that he doesn't expect California to hold any mass gatherings until 2021. 

"Nothing I've heard would indicate that we'll be having thousands of people gathering anytime soon and probably not for the rest of this year," Garcetti told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. With the details and facts about COVID-19 still being discovered and with no vaccination currently available, just when exactly large events can safely happen again is unclear.

It's not clear if San Diego Comic Con will hold any type of virtual events like what Gamescom is doing in August, but we'll keep you in the loop in case any news breaks. And, while this is a bummer, there's a ton of great stuff being in the face of the coronavirus. Check it out just a small sample here.