EGN officially cancelled, says ELSPA

As the world's biggest games expo gets underway in Los Angeles, ELSPA has confirmed that UK show European Games Network will not go ahead - despite offering earlier assurances to the contrary.

In an official announcement, the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association stated that it will "be considering what options may exist for the continuation of a European computer and videogames business event, which can take place in the UK."

However, "the European Games Network (EGN) will not now take place."

Rumours that EGN might not go ahead began to emerge back in March, when consumer show Game Zone Live was canned following a lack of support from Sony, Microsoft and Electronic Arts.

This was followed by the news that media firm CMP had also decided to pull out of the market, putting an end to ECTS, GDCE and retail show SCoRE - although GDCE has since been revived, and will now run in London again this autumn.

But ELSPA pledged continuing support for EGN, telling GamesIndustry.biz: "The cancellation of GameZone Live has no impact on the future of EGN, aside from the location.

"The feedback from last year's inaugural event was incredibly positive and ELSPA is looking forward to building on a successful launch."

At present, only two specialist games events are now scheduled to go ahead in the UK - the Edinburgh Interactive Entertainment Festival, which will take place in August, and the Game Developers Conference Europe, which runs at the beginning of September.

ELSPA was unavailable for further comment at the time of writing.