[pfranz]

I'm kind of ignoring the "human factors" but these companies are pulling out because spreading the infection would be a big PR hit for them and opens them up to law suits. I imagine discounting tickets, or any official way of encouraging more travel (especially in response to transmissions concerns) would be even worse.

GDC isn't the first big conference to get cancelled. World Congress, a huge cell phone conference held in Barcelona every year, was cancelled. It was supposed to happen Feb 24-27. But to your point, there was a #unofficialMWC2020 in response.