Update: Microsoft confirmed that it is moving to a digital-first strategy with respect to events, but did not confirm how long this will last (the email to MVPs said July 2021, but it will continue at least through the end of this year) or how it will affect plans for E3, GDC, and other events. They did not confirm how this would affect their plans for E3, GDC, or other events.

"In light of the challenges presented by Covid-19, we are adjusting our event calendar and strategy," a Microsoft spokesperson said.

"For the remainder of 2020, we are embracing the opportunity to experiment with new platforms to deliver the highest quality digital-first experiences to our partners, customers, and developers."

Original Microsoft appears to be putting an end to internal and external in-person events until at least July 2021 or later. According to an email to Microsoft MVPs, events will be replaced by "digital-first experiences."

With E3 2020 and other events cancelled due to the coronavirus, Microsoft was already planning a digital alternative, but some of the content of the email shared on Twitter reveals that this is a long-term strategy.

Planning for future events now carries considerable risk; summer events like Gamescom in August are still going on, but that could change at any time.

Moving to digital events until July 2021 means that Microsoft may not appear at GDC or E3 next year. Even before the outbreak of the coronavirus, major publishers had been diminishing their presence at E3, opting instead to hold their own events. Microsoft appears to have joined them, and the future of E3 looks even more shaky.

While a replacement event for this year's canceled E3 has not yet been announced, the ESA has said it will continue next year and even announced the dates: June 15-17. But who will attend? Sony skipped E3 2019, Microsoft appears to be absent, and Nintendo has mostly clarified via Direct; owners of the three major platforms do not seem to be that interested in E3 these days.

Microsoft Ignite has already been rebranded as a "free digital event" and will take place in September. Also likely to be affected are next year's CES 2021, Build 2021, and other events.

It will be interesting to see how much Microsoft will change this policy after July 2021. Public events have the value of allowing prospective players to experience the game first hand, which is also what the Insider program provides. What the digital events can't replicate is the hands-on experience of something like the Xbox Series X that people were hoping for at XO20. But that is not a concern for most developers.

Microsoft has not made an official announcement about the change, but I have reached out for more information.