A bad blow for the European Games Industry was dealt today, as ELSPA announced that this year's ECTS has been cancelled.

After the news last week that gaming trade show Game Zone Live (known as Game Stars Live last year) was to be cancelled it seems that the European gaming industry has felt the ripples, as today ELSPA has announced that long-standing gaming trade show ECTS is cancelled.

While no official reason was given it seems that due to ECTS running alongside Game Stars Live last year the event suffered from a lack of people attending. Website Gamesutra, owned by CMP Corporate, even called last year's event "a shadow of its former self."

This also means Game Developers Conference Europe has been canned, as it is a companion event to ECTS. As well as this there is much talk that CMP-backed independent retail show SCoRE has been cancelled. It seems that the future of European gaming trade events is looking bleak.