As the effects of Coronavirus have taken hold of numerous aspects of our lives, many of us are relying on internet connections and online entertainment platforms to keep entertained and interact with those around the world. But with tighter restrictions in place than ever before, several industries are beginning to feel the effects. In this article, we will be looking into the effects that Covid-19 is having on e-sports as a whole.
The e-Sports 2020 Calendar
Throughout the year of 2020, we were expected to see a number of the worlds best teams take part in e-sports all over the globe. But as the effects of Covid-19 continue, there has been disruption to not only e-sports but sporting events and our way of life. With events such as the Apex Legends e-sport event and counterstrike tournaments in Brazil, the cancellation of Riot Games and EA events comes as no surprise to many. But how has this affected the gaming industry as a whole?
The Cancellation From Riot Games And EA
Riot Games who are responsible for League of Legends has recently announced the suspension of their e-sports events until later on in the year. The LCS announced the information on Twitter in the following tweet:
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>An update on the 2020 LCS & Academy Spring Split and Finals from Chris Greeley, LCS Commissioner <a href=”https://t.co/cfbwb6Vrpe”>pic.twitter.com/cfbwb6Vrpe</a></p>— LCS (@LCSOfficial) <a href=”https://twitter.com/LCSOfficial/status/1238608415670202368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>March 13, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
Though this is a tough decision for any organiser to make, this is one that has to be made for the safety of those competing as well as the competitors at this time. EA was next to call off all major events such as their E-sports tournament for FIFA. However, the organisation has stated that all streams where competitors are competing remotely will go ahead. These are just some of the major sporting events that have seen cancellations in recent months as tighter restrictions to prevent the spread of Covid-19 are put into place.
The Affect Of Coronavirus On the Gaming Industry
In addition to the cancellation of e-sports events, the effects of Covid-19 have been felt on every aspect of the gaming industry. From delays in release dates to the cancellation of events such as E3, this is one of the many industries that is feeling the effects.
Additionally, the production lines of consoles such as the Nintendo Switch have been slowed down by the virus as workforces and other major companies are running on skeleton staff. This is a common issue that has been felt by industries all around the world. These postponements, as well as slower production in the industry, are not only affecting key developers but it is also presenting issues for some of the worlds leading competitors in E-sports events. With many looking checking SBO.net and other sporting sites for the latest news regarding the postponement to upcoming sporting events, the effects of Covid-19 are being felt throughout the industry at this time.
However, with the help of streams and other online technology, it is possible for these some of these e-sports qualifying rounds to continue. This is beneficial for the fans but also the organisers as a whole as there is as minimal disruption as possible to any events, with the finals being moved to the later part of 2020 for the safety and well being of all staff as well as competitors.
Has Anything Changed At This Time?
At the effects of Covid-19 continue to escalate, we are seeing more locations around the world lockdown for the safety of people all over the world. Whilst some of the e-sports events have been moved to online over a stream or video call, many have been either cancelled entirely or postponed until the latter half of 2020. However, with the virus accelerating at a rate not seen by anyone in recent years, the situation is being monitored closely. Though cancellations are not ideal for anyone involved, this is being done to prevent the spread and ensure that there is as minimal disruption as possible.
Below, we have compiled a list of some of the events that have been cancelled so far as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak:
Brazil Counterstrike Event – This has been postponed until December
Apex Legends Global Series – Though this has not been completely cancelled, the schedule has been changed. This allows all games to be played with ease following the guidelines set by local governments as well as the world health organisation.
The Call Of Duty League – This has been an interesting time for the league as the home games are now all being played in online events to be played with as minimal disruption as possible.
With this in mind, the effects of Covid-19 are continuing to affect every aspect of our everyday lives, particularly when it comes to the way we enjoy entertainment and the effects it is having on sporting events also.
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