The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the esports industry, resulting in the cancellation or postponement of events worldwide. Esports competitions have moved to online-only platforms to comply with social distancing requirements. Though shifting to online-only events presented technical difficulties, some competitions experienced an increase in viewership. The pandemic has disrupted the traditional way of organizing esports events but presented an opportunity for the industry to explore new technological solutions and entertain fans. As the world adjusts to the new normal, the future of esports competitions remains to be seen.
The Impact of Covid-19 on Esports: How Competitions Have Been Affected
Introduction
The Covid-19 pandemic has affected almost every aspect of life globally, including sports, entertainment, and the economy. Esports, which is the competitive form of video gaming, has also been affected by the pandemic, with competitions being canceled, postponed, or held online. This article explores the impact of Covid-19 on the esports industry and how competitions have been affected.
Cancellation of Esports Events
Covid-19 forced the cancellation of several esports events globally. For instance, the League of Legends Championship Series Spring Split in North America had to be halted mid-season, and the Mid-Season Invitational and World Championship were both postponed. Similarly, the Overwatch League was postponed, and its Grand Finals occurred online without an audience. Moreover, the Epic Games cancelled all its major Fortnite competitions, including the Fortnite World Cup.
Postponement of Esports Events
Several esports events were postponed due to Covid-19. One of the most significant events in this category is the 2020 Olympic Video Games. The IOC President announced that due to the pandemic, the Olympic Video Games would be postponed until 2021. Another major event that was postponed indefinitely is the Evolution Championship Series (EVO), one of the largest annual fighting game tournaments globally.
Moving to Online Competitions
Due to restrictions on public gatherings and social distancing requirements, esports events had to reinvent themselves, with many events shifting to online-only competitions. The shift to online-only events was not easy, and organizers had to contend with technical difficulties such as lag, disconnections, and cheating. Nevertheless, esports competitions continued, with some even experiencing an increase in viewership.
Conclusion
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the esports industry, leading to the cancellation, postponement, or shifting of competitions to online platforms. Although the pandemic has disrupted the esports world, it has also presented an opportunity for the industry to explore new technological solutions and ways of entertaining fans. As the world adjusts to the new normal, it remains to be seen how esports competitions will continue to evolve in response to Covid-19.