The Evo 2021 Showcase, an in-person fighting game event set to take place in Las Vegas, has officially been cancelled due to concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Image credit: Robert Paul / Evo
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The invite-only event was scheduled to commence in November at the UFC Apex in Nevada. On Wednesday, Evo’s organisers noted that the main reason behind the cancellation of the Showcase was the COVID-19 pandemic. The organisers stated in a release that the spread of the Delta variant has made it difficult to organise an event at this scale.
The statement read: “Due to the continuing complications of COVID-19 and the spread of the Delta Variant we have made the tough decision to cancel the Evo 2021 Showcase.
“The players invited to participate in the Evo 2021 Showcase represent many of the best fighters in the world. We’re incredibly saddened to cancel the event. The Evo team will be contacting each player individually to recognise their efforts. We remain dedicated to Evo’s mission of celebrating the FGC, and will continue to work towards the return of the big, live events that you expect from us.”
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With a prize pool of $125,000 (~GBP92,993), the event was expected to bring together the top 40 fighting game players in the world. The five titles selected for the event include Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Tekken, Guilty Gear, and Skullgirls.
Esports Insider says: It’s sad to see that the Evo Showcase 2021 won’t occur after short notice, and some critics might argue that Evo could make this one happen with strict COVID-19 rules. However, the cancellation still provides an unfortunate example of how COVID-19 is still having an effect on offline esports events.