EA and Blizzard suspend esports leagues due to coronavirus

Both EA and Blizzard are going to suspend the esports competitions they host for the time being. This includes EA’s Apex Legends and Fifa 20, while Blizzard is suspending Overwatch and Call of Duty for the time being.

In a statement on the EA website, the publisher says that all e-sports competitions will not continue for the time being, unless a live stream can be set up remotely and on an individual basis, so that gamers do not have to visit each other. The aim is to curb the spread of the coronavirus. As a result, EA will also discontinue esports competitions hosted by third parties under license from EA.

Blizzard is doing the same with the esports competitions it organizes, the company said earlier this week. For example, Overwatch competitions will not continue, but the Call of Duty matches will not be played for the time being; after April it will be considered whether the competitions can start again.

EA and Blizzard aren’t the only ones to shut down their gaming competitions because of the coronavirus. Riot Games previously announced that the online competition for League of Legends will not take place for the time being. That had to do with the fact that an employee had been exposed to a person who was infected with SARS-CoV-2.