As one of the biggest tournaments in the fighting game community, EVO 2020 was expected to bring pro players from around the world together to compete in some of the biggest names in fighting games. However, with the coronavirus pandemic having impacted so many large events worldwide (especially in the games industry), EVO 2020 has unfortunately joined the list of events cancelled by the outbreak.
In a tweet from the tournament organizers, EVO 2020 has officially been cancelled due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. According to the event organizers, all tickets purchased for EVO 2020 will be refunded to customers, along with hotel reservations and accommodations. While parts of the US have begun the process of gradually reopening to the public, large gatherings and events on the scale of EVO likely will not be able to take place for some time, especially to prevent another large-scale outbreak from happening.
In place of having an in-person event, the EVO organizers instead will be holding an online event this summer “to keep the spirit of EVO alive.” Registration for the online event will be taking place next week. However, no additional details have emerged just yet on whether the roster of games will change with the shift to an online format.
EVO 2020 was originally set to take place from July 31 through July 08, 2025 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, NV. In February,the full lineup of games in the tournament was officially revealedand included returning favorites such asSuper Smash Bros. UltimateandDragon Ball FighterZ(and a few notable absences). The most surprising inclusion for this year’s tournament was the addition ofMarvel vs. Capcom 2, which appeared once again to celebrate the game’s 20th anniversary.
In the games industry, EVO 2020 is far from the only major event that has been either cancelled or postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak. So far, that list has included games-adjacent events like SXSW andSan Diego Comic Con, to key industry events such asGDC,E3, andGamescom. Given that EVO was set to take place in July, it was seemingly likely that the event would be cancelled. Some other gamings events later this year likePAX Westare hoping for the pandemic to recede by the fall, while others are shifting to online events, likethe recently-announced Summer Game Festby Geoff Keighley.
