Coronavirus outbreak forces cancellation of multiple esports events Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Coronavirus outbreak forces cancellation of multiple esports events Including Overwatch League, Counter-Strike and Pokémon. News by Emma Kent Contributor Updated on 30 Jan 2020 8 comments Earlier today, news broke that the coronavirus has now reached every region in mainland China - and worries about the outbreak have now led to the cancellation of multiple esports events. Overwatch League posted a statement on Twitter last night announcing its February and March matches in China are cancelled "to protect the health and safety of our players, fans, and staff". Other February esports events have been similarly affected, including the League of Legends championship opening (now indefinitely postponed), a Pokémon Video Game Championship in Hong Kong, and the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive WESG Asia-Pacific Finals, which were set to take place in Macau (thanks, GamesIndustry.biz). pic.twitter.com/nLEPHrJZXS- Overwatch League (@overwatchleague) January 30, 2020 To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Manage cookie settings The virus, which causes severe respiratory illness, has so far claimed 170 lives - and there are currently 7700 confirmed cases in China. The central province of Hubei and its capital city Wuhan (where the outbreak began) have been put in lockdown to contain the spread. Although not yet an official global health emergency, the virus has been found in 15 other countries, and the World Health Organisation has said the spread of the virus over the last few days "worries [them]" (via BBC). In light of this, the postponing of esports events is unsurprising - and the cancellation of events even in coastal regions like Hong Kong and Macau shows the high level of concern surrounding the virus. It has also, oddly, boosted sales of viral outbreak simulator Plague Inc. - even if the developer has warned it shouldn't be considered a scientific model. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 59 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 4 Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 11 Latest Articles Preview Football Manager's new Console edition is the best you'll get without a PC Getting Touch-right. Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 59 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 4 Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store