Riot cancels Valorant gameplay capture event because of Coronavirus concerns

The Coronavirus has claimed yet another high profile gaming event.

With the Game Developers Conference (GDC) recently being postponed until summer because of Coronavirus concerns, and multiple gaming companies pulling out of PAX East for the same reason, Riot has now outright cancelled the Valorant gameplay capture event that they had planned with streamers, pro players, and content creators.

According to Rod “Slasher” Breslau, a highly respected esports insider, Riot sent an email to invitees informing them of the cancellation. The event was rumored to be scheduled in mid-March at Riot’s headquarters in Los Angeles. 

Riot has sent an email to pro players, streamers, creators cancelling the Valorant gameplay capture event due to concerns over coronavirus https://t.co/kIkMZ6GDOm pic.twitter.com/Q9lYqMD9RI

— Rod Breslau (@Slasher) March 3, 2020

In the email, Riot cites their “Players first” policy as the reason to move away from the face-to-face event.

“To be honest with you, this totally sucks. As integral members of the gaming community, the team worked super hard to craft an experience to present the game and the story to you in the best environment possible.”

This is sure to disappoint many who were excited to see Riot’s highly anticipated, tactical team-based shooter, but all is not lost.