While in some ways, esports has done pretty damn well out of the coronavirus situation, there's been some bad news as well. On one hand, gamers being stuck inside makes them want to play games even more, and watch them too, especially without traditional sports to compete with.
But on the other, it's all online, and we're missing LAN events. CSGO has been moved almost entirely online, and we're not alone in missing that here at TLDR.
For years Brazilians have been asking us to come to Brazil with the Major, and we all thought it would finally happen this year. Originally, it was going to be in the middle of the year, but a postpone to November was since announced.
Coronavirus, like f0rest, has shown no signs of slowing down and leaving any time soon, and other esports are feeling it. The International, and less importantly, the Fortnite World Cup, have both been postponed indefinitely, and while yes, CSGO is better than them, we're still just as susceptible.
Astralis founder Frederik Bystov certainly believes the Major will be cancelled, and we tend to agree. We love CS and not having a Major would be worse than solo-queueing on Dust 2 at 1AM, but it's better than trying to fly hundreds of people across the world to play some video games.
aizyesque thinks there shouldn't be a Major at least, and he swears it's nothing to do with North's recent form. Our own PHedemark incurred the wrath of Brazilians when he sort-of insulted the president in his agreement.
But then, who knows? November is SIX months away, and nobody is quite sure what the situation will begin to look like by then. You don't need to be a leading economist to suggest that everything being shut down until November will be just as dangerous for thousands of people, and surely even if the virus is still running wild, we might just say 'screw it' and open everything up.
We don't have a crystal ball, but we don't think the Major will happen in Rio this November. But we didn't think people would care about the Fortnite World Cup either. We're kind of dumb, and our opinion doesn't matter that much.
Thankfully, most of you agree. So we can be wrong together.