COVID-19 is incredibly lethal, having killed more than 1.5 million people globally in 2020 alone, and as countries like the United States grapple with a worsening pandemic, the situation remains grim. In the US, the country is on track to see more than 320,000 confirmed COVID-19 deaths by Christmas. And plenty of other countries are facing similarly terrible outbreaks. That’s as bad as it sounds, and the gaming industry has suffered for it. Many games and events have been canceled or delayed and there’s a ton of uncertainty and fear.
So it makes sense that many planned events have either been canceled outright or moved into 2021 and beyond. The same will be true for any Epic-sponsored Fortnite events it seems. Despite the launch of a really successful Season 4 with Marvel content, and a new Season 5 tying in with Star Wars, the company is making the right call. Despite a ravenous global fanbase, the proper idea of keeping people at home to keep them healthy is exactly what Epic plans to do well into next year. Epic Games has revealed that it “do[es] not plan” to hold any physical Fortnite events in 2021.
The policy will apply to any official event that’s put on surrounding the game, and will apply globally; and yes, that means the Fortnite World Cup has been canned as well. The company will continue to support online-only events, including streaming, provided it abides by any local controls and lockdowns. That means that the Fortnite Champion Series is still on for February 4, 2021. Players from all over the globe will get to take part in the tournament for various prizes.
Epic is working on future plans though, and considering various avenues to have news and events for the game in a safe manner. Currently, there are weekly tournaments and Creator Cups which are held as well, if you want your competitive fix.
Plans have not been announced how 2022 will go though, as that largely depends on how effectively a vaccine and containment can be deployed globally concerning the virus.
