• News

Riot cancels Valorant gameplay capture & influencer event over coronavirus

Allegedly, Riot was set to host Valorant gameplay and influencer events in both Los Angeles and Barcelona, but travel concerns regarding the coronavirus have put these events on hold.

TJ Denzer

March 3, 2020 1:18 PM

1

Valorant has the gaming community abuzz since Riot finally revealed a little bit of what their Project A first-person shooter was about. Unfortunately, we’re going to have to wait a while longer to see anymore of the game. A pair of gameplay capture and influencer events that were allegedly set to take place in Los Angeles and Barcelona have been canceled due to concerns over travel with the coronavirus still affecting countries around the world.

Esports expert and analyst Rod “Slasher” Breslau recently shared what looked to be a letter of cancellation and condolences on behalf of Riot Games on March 3, 2020. Slasher reported that sources mentioned the possibility of these events just a day before. It would seem they were set to take place from March 10 to 12, 2020, but apparently due to concerns of travel with the coronavirus epidemic going on in multiple countries, Riot Games made a choice to cancel the events and re-plan coverage for a later date. At this time, Riot is considering the possibility of sharing coverage digitally with the creatives it had invited to these events.

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 'I don't sign NDAs' Breslau (@Slasher) March 3, 2020

It’s a shame to say the least. Valorant has been a hotly anticipated project from Riot Games since it was announced at the League of Legends 10th Anniversary celebration as “Project Ares.” We just recently got some leaked screens and an official announcement of its official branding as Valorant, as well as a summer release window. The March 10 to March 12 events would have likely been another huge reveal from Riot, but the concerns over the coronavirus are also legitimate, with events like EVE Fanfest 2020 and GDC 2020 having been canceled over the matter.

It would appear that we can expect to hear what’s next for Valorant soon in lieu of the recent cancellations. Shacknews will follow this story as further news and information becomes available.

TJ Denzer

Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on Twitter @JohnnyChugs.