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Overwatch League online matches canceled following California lockdown

A new schedule had been set up to counter delays from COVID-19, but even the Overwatch League matches are canceled due to the recent California lockdown.

TJ Denzer

March 20, 2020 8:15 AM

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Overwatch League seemingly can’t catch a break as it attempts to move things along and get going again in the wake of cancelations and delays due to the coronavirus. The League had recently announced that it would be shifting to online matches and even put up a schedule for March and April, but due to a recently announced lockdown in California, even the rescheduled matches set for this weekend are now canceled.

The Overwatch League made a brief announcement on its website and Twitter regarding new cancelations on March 20, 2020. According to the statement, the upcoming March 21 and March 22 matches coming up this weekend will not play due in major part to a lockdown recently ordering all non-essential businesses to shut down and citizens in California to stay home.

“For the overall safety and well-being of our players, teams and staffs, and in alignment with California’s statewide ‘stay at home’ order, we are canceling this weekend’s scheduled Overwatch League competition. We will share more details on match rescheduling and look forward to returning to action soon,” the short statement reads.

https://t.co/thTPlfGXna pic.twitter.com/NQpYsV1Nd3

— Overwatch League (@overwatchleague) March 20, 2020

This statement comes shortly after Overwatch League just started re-planning and rescheduling matches in response to canceling live matches and events due to risks and concerns over COVID-19. The League recently shifted to an online schedule with a March and April list of matches in lieu of Homestand and live audience events, but with the new California lockdown in effect, even getting teams and staff together for online match play will prove to be a challenge. With that in mind, further esports attempting to get back on track could face further challenges in California as Overwatch League has shown.

Overwatch League has announced that they will return with new details and another fix to the schedule soon. Stay tuned to Shacknews for further information and details.

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.