Evo 2021 Showcase Canceled Due to COVID Concerns

The organizers for the Evo 2021 Showcase have announced that this year's event has been canceled. The showcase was set to take place this November in Las Vegas, Nevada, and would have been the first Evo in-person event since 2019. However, concerns about the coronavirus pandemic and the delta variant have led to its cancelation. At this time, the event's organizers have not announced a rescheduled event, but Evo is set to return in August 2022, barring any similar problems. The cancelation was announced in a post on the event's official website, and the full statement can be found below.

"The goal of the Evo Showcase is to bring together the best players from around the world in a live, in-person format. Due to the continuing complications of COVID-19 and the spread of the Delta Variant we have made the tough decision to cancel the Evo 2021 Showcase.

The players invited to participate in the Evo 2021 Showcase represent many of the best fighters in the world. We're incredibly saddened to cancel the event. The Evo team will be contacting each player individually to recognize their efforts. We remain dedicated to Evo's mission of celebrating the FGC, and will continue to work towards the return of the big, live events that you expect from us."

Naturally, the cancellation will come as a major disappointment to fighting game fans, particularly those that were set to participate. Of course, the safety of participants and attendees has to come before anything else, and it's difficult for organizers of in-person events to predict where things might be two months from now. Hopefully, the advance notice will allow those planning to attend some time to cancel their accommodations.

In-person events for the video game industry have been few and far between over the last two years. As vaccination rates continue to increase globally, it bodes well for events scheduled for next year. The Evo 2021 Showcase's cancelation might be disappointing now, but hopefully this is the last time the show's organizers have to do so.

Are you disappointed about the cancelation of the Evo 2021 Showcase? Were you planning to attend the event this year? Let us know in the comments or share directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!