Esports Arenas in the COVID-19 World
The validity of online or digital arenas is something that is regularly debated in the esports industry. As a competitive field that relies so much on technology and digital platforms, surely esports should be one of the trailblazers for championing online events? But still, there are arguments that the definition of an arena just cannot be replicated digitally. Understandably, this is not one of the most important discussions to currently be having in the industry, so it is very often pushed to the side, which – though frustrating for some creators – makes sense within the overall conversation of such a new and quickly expanding industry. However, this subject was quickly thrown into the spotlight during the early months of 2020. February 2020 saw the entirety of the world experience the effects of COVID-19, a new, highly contagious coronavirus with potentially fatal symptoms, and by mid-March all of the countries considered to be big players within the esports world (United