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Owners of Toronto Defiant and Toronto Ultra announce layoffs

The company with teams competing in Overwatch League, Call of Duty League, and the League of Legends European Championship attributed the staff cuts to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Owners of Toronto Defiant and Toronto Ultra announce layoffs

Layoffs in the esports industry have been just one sad part of the coronavirus crisis halting major LAN events for the past month and into the foreseeable future.

The latest instance is that of OverActive Media, with a reported 13 employees being laid off according to ESPN. On 25th March, the senior vice president of OverActive, Marty Strenczewilk, decided to step down.

 

 

Owners of Overwatch League's Toronto Defiant, Call of Duty League's Toronto Ultra, and League of Legends Europan Championship side MAD Lions made a statement to The Esports Observer regarding the layoffs.

"This has been a tough day. We've had to make some very difficult decisions, affecting very good people, in order to ensure our organization is well-positioned to continue to thrive in these challenging times. It is always hard to see friends and teammates move on. It is perhaps even harder under these circumstances."

Other cases of people losing their jobs in esports due to the ongoing pandemic are members of the Los Angeles Valiant coaching staff, as well as Team Reciprocity dropping both their Rainbow Six Siege and Rocket League rosters.