After postponing Smash World Tour 2020 events across March and April, organisers have now extended the delay to 1st June due to the Coronavirus outbreak.
The recently announced tournament series was set to span 25 community events, boasting the biggest prize pool in Smash history.
Sadly, it couldn’t have picked a worse time to be announced. In a new statement, organisers have now decided to pull Smash World Tour points from all events up till 1st June.
“Unfortunately we also understand this very likely will not be the last delay,” the statement reads.
Smash World Tour COVID-19 Update
— Smash World Tour (@SmashWorldTour) April 1, 2020
TO Relief Fund Shop: https://t.co/hnjhveMeo4pic.twitter.com/7OkblWR8ZX
Umebura in Japan is one of the events which will no longer contribute to the Smash World Tour 2020, while GOML in Toronto, B.A.M. in Australia and Momocon in Atlanta, US are being rescheduled from their original dates.
“We will continue to monitor one day at a time and provide updates if and when we need to adjust the Tour schedule as the year goes on,” the statement adds.
In slightly chirpier news, organisers have launched the Smash World Tour shop offering unique merchandise, with all of the proceeds from purchases going to TO Relief Fund to help tournament organisers all over the world.
Tournament organisers who have been affected by the Coronavirus can also opt-in to be a donation option in the shop.
FGC tournaments particularly have struggled due to the amount of players pulling out of big tournaments, with Smash players at CEO Dreamland 2020 recently giving back cash prizes to ensure the tournament’s future.