Activision Blizzard Cut 50 From eSports Division

Activision Blizzard eSports, the division in charge of competitive gaming and its promotion, is cutting about 50 positions today in response to a changing reality. The company believes the COVID-19 pandemic is changing how competitive gaming occurs and is assuming that more online, virtual tournaments will take the place of in-person events. While that seems likely for the short-term, there’s no telling what eSports could look like in 2 years let alone 5 or 6. Is this a sign that the sport is changing?

Because of the pandemic, tournaments had to move to online, virtual formats that don’t require teams to be in the same place. That’s a good thing for tournament organizers who didn’t need to cancel in 2020 or 2021. For people central to travel and putting these events on, however, that could mean further job loss in the eSports industry. Video games only grew in popularity during the pandemic, as did streaming and online play.

When a tournament takes place, the players aren’t the only ones involved. The venue, likely a hotel or conference center, has staff getting things ready, attending to audiences and attendees, as well as catering and facilities concerns. A loss of the growing eSports industry to an already beaten and battered hospitality industry could be rough. It’s likely a short-term change, but many are saying virtual is the way of the future.

What we know for now is that the Activision Blizzard eSports division, which operates quite a bit in the Overwatch League and Call of Duty League, is assuming things will stay as-is for at least the foreseeable future. It’s a sobering reminder that while we’re nearing some sense of normalcy, many things will take years to get back to normal.