PUBG Corp postpones PGS Berlin over Coronavirus fears

40,660 infected and 910 dead. Coronavirus has taken a massive toll and has been declared a Global Health Emergency by the WHO. While most of the cases are contained to China, the contagious Virus which spreads through contact has started to reach different parts of the world. Amid the fears, PUBG Corp, the developer and owner of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, has announced that PGS Berlin will be postponed. Germany has reported 14 cases of Coronavirus but there have been no reported deaths. 

In a statement, they said: 

PUBG Corporation is actively monitoring the spread of the latest coronavirus, which was recently declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization. 

With the health and safety of our players, employees, and fans as our top priorities, we’ve made the difficult decision to postpone April’s PGS: Berlin event. The dates and times of regional qualifiers may also be subject to change. The plan to host four PUBG global esports events in 2020 remains unchanged, and we are actively exploring options for when a replacement event can be held. 

We will provide updates once we have a better understanding of the best options for esports fans, players, and staff. We thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate this situation. 

This isn’t the first esports event that has been cancelled due to Coronavirus. Towards the end of January, Riot had announced that they would be postponing League of Legends Pro Series in China. A couple of days later, WESG announced that their Asia-Pacific qualifiers for CS:GO would be cancelled. Overwatch League also took to Twitter on the same day to announce that they would be postponing their tournaments in China. Two of China’s Overwatch teams also made public their decision to relocate to South Korea due to concerns for their staff and players.