The year 2020 is shaping up to be a tumultuous year for the fighting game community (FGC) as the COVID-19 pandemic sidelined many big events. Unlike other types of video games that feature multiplayer, latency, and input lag can mean victory or loss among professional players, hence, tournaments are traditionally held with both competitors playing side-by-side. Due to the ongoing health crisis, organisers have shifted to an online format. However, the Evo Online has been called off after sexual misconduct claims against its co-founder surfaced last week.

Just like other high-profile events this year, the 2020 Evolution Championship Series was slated to mark its first-ever online-only tournament. Before this was announced, participants and sponsors speculated that it would be cancelled due to the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak. Unfortunately, accusations of sexual abuse against its CEO Joey "MrWizard" Cuellar have derailed all activities that were planned to kick off on the Fourth of July weekend.

"Over the past 24 hours, in response to serious allegations recently made public on Twitter, we have made the first in a series of important decisions regarding the future of our company," according to a statement released by its organisers, as reported by Polygon. One of the co-founders, Tony Cannon has been named the acting CEO moving forward as Cuellar issued an apology on social media. The group also added that "progress doesn't happen overnight, or without the bravery of those who speak up against misconduct and injustice.

It all started last week when Mikey "CrackPron" Pham posted the details of the purported abuse on Twitter. It apparently happened when he was still a minor. Several others were also involved in separate incidents that took place even before the event grew into one of the most highly anticipated annual esports competition and biggest fighting game tournament globally.

'Street Fighter V: Champion Edition' introduces Gill
"Street Fighter V: Champion Edition" releases in February 2020 but Capcom will add Gill as an add-on DLC next month. Photo: Capcom

This led to many companies pulling out of Evo Online such as NetherRealm Studios, Capcom, and Bandai Namco among others. Nevertheless, even before the recent developments, the majority of members from the fighting game community were concerned about the quality and performance of online gameplay. Even the netcode of some of the most popular titles have been criticised for its unreliable connectivity.

Sexual Abuse