Thursday, several esports companies came together to announce a five-week Apex Legends tournament known as the Shutdown Showdown which will allow players to fight the spread of COVID-19 by staying at home. Gaud-Hammer Gaming Group, Ultimate Gaming Championship, and Beasley esports have come together for the charity tournament and will reward competitors with mystery packs filled with gaming gear, snacks, and other fun prizes.
During the five week series, players can directly help those directly affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic. (Photo courtesy Respawn Entertainment)
The Shutdown Showdown is a five-week online tournament starting on March 31st. Each week teams of three will go head to head in custom server matches on UGC’s gaming platform, UGC Esports. The winning teams will be rewarded with mystery packs put together by the Gratsy and other sponsors of the tournament. The sponsor prizes will be announced on a weekly basis, and interested competitors can use the UGC Discord server to find their team for the tournament.
The purpose of the Shutdown Showdown tournament is to promote the importance of staying home and rewarding players for doing their part during the COVID-19 pandemic. 40% of each registrants’ fee will also be donated to the No Kid Hungry campaign which is dedicated to feeding children who rely on school lunches while the schools are closed. Almost every school, in the United States, is closed or locked down due to the virus, so the campaign needs assistance more than ever.
CEO of Gaud-Hammer Gaming Group Anthony Gaud explained his reasoning behind the tournament and the future of Shutdown Showdown after the pandemic is over: “The gaming community is tightly knit and the instinct to come together is strong, especially during this time of global crisis… The ‘Shutdown Showdown’ was conceived as a means to utilize the time gamers are being asked to stay indoors into something meaning and impactful.”
The COVID-19 virus continues to impact the day to day lives of people around the world. The gaming industry has been severely impacted over the past few months as almost every major event has been canceled. This tournament will help incentivize players and fans to stay indoors while helping those in need.
Players interested in competing in the tournament can visit the official website for more information on how to sign up. The Shutdown Showdown will also be streamed on Twitch and Mixer.
