I never got the impression that some players of Call of Duty are a particularly compliant bunch, and that assumption was not helped by the actions of a number of players in an esports event that ignored calls for a tournament to be held online and instead congregated in a LAN event.
The competition in question was the American Gaming Network’s Indianapolis Open, which was initially preparing to host a LAN event with requirements like face masks, temperature checks, and the signing of a liability waiver being offered as safeguards. However, the esports org reversed course and moved to an online only format after “discussions with representatives from Activision.”
But a number of players apparently disregarded AGN’s decision and gathered together for a LAN party anyway, as esports journalist Rod Breslau tweeted, with nary a mask or other preventative measures in sight. There were initial assumptions that AGN was hosting the LAN in spite of statements to the contrary, but another tweet from AGN refutes the claim, stating the org has nothing to do with players congregated at any LAN center in spite of reports that AGN staff were allegedly present at the gathering.
AGN has since pushed back the tournament’s second day, citing the desire to “preserve the competitive integrity of the online tournament” and “an overwhelming [number] of players away from home with the inability to play in a safe environment.”
