It’s hard to ignore the impact coronavirus has had around the world. So far more than 75,000 people have tested positive for the virus, which originated in China’s Hubei province late last year. The news has deeply affected the staff of Korean esports organisation Gen.G, who have pledged to donate 100% of merchandise sales from now until the end of March, as well as all of the proceeds from the upcoming Overwatch League Seoul Dynasty homestand.
Gen.G’s decision comes weeks after Blizzard was forced to cancel five Chinese homestand events due to the outbreak and move some of the matches to the Seoul Dynasty event next month. Due to the impact the virus is having around the world, the organisation wants to use its position to bolster the efforts of charities supporting victims of the virus, which has so far killed more than 2,100 people.
“We are deeply aware of the effects of coronavirus which is especially harsh in China and across Asia,” Gen.G Esports’ chief operating officer Arnold Hur says in a video, which you can watch below. “We have office staff, players, and family that are deeply affected by the response to this emergency and of course, our number one priority has always been to ensure that their well being is put first.
“We’ve seen how amazingly global the esports community really is, and I think we’ve also seen first-hand how one problem in one part of the world is actually a problem for all of us. That really got us thinking about what our responsibility should be, both as individuals and as an organisation to support those most affected by the virus.
서울 다이너스티와 젠지 이스포츠는 코로나19로 인한 전 세계적 사태에 대한 심각성을 통감하고 있습니다.
힘든 상황일수록 서로 돕는 건강한 사회, 이스포츠 문화를 만드는 데 힘이 될 수 있도록 손길을 이어나가겠습니다.#TigerNation #coronavirus #COVID19 #코로나19 pic.twitter.com/fJfUOsq0RZ— Seoul Dynasty 🐯 (@SeoulDynasty) February 19, 2020
“After speaking with staff, players, and coaches we’ve decided that Gen.G and Seoul Dynasty will be donating 100% of the proceeds from our March Seoul Dynasty homestand, our merchandise sales from both Gen.G and Seoul Dynasty, as well as the in-game skin sales from Seoul Dynasty from today until the end of March to support charities that support victims of the coronavirus.”
You can visit the Gen.G merchandise store here, buy tickets for the Seoul Dynasty homestand here, and buy Seoul Dynasty Overwatch League skins via the Overwatch store in-game.
