Venture Beat: “Activision Blizzard has let go of about 50 employees in its esports division, as the Sports Business Journal first reported.”

“The publisher blames the decision on the impact the pandemic has had on live events. Activision Blizzard had invested heavily in on-stage esports shows with crowds, including with the Overwatch League, which had Blizzard selling a premium for the right to own a team. COVID-19 forced Blizzard to move its competitive events to online only affairs.”

“The spokesperson also noted that live events will still be a part of Overwatch League and Call of Duty League’s future, once they are safe to do so.”