Despite the rise of digital card games on a massive scale, physical card games still hold a special place in the hearts of many. Yu-Gi-Oh is one of these games, and its fans are some of the most dedicated in the industry, whether through amazing Yu-Gi-Oh cosplay, memes, tributes, the multiple incarnations of the TV show, or the game itself.
A lot of people are most familiar with Yu-Gi-Oh through the television show or the various video games that have come out over the years, but the physical game is so widely played that tournaments, from local to international, have always been massive events. These are the areas where the best card archetypes that have emerged since the last major tournaments are put to the ultimate test, and the most innovative and cutting-edge strategies are shown off by pro players.
This is why the news that the threat of the Coronavirus has led to the shutdown of several live Yu-Gi-Oh events is heartbreaking for fans. This is not the first time that the Coronavirus has led to a major gaming event shutdown, but these have largely been in China so far, where the virus is at its most serious. The word came down from Konami recently that several Yu-Gi-Oh live events in Japan would be the ones canceled, including corporate Dueling Festivals and in-store tournaments. Most distressingly for Japanese pros, this also includes the 2020 National Qualifiers and all its associated events.
For many players, this will barely have any impact at all, as professional Yu-Gi-Oh play often interacts very little with casual play. For others, this stands as both a major impact on their livelihood and a testament to the seriousness of the Coronavirus outbreak. Considering the announcement from Konami was only a couple days ago, there is still plenty of time to see how the various Yu-Gi-Oh communities will react.
Just as Chinese video game players have united in the wake of the Coronavirus, so too, hopefully, will the Japanese Yu-Gi-Oh community. Maybe it would be best to play through an online client for the time being though.
The Yu-Gi-Oh trading card game is available wherever its products are sold.
Source: The Yu-Gi-Oh Organization