The COVID-19 situation limited events of all kinds, especially sporting events where athletes have to come in close contact with one another. Although the German Bundesliga football league has returned, other football federations and general sports around the world are still wary of taking this step. Microsoft in 2018 managed to host the first video gaming tournament at Special Olympics USA Games, and the studio admitted it was a great success, with athletes from four states competing head-to-head. The studio decided its time to make a return to the virtual sports scene with 2020 Special Olympics Xbox Virtual Gaming Event with Turn 10 Studios’ Forza Motorsport 7 at the center of it all.
The event will be live-streamed across Mixer, Xbox YouTube, and even Twitch. It kicks off on May 30, at 12:00 p.m. PT sharp. Special athletes will get compete and race on Forza Motorsport 7's tracks to crown a winner. For now, eleven states have confirmed their participation in the event, an increase from 2018's four states. Not only that, Microsoft decided to take it to the next level, and arranged the award ceremony in Minecraft.
With athletic training and competitions currently postponed due to COVID-19, Special Olympics are looking for new ways to connect, compete, and just have fun. Enveloping this event will be stories of the athletes themselves – allowing a broad fanbase to know who they are, what they care about, how they are feeling – and cheer them on as they discover new community and excitement in playing Forza Motorsport 7. Eleven states will be represented in this year’s event with over 35 athletes participating.
If you are interested in supporting Microsoft's initiative, you can either apply to become a volunteer to help wherever you can through the event, or donate your Microsoft Rewards points. For every point donated, the studio will match it themselves through June 30, 2020.
Are you going to tune in to the event? Do you think we will start to see more traditional sports switching to virtual platforms? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section down below.
