<
>

LPL to hold day of silence to honor coronavirus victims

The League of Legends Pro League will suspend play Saturday as part of China's national day of mourning for the victims of the coronavirus, the league announced. Provided by Riot Games

China's League of Legends Pro League announced it will be observing a day of silence on Saturday to honor victims of the coronavirus outbreak and their families as well as medical staff that helped treat and contain the virus.

Called "A Day With No LPL," all league activities this Saturday will be suspended. This is part of a larger national day of mourning in China on Saturday.

"To our fans, please join us in mourning the lives that have been impacted by the outbreak, recognizing the medical staff who were crucial to the effort, and raising awareness of best practices such as social distancing to follow during these difficult times," the LPL said in a statement.

More: How coronavirus is affecting esports and gaming events

Saturday's games were scheduled to feature Rogue Warriors vs, LGD Gaming, Team WE vs. Oh My God, and FunPlus Phoenix vs. Top Esports. These will now be played at the end of the season on April 20, extending the regular LPL season by a day.

The LPL went on hiatus due to the coronavirus outbreak on Jan. 25. It returned on March 9 as a fully-remote online league. Some players are still in the process of traveling back from their homes to team houses and are required to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine after travel.

Worldwide, the coronavirus pandemic has infected over 1 million people and killed more than 53,000, according to The Associated Press.