Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and following government guidance regarding mass indoor gatherings in 2021, we are confirming today that COMBO BREAKER is unable to host its annual convention this Memorial Day Weekend. The ongoing impact of COVID-19 has made safely hosting an indoor event of COMBO BREAKER’s size impossible this May in Illinois; and Illinois is our home. Last year, when COMBO BREAKER was cancelled for 2020, we believed we would be gathering together to play games again later this spring. To accept that life has other plans for us is deeply frustrating.

For everyone who carried their 2020 room reservation at the Schaumburg Renaissance Hotel through to COMBO BREAKER 2021, please know that it has been automatically cancelled and your deposit will be returned to you shortly.

Over the last six years, COMBO BREAKER has been a way for its staff to engage with the community we love. The event became a communal effort tying us together. It helped us give back to a culture that brought each of us friendships and fulfilment we value. It is something we live for. It is something I treasure being part of.

In the past year I’ve spoken to attendees, viewers, and staff about what COMBO BREAKER has meant to them. These conversations have helped me believe that our team can offer more than just an offline event experience. Given that, we are going to try something new this year. Over Memorial Day Weekend 2021, we will be keeping the spirit of COMBO BREAKER alive with a multi-day digital festival.

We have a lot of work to do to bring our vision to life and we are looking forward to sharing it with you. In the meantime, please play fighting games. Keep practicing. Enter online tournaments. Watch streams. Be active in community servers. Support one another. Know hope.

We’ll have more info for you soon.

– The Hadou