Fellow gamers at the event or watching remote have spoken out in reports by the New York Times and LA Times about the incident and its impact on a close-knit group of competitive Madden players. Kotaku has more details on the lives of Robertson, a father who had recently joined the DotCityGaming team after winning the Madden 17 Classic, and Clayton, a 22-year-old who reached the Madden national finals last year and appeared in Madden 18 as a coach.

On the same weekend as other high-profile esports events like the NBA 2K League finals, Dota 2's The International and the Overwatch League All-Star game, this event was to begin the Madden EA Major competitive season. Now, Wilson said the three remaining Classic qualifier events are cancelled while the company reviews its safety protocols.