A man has died during a major video game tournament for Street Fighter 5 and Samurai Showdown in New York. Participants are complaining that the event was poorly organized. The tournament took place during a heat wave.
Who has died? The player Bryand McIntosh from Louisiana is described as a well-known face in the “Fighting Game” community there. He was said to be a pillar of the community, according to Capcom, who acts as a sponsor for the annual tournament “Defend the North”.
The player was known as “Krucial B” and was registered for Street Fighter 5 and Samurai Showdown at the tournament in New York.
Family speaks of hereditary illness
What did he die of? According to Business Insider, the player became unconscious after suffering a heart attack in the public restroom of the tournament. He was then taken to a nearby hospital where he passed away.
The family stated afterward that the heart attack was a result of an inherited medical problem that many in the family suffered from. Bryand’s father urged everyone to get checked out to protect themselves and spare their family from grief.
An hour before his death, Bryand McIntosh was still seen live on stream, where he appeared as “Krucial B”.
Tournament took place during a heat wave
The tournament is criticized for: The tournament took place last weekend. New York suffered from a heat wave with temperatures around 36°. 1500 people participated in the tournament.
Tournament participants criticize that the event in New York was poorly organized. Although conference rooms were air-conditioned, it got incredibly hot in the well-attended rooms during the peak of the event:
- The tournament experienced delays.
- There was too little drink available.
- The tournament was poorly coordinated.
- There was too little staff on site.
In addition, there was a hotel rule that forbade participants from bringing their own drinks and food. The organizers said they were not aware of this rule.
Additionally, the two largest tournaments “Dragon Ball FighterZ” and Samurai Showdown were both scheduled in the same room at the same time, which made it completely overcrowded.
During the tournament, participants were not informed about McIntosh’s fate – but the news spread quickly on social media.
This is what the organizers say: The tournament organizer expressed condolences for the death of Bryand McIntosh in a statement and expressed his sympathy to the family. They will do everything to clarify the player’s death. They are deeply affected.
Capcom also extended condolences to Bryand’s family and friends: “RIP Bryand. You will be missed,” it says on Twitter.
Note: We have obtained the title image from the US site Kotaku.
