Square Enix Cancels Game Tournaments After Being Sent More Death Threats

Square Enix has cancelled the four Starwing Paradox tournaments scheduled this weekend as a precaution after several death threats were sent to the mecha arcade game's management team.

In an official Square Enix statement, the company says it has reported the threats and is cooperating fully with police. As a precautionary measure, tournaments for both this weekend and next weekend in Tokyo, Yokohama, Fukuoka, and Nagora have all been cancelled. Square Enix has apologised to those looking forward to the events.

This is just the latest in a series of threats against Square Enix in 2019. Earlier this month a man was arrested by Tokyo police after threatening the company with an arson attack, stating that he would repeat the terrible Kyoto Animation tragedy. This followed another incident in March when a man was arrested after threatening to kill Square Enix staff because he spent over 200,000 yen ($1,794 / £1,500) attempting to unlock a specific item in a gacha game (the video game equivalent of capsule toys).

Meanwhile, around 30 emails were sent to Square Enix last September with the word "kill" written in Japanese. Authorities are currently investigating if there is any connection between this and the other death threats the studio has faced.