The loss of Nvidia was already known and with the turn of the year the ESWC have been unable thus far to secure the partners of previous installments to organise the grand affair that is the ESWC.

"So we have to react and take important decisions to avoid a global failure of ESWC in 2009," said Matthieu Dallon in a release to its partners. "We will suspend the upcoming Grand Final of June to postpone it to last quarter 2009," he went on to say, "we are actively looking for new opportunities, in France as in other countries."

There is even a possibility the event could be organised by a third party due to Games-Services - the company behind ESWC - being strapped for cash. "As Games-Services is also facing a serious cash flow crisis, the event might be organized by a third party such as a licensed partner or a new business owner."

However, the ESWC organisers stress they are actively following up any leads to try to secure the organisation of the Grand Final 2009 themselves. The ESWC Asia Masters will not be affected by Games-Services currently financial predicament as "the ESWC Asia Masters shall be organized as scheduled as it is entirely financed by local Korean sponsors."

Also the ESWC said that no new games will be announced as "more games would increase all production cost and prize money to finance. In the current situation, that is not reasonable."

Matthieu Dallon and his staff are clearly doing the best they can to salvage what is undoubtably one of the two biggest tournaments of the year, as an eSports calendar without an ESWC would be a huge blow for the eSports scene. An official public press release is to follow in the coming days as the men behind the ESWC machine discuss what can be done.