Panda Global removes Dr. Alan Bunney from CEO position

Panda Global’s CEO Dr. Alan Bunney has resigned from his position, according to a statement posted by the organization on social media. The Panda Cup Finale has also been postponed, the statement added.

Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the Smash Bros. esports tournament, Panda Global CEO Dr. Alan Bunney stepped down from his position after being implicated as one of the main perpetrators. The controversy began when the Smash World Tour team released a statement regarding the Smash Tour last week, alleging that Nintendo had suddenly opted to cancel all upcoming SWT Championships owing to licensing concerns.

Panda Global issued a controversial statement earlier this month in which it defended Nintendo’s decision and claimed that SWT made the decision to terminate the Championship on its own. It caused a backlash among the Smash community, leading many professional Smash players and Panda Global employees to leave. To be more specific, 10 of the 17 eSports personalities mentioned on Panda’s website as part of its roster have subsequently resigned.

Bunney is no longer the CEO of Panda Global, and the company has established a temporary Interim Management Committee in his place. However, the names of the committee’s members have been withheld due to concerns regarding harassment and safety. The statement also mentions that the Panda Cup Finale, which was originally planned to take place between December 16 and 18, has been rescheduled owing to staff and contractor security concerns.

Bunney responds to the situation but the community is still unhappy

Bunney also responded to the controversy claiming that SWT has lied, but hasn’t mentioned which part it lied about. Based on all of the statements, he may be implying SWT lied about the entire controversy from the beginning, placing the blame on Nintendo and Panda rather than accepting responsibility for its own actions. The comment received a furious reaction from the Smash community on social media, with the majority accusing him of lying.

 

Although it is unknown when Dr. Alan’s complete speech will be made public, the community is disappointed with the situation as it currently stands. Despite the CEO’s dismissal, it is unlikely that the company would quickly bounce back given that players continue to shun Panda events. After Dr. Alan’s statements, this journey seems to be far from over, so the future prospects for Panda Global and the Smash community remain unclear. For now, the Panda Cup Finale has been postponed, thus the year’s final major Smash competition will be Ludwig’s Scuffed World Tour event on December 18.

Header: Smash World Tour