As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/

COVID-19: Cancelled Culture

2»

Posts

  • JavenJaven Registered User regular
    Blizzcon cancelled; potential online event in early 2021
    Hello Blizzard community,

    Several weeks ago, I shared an update about our uncertainty around holding BlizzCon this year. Since then, a lot has changed . . . and a lot also hasn’t changed. During this time, we’ve had many discussions about what holding a convention could look like in light of all the health and safety considerations we’d want to make. We’ve also talked about different paths we could take, and how each one could be complicated by fluctuations in national and local health guidelines in the months ahead. Ultimately, after considering our options, we’ve come to the very difficult decision to not have BlizzCon this year.

    We’re feeling deeply disappointed about this decision, and imagine many of you will feel the same. I truly love BlizzCon, and I know that’s a sentiment shared by everyone at Blizzard. We will sorely miss connecting with so many of you at the convention and “recharging our geek batteries” this fall.

    But we will meet again!

    We’re talking about how we might be able to channel the BlizzCon spirit and connect with you in some way online, far less impacted by the state of health and safety protocols for mass in-person gatherings. We’d want to do this as soon as we could, but given that this is new-ish territory and the different factors involved, it will most likely be sometime early next year. BlizzCon is also a stage for big esports events in Blizzard games each year, so we’re also looking into alternatives for supporting some of the high-level competition that would normally take place at the show.

    We’ll tell you more about our plans as they develop—but in the meantime, we hope to see you exploring the Shadowlands, hanging out in the Tavern, pushing the payload (do it!), and wherever else in the Blizzard universes you may roam.

    Stay safe and stay well,

    Saralyn Smith
    Whirlwind Barbarian, Executive Producer of BlizzCon

  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
    Dang, that has to be one of the first fall events cancelled, right?

    YL9WnCY.png
  • PolaritiePolaritie Sleepy Registered User regular
    Sterica wrote: »
    Dang, that has to be one of the first fall events cancelled, right?

    Gaming-related, anyways. I know at least one bigger event that cancelled last week.

    Steam: Polaritie
    3DS: 0473-8507-2652
    Switch: SW-5185-4991-5118
    PSN: AbEntropy
  • KetarKetar Come on upstairs we're having a partyRegistered User regular
    Polaritie wrote: »
    Sterica wrote: »
    Dang, that has to be one of the first fall events cancelled, right?

    Gaming-related, anyways. I know at least one bigger event that cancelled last week.

    Yeah, we had tickets to take the kids to the Frozen musical in Chicago in late November, and they emailed me last week to let me know it was being postponed until late January. The same weekend as PAX South, which I go to every year.

  • BahamutZEROBahamutZERO Registered User regular
    The North American FFXIV Fanfest which was scheduled for November is canceled:

    BahamutZERO.gif
  • urahonkyurahonky Registered User regular
  • jungleroomxjungleroomx It's never too many graves, it's always not enough shovels Registered User regular
    edited June 2020
    edit nm

    jungleroomx on
  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
  • agoajagoaj Top Tier One FearRegistered User regular
    Pax West has turned into Pax Online
    https://online.paxsite.com/

    ujav5b9gwj1s.png
  • urahonkyurahonky Registered User regular
    agoaj wrote: »
    Pax West has turned into Pax Online
    https://online.paxsite.com/
    So when do badges go on sale?

    They don’t! PAX Online will be free and open to the public. If you can access the internet, you can go to PAX Online.

    That... Is very cool of them!

  • ErlkönigErlkönig Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    And the once delayed Emerald City Comi-Con has now been officially cancelled this year.

    | Origin/R*SC: Ein7919 | Battle.net: Erlkonig#1448 | XBL: Lexicanum | Steam: Der Erlkönig (the umlaut is important) |
  • cooljammer00cooljammer00 Hey Small Christmas-Man!Registered User regular
    edited June 2020
    My group of PAX friends have been waiting for the shoe to drop for a while now. Canceling/shifting to digital was the right/only move.

    Edit: we had all already decided not to go, we were just watching from afar as to how they'd handle it.

    cooljammer00 on
    steam_sig.png

    3DS Friend Code: 2165-6448-8348 www.Twitch.TV/cooljammer00
    Battle.Net: JohnDarc#1203 Origin/UPlay: CoolJammer00
  • MightyMighty Omeganaut '15 '16 '17 NebraskaRegistered User regular
    I was looking forward to going before the pandemic kicked off, but they're handling it exactly like I thought they would. I really didn't want to miss on two years in a row of going to PAX, but maybe next year the community will be able to meet up once more.

    Twitch: twitch.tv\dreadmighty
  • ThegreatcowThegreatcow Lord of All Bacons Washington State - It's Wet up here innit? Registered User regular
    Rooster Teeth Expo finally declares cancellation and said they'll do a stripped down online event instead.



  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
    I...didn’t think I’d be making an update for non-covid reasons, but EVO Online has been cancelled due to what can only be described as an unfathomable number of sexual predators being outed in the fgc, including the head of EVO itself.

    YL9WnCY.png
  • antheremantherem Registered User regular
    Dragon Con tried their best but had to call it, but are offering badge rollovers and (most) hotel rollovers to next year.

    I think the only majors still left standing at this point are NYCC and PAXU.

  • AlanMcLeanAlanMcLean Registered User new member
    2020 is a bullshit

  • Fractured_VeilFractured_Veil Registered User regular
    Hopefully we'll be able to slow things down as the year comes to an end and we can try to get back to some semblance of normal in 2021.

    Survive and thrive in the deadly wilds of Maui 2122.
  • BigityBigity Lubbock, TXRegistered User regular
    AlanMcLean wrote: »
    2020 is a bullshit

    1 star, would not recommend

  • MegafrostMegafrost Leader of the Decepticons Registered User regular
    https://www.rpglimitbreak.com/pre

    After being delayed to October, RPGLimitBreak 2020 is now cancelled. It's possible they replace with an online event (with its own submission period) but not sure on that yet.

  • JavenJaven Registered User regular
    I'm mostly just glad that no one is too far out of pocket. I know things were very tense with the venue initially and fear was if they had to cancel that it would have literally bankrupt people and basically put an end to the entire event

  • spool32spool32 Contrary Library Registered User regular
    I'm a little bit afraid this thing closes PAX South 2021...

  • urahonkyurahonky Registered User regular
    Yeah my guess is anything in January will be canceled or pushed back as well.

  • KetarKetar Come on upstairs we're having a partyRegistered User regular
    spool32 wrote: »
    I'm a little bit afraid this thing closes PAX South 2021...

    I expect it will, and that's really going to hurt - South has been my favorite time of year for quite a while now.

    Conventions, travel and pretty much everything else associated are just a bad idea until there's a vaccine though, since the US clearly isn't going to safely deal with this by any other method.

  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    We're already seeing businesses push back reopening their offices until well into the next year. And I'm guessing that even if the vaccine does progress quickly, people are going to be cautious until it's wiped out. I wouldn't put money on anything happening until the second half of 2021.

    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
  • antheremantherem Registered User regular
    edited August 2020
    New York Comic Con (scheduled for the second weekend in October) is tapping out, leaving PAX Unplugged as the winner of the Convention Omegathon, for which they will receive a free trip to Definitely Going Online Only In A Month Or So.

    e: Worth mentioning NYCC is doing a joint virtual event with London's MCM Comic Con from October 8-11, same time as they would have been live normally. Link above has more details.

    antherem on
  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
    edited August 2020
    We’re likely to see early 2021 cancellations in a few months, which is going to get ugly because a lot of these conventions run on razor-thin margins.

    Sterica on
    YL9WnCY.png
  • spool32spool32 Contrary Library Registered User regular
    this year is done - what I'm wondering now is if SXSW will try for March. We should have a vaccine by then...

  • KetarKetar Come on upstairs we're having a partyRegistered User regular
    spool32 wrote: »
    this year is done - what I'm wondering now is if SXSW will try for March. We should have a vaccine by then...

    I sure hope we do, but I don't think should is the right word to use and at this point I am all about tempering my expectations.

  • JavenJaven Registered User regular
    RPGLimit Break has decided not to move forward with a 2020 online event, and focus entirely on (hopefully) a live event in 2021.

    They will be trying to assist with/signal boost other online events, like Quest For Glory instead

  • JavenJaven Registered User regular
    Entirely expected, but AGDQ 2021 has been shifted to an online event

  • JaysonFourJaysonFour Classy Monster Kitteh Registered User regular
    https://www.originsgamefair.com/

    Origins 2020 has officially been cancelled, because of expectations of an incoming second wave of COVID appearing in October. They’re hoping for summer 2021.

    steam_sig.png
    I can has cheezburger, yes?
  • antheremantherem Registered User regular
    PAX Unplugged is cancelled and will not have a virtual event.

  • ForarForar #432 Toronto, Ontario, CanadaRegistered User regular
    The idea of "PAX Unplugged: Plugged In Edition" kind of makes me chuckle.

    It'll be interesting to see how this all plays out with vaccine distribution now in the mix. If anything, I'm guessing some events that normally happen earlier in the year will aim further back, and there'll certainly be pent up demand, but it could be a bit of an opposite problem if a year (or so) worth of events is crammed into a quarter or two.

    Obviously this can't happen literally; if gaming cons are happening then others will as well, and those convention halls have only so much availability to work with, especially if a quarter or three of vaccine distribution allows safe(r) con experiences to be feasible, even for a bit.

    Basically, rambling aside, I'm hoping that maybe Gencon is possible in 2021, but that'll remain to be seen until a month or two out, and I'm sure those in Q1 or Q2 are going to be staring at some hard choices to either cancel again or delay and hope for the best.

    First they came for the Muslims, and we said NOT TODAY, MOTHERFUCKER!
  • PMAversPMAvers Registered User regular
    Yeah, they mentioned in a e-mail the other day that GenCon is still a bit in the air. They are planning on doing it, but they're holding off on doing badge registration and event reg until they know for sure.

    persona4celestia.jpg
    COME FORTH, AMATERASU! - Switch Friend Code SW-5465-2458-5696 - Twitch
  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
    2020 is over! There is a new sticky thread with 2021 convention announcements. Hopefully that thread won’t last all year.

    Stay safe!

    YL9WnCY.png
This discussion has been closed.