The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the landscape of the video game industry, with conventions including GDC andE3 being canceledand more likely to go before things return to some sort of normal. That’s why Blizzard is transparently acknowledging thatBlizzCon 2020’s future isn’t certain. In a statement issued today, Blizzard confirmed that the late-year convention is still planned, but that could change.
“A gaming convention is probably the last thing on people’s minds right now,” is howBlizzardstarts its message to its community. Recognizing the atmosphere is what the post, written by BlizzCon executive producer Saralyn Smith, is all about. It’s healthy of Blizzard to help create an understanding regarding the impact of COVID-19 and how unpredictable things are right now.
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“We’re seeing questions about our plans for this year’s BlizzCon and we want to provide a quick update,” Smith says regarding whetherBlizzCon 2020will or won’t be going forward. Smith doesn’t have an answer to that question right now. “While we’re hopeful things will look better later in the year, the bottom line is that at this point it’s too early to know whether BlizzCon 2020 will be feasible,” is Smith and Blizzard’s ultimate conclusion for the time being. Blizzard is clearly still thinking over whether it would be appropriate to cancel the event.
Blizzard does say that it was near finalizing its BlizzCon 2020 plans prior to theCOVID-19 shutdown. It’s still working toward those plans, but now involves a variety of “scenarios and possibilities.” That could mean that Blizzard is considering an all-online event or a smaller event that prioritizes safety considerations.
For the sake of potential attendees, Blizzard says that it will strive to “provide as much clarity as we can, as quickly as we can.” After all, attendees need to find accommodations for their travel and stay during the convention. The later Blizzard is deciding what it’s doing, the harder and more expensive it will be forconvention attendees.
It may seem crazy to think that a November or December convention is considering canceling at this point. But as more research is done into COVID-19, the more likely it is that the pandemic will persist for much longer than initially expected. That’s not to say that 6 months from now the numbers will be around or above where they are now, but the potential for spread even from one sick person will likely still be a factor. It may even be enough to keep events likeBlizzCon 2020or evenThe Game Awardsfrom happening.
