TOPIC: Origins online cancelled

Ok got an email from origins on my email associated with my GM registration, I’ll post the full text hear, but I noticed they said see you in 2021 at the end, not sure if that means October is canceled too?

Full text

The GAMA Board of Directors and Retail Division Board issued the following statement on June 10th:

"To Our Community:

The Game Manufacturers Association believes that Black Lives Matter. We unequivocally condemn racism and violence against people of color. We have been too late in making that statement with force, and we apologize. The injustices of today demand that every person of good conscience make clear where they stand and we wish we had been more proactive, more strident, and more effective with our voices. Innocent people of color are being killed in the streets of the communities where we live, and it is not acceptable.

We cannot responsibly hold our virtual convention, Origins Online, in this setting. Even if it were possible to hold it, it would not be appropriate to do so. So, we are announcing here that Origins Online is cancelled.

The Board must voice its loud thanks to those who worked enormously hard to assemble Origins Online in a completely inadequate window of time. GAMA’s staff worked miracles, publishers hurried to learn new tools, fans took a chance to buy tickets. We could not be more grateful for their efforts, which we see and will not forget.

Every exhibitor, sponsor, and advertiser will be offered a full refund, as will every gamer who purchased a badge.

GAMA will match, dollar for dollar, any exhibitor, sponsor, advertiser, or vendor who donates the amounts they are owed for Origins Online to one of the organizations listed below. It is difficult to predict how many will take this opportunity, but the potential exists for the matched amounts to exceed $100,000, which we wholeheartedly hope will happen. The Board sees this as the next step, but not the final step, in the Association’s journey.

* Black Lives Matter Global Network

* Black Trans Advocacy Coalition

* Columbus Freedom Fund

* The Community Justice Exchange

* The Innocence Project

* NAACP

Further details will be sent to these companies by email in the coming days.

The Board thanks every person whose voice reached us in recent hours and days. It is hard, we know, for those voices to speak when they have so much at stake. We are grateful for your persistence, eloquence, and will.

GAMA’s vision statement is “A game on every table, a table for every gamer.” We commit to working toward that day.

In service,
GAMA’s Board of Directors, and Retail Division Board"


Some of you were joining Origins to create content and memories for attendees and friends for the first time. Others have been supporters for many years returning to be part of our new endeavor. To all of you, we want to say thank you so much for your support and all the hard work you put in to help us create Origins Online. Your contributions will not be forgotten.

Thank you for your support and we look forward to seeing and working with you again in 2021!

The 2021 reference does sound like the rescheduled October event is cancelled as well. If so, I'm surprised they didn't come out and say it.

Yeah, I got the email as well and totally missed the 2021 reference. They really need to be more specific if they are already cancelling October. I sort of expect them to cancel anyway, but would like some clarity.

they did cancel the oct event

jedibcg wrote: they did cancel the oct event

Just processed a 100% refund for my badge. Yeap, Oct is cancelled.

boardgamegeek.com/thread/2446039/what-happened-origins-online/page/2

Check the second from the bottom post. Looks like they announced October's cancelation to exhibitors but not to the general public yet.

I wonder if we will see them in 2021.

Hopefully. It had the amenities of a huge con, but felt really chill and not too crowded at the same time. I'd be really bummed if it went away.

edwin wrote:

jedibcg wrote: they did cancel the oct event

Just processed a 100% refund for my badge. Yeap, Oct is cancelled.

Time to cancel some hotel rooms. That does it for me until next year for Conventions, unless we get a Winter TD event in Carbondale (wishful thinking on my part - and also wishful thinking that COVID-19 will ease up before then).

Mike Steele wrote: The 2021 reference does sound like the rescheduled October event is cancelled as well. If so, I'm surprised they didn't come out and say it.

Why would they suddenly start communicating effectively?

Harlax wrote:

Mike Steele wrote: The 2021 reference does sound like the rescheduled October event is cancelled as well. If so, I'm surprised they didn't come out and say it.

Why would they suddenly start communicating effectively?

Well, apparently the director of digital communications was one of the people who quit. So, seems like they're having trouble picking up the pieces.

Mike Steele wrote:

edwin wrote:

jedibcg wrote: they did cancel the oct event

Just processed a 100% refund for my badge. Yeap, Oct is cancelled.

Time to cancel some hotel rooms. That does it for me until next year for Conventions, unless we get a Winter TD event in Carbondale (wishful thinking on my part - and also wishful thinking that COVID-19 will ease up before then).

Hotel room cancelled also. Figure best to be in the front of the line.

Same here with no conventions until 2021 as best case scenario.