Video Shows PAX West Halls Looking Empty
A few conventions in video games have reopened their doors to the public in 2021, with the coronavirus pandemic believed to be under control despite the rise and popularity of the delta variant.PAX WestIt will continue its scheduled in-person event, which is scheduled for September 3rd to September 6th. This was to be Seattle’s largest public gathering since the pandemic.PAX West is concerned about safety and health. Participants will need to cover their faces and present proof of vaccination.
Most gaming conventions have either cancelled their plans or moved to an online-only venue. There is still uncertainty about the status of others. The New York Comic Con was rumoured to be cancelling its physical convention scheduled for October 2021 but will actually be holding a hybrid event with a COVID-19 vaccination or negative test required for in-person attendees.
Pictures of an unusually empty Washington State Convention Center have been posted online since PAX West began on September 3. Many people were uncertain if they would be able to attend the usual number due to the coronavirus safety regulations that made it difficult to get in. It appears to have been the former. Though PAX has stopped releasing official attendance numbers in recent years, it seems clear that the count for 2021 will be much lower than in previous years.
Multiple PAX conventions are held throughout the year. Unlike PAX West, PAX East was held entirely online in July 2021. According to the PAX website, PAX Unplugged is still optimistic about its December convention. PAX South was postponed to 2022. PAX Dev has not yet been publicly announced for 2021. The website still displays the 2019 schedule.
PAX Australia 2021 has also been postponed from its scheduled October event to an undetermined date in 2022 due to concerns for public safety and the ongoing impact of COVID-19 in Australia. PAX Aus Online was the original plan for 2020. Social media will provide information about the online-only convention. All those who bought tickets to PAX Australia in person can get a full refund.
