BlizzCon and Our Latest Plans - No BlizzCon This Year

[rhorle]

Yeah, I personally don't think it's a conspiracy. It is much simpler!

If you can't even be honest to yourself why should we, other forum goers, believe anything you say? You have all these excuses for why it isn't a pandemic, why it is fake, why things were made up, etc, etc. That is a conspiracy you are trying to push and one you wholeheartedly believe. Not once have I ever implied the pandemic shouldn't end which is again further proof you are pushing a conspiracy and don't want to accept the truth.

Stop being afraid. The pandemic will end, and is ending in countries with vaccine roll out.

- - - Updated - - -

I live in a country where I am not forced to take this vaccination. You want a country where you are forced to take one. You can go live there instead of trying to force totalitarianism in mine.

Again you ignore existing vaccine mandates in your country. There are only certain reasons that are allowed for exemptions and there is varying degree of enforcement. You live in a country that is already a totalitarian state according to your own definitions of what makes it one. It is okay for you to not choose to have a vaccine. But don't try and claim moral superiority or being some paragon of freedom because of it.

- - - Updated - - -

You're still stacking corpses, its just a different crowd than tv tells you to worry about and its gonna get worse because the economic damage takes longer to fully unfold and then you have to deal with the increased dropouts in the education system. You pwned kids to let the elderly live a bit longer.

The only thing your post does is make the argument that mental health, and other sources of preventable deaths, should be taken more seriously. It doesn't indicate that a pandemic is fake or that there is a global conspiracy to enslave people. If kids were "owned" then it is a failure of the education system that was inherent prior to a pandemic. Which again shows how you want to prop up failed systems for the sake of denying reality.

Don't be afraid of the truth just work to improve the world.

[mbit]

I


The only thing your post does is make the argument that mental health, and other sources of preventable deaths, should be taken more seriously. It doesn't indicate that a pandemic is fake or that there is a global conspiracy to enslave people. If kids were "owned" then it is a failure of the education system that was inherent prior to a pandemic. Which again shows how you want to prop up failed systems for the sake of denying reality.

Don't be afraid of the truth just work to improve the world.

The whole pandemic yes no is in essence an argument for lockdown yes no and so i addressed the core issue. It doesnt matter how you label it, the reaction is a fuckup causing dead itself.

[rhorle]

The whole pandemic yes no is in essence an argument for lockdown yes no and so i addressed the core issue. It doesnt matter how you label it, the reaction is a fuckup causing dead itself.

So the pandemic isn't real because the response to it was mishandled and caused deaths? Lol. Reality must be hard.

[Big Thanks]

If you can't even be honest to yourself why should we, other forum goers, believe anything you say? You have all these excuses for why it isn't a pandemic, why it is fake, why things were made up, etc, etc. That is a conspiracy you are trying to push and one you wholeheartedly believe. Not once have I ever implied the pandemic shouldn't end which is again further proof you are pushing a conspiracy and don't want to accept the truth.

Stop being afraid. The pandemic will end, and is ending in countries with vaccine roll out.

- - - Updated - - -



Again you ignore existing vaccine mandates in your country. There are only certain reasons that are allowed for exemptions and there is varying degree of enforcement. You live in a country that is already a totalitarian state according to your own definitions of what makes it one. It is okay for you to not choose to have a vaccine. But don't try and claim moral superiority or being some paragon of freedom because of it.

- - - Updated - - -



The only thing your post does is make the argument that mental health, and other sources of preventable deaths, should be taken more seriously. It doesn't indicate that a pandemic is fake or that there is a global conspiracy to enslave people. If kids were "owned" then it is a failure of the education system that was inherent prior to a pandemic. Which again shows how you want to prop up failed systems for the sake of denying reality.

Don't be afraid of the truth just work to improve the world.

@jk1895

I suffer from schizophrenia paranoia and even i know this sounds crazy.
Im on my pills so is all good and controlled for 5 years.

If i have a suggestion for people with paranoia or one who believes in conspiracy theories is that...i know telling you "stop believing in this crap" will not help at all.
So my suggestion is:
Even if you believe in this "stories" and you find them real...you will ruin your own life doing actions regarding this issue.
And thats a fact

Try to see this "stories" like any other horrible things that happen in real world that you can do nothing about.
Like "people die starving in Africa everyday"
You stories are nothing but "tragedies you can do nothing about"...because, believe me, you are not "The Chosen One".
You are just a random dude/girl.

You "lose" in life everytime you lift a finger in reaction against this "stories".
So stop...live your life...try to improve your own life.

My 2 cents.

[jk1895]

conspiracy you are trying to push - you are pushing a conspiracy and don't want to accept the truth.

Stop being afraid. - vaccine

Yes, I am indeed concerned. Your naive trust in the government and pharmaceutical industry is scary! This gene therapy that you keep euphemistically calling "vaccination" is highly dangerous. You fall for their propaganda. It is safe and such nonsense.

But the only thing you can think of is that I am a conspiracy theorist. Get lost!

[mbit]

So the pandemic isn't real because the response to it was mishandled and caused deaths? Lol. Reality must be hard.

Why are you this stupid? I clearly wrote it simply doesn't matter. Real not real? who cares? Its an arbitrary definition what constitutes a crisis anyway. Whats more relevant is whether you kill people with your solution cause thats a real issue and not just wordplay.

[rhorle]

Yes, I am indeed concerned. Your naive trust in the government and pharmaceutical industry is scary! This gene therapy that you keep euphemistically calling "vaccination" is highly dangerous. You fall for their propaganda. It is safe and such nonsense. But the only thing you can think of is that I am a conspiracy theorist. Get lost!

Of course you are a conspiracy theorist because you automatically assumed a person in favor of a vaccine is naive and that there is something insidious at work with a vaccine. Your own posts indicate what you are and what you believe in. The mRNA vaccines are not the same thing as gene therapy. You are confusing the two in order to push a false narrative of evil doers. That is a conspiracy theory being pushed by yourself.

Even then there is more traditional vaccines that work. The scientific studies and reports regarding the vaccines, safety measures, and the pandemic in general are not propaganda. It isn't nonsense. The information is all out there for you to look into yourself. You just need to stop the conspiracy first.

- - - Updated - - -

Why are you this stupid? I clearly wrote it simply doesn't matter. Real not real? who cares? Its an arbitrary definition what constitutes a crisis anyway. Whats more relevant is whether you kill people with your solution cause thats a real issue and not just wordplay.

If it simply doesn't matter then the response doesn't matter as well. The only stupid thing here is how you arbitrarily care about deaths just so you can keep a perception of being correct.

[mbit]

If it simply doesn't matter then the response doesn't matter as well.

So you cant separate labels from actions...

[Triceron]

For all of you brining up Covid... You do know the virus is currently on a massive decline right now in the US right? And this is with many states already lifting mandates, many of which have been lifted about a month ago and yet cases are still declining. Sports venues are opening up right now to more and more people, schools are planning to be full in person this coming fall, more things are opened up this summer... I can go on. The vaccine has clearly worked in suppressing the spread, hence this massive decline and things getting back on track.

Moreover, California has the lowest rate of infections in all of the US. Blizz could also still do limited capacity and mandatory mask wearing in blizzcon, or even just allow those vaccinated, and know international travelers to Blizzcon. So i'm not quite sure if Covid is the root cause for this, unless if Blizzcon really banks on international attendees.

There's way more to factor than just California having low rates.

We're talking about a centralized convention that is meant to bring people from all around the world to one spot. Europeans, North Americans, South Americans, Asians, etc etc. Hell, more than half of all the Esports players are Asian. We're talking about packing people into Hotels in the area, increasing concentrated social contact. We're talking about having people interface with hundreds/thousands of others from around the world, and then having those people return to their place of origin bringing whatever potential illnesss with them.

I mean, even without a pandemic, 'Con sickness' was already a thing; people getting illnesses just from merely being in contact with so many people and having little means of maintaining sanitary. It's going to be difficult to maintain any rules and restrictions at a convention as large as Blizzcon. Lines would be way longer, people will forgoe using masks, and considering how certain fans are notorious for not maintaining personal hygiene, I don't think we can count on everyone staying sanitary.

Anyone getting sick at a physical convention is going to be bad PR. Enforcing strict regulations is going to be bad PR. Limiting foreigners attending Blizzcon is going to be bad PR. It's a lose-lose situation.

[rrayy]

There's way more to factor than just California having low rates.

We're talking about a centralized convention that is meant to bring people from all around the world to one spot. Europeans, North Americans, South Americans, Asians, etc etc. Hell, more than half of all the Esports players are Asian. We're talking about packing people into Hotels in the area, increasing concentrated social contact. We're talking about having people interface with hundreds/thousands of others from around the world, and then having those people return to their place of origin bringing whatever potential illnesss with them.

I mean, even without a pandemic, 'Con sickness' was already a thing; people getting illnesses just from merely being in contact with so many people and having little means of maintaining sanitary. It's going to be difficult to maintain any rules and restrictions at a convention as large as Blizzcon. Lines would be way longer, people will forgoe using masks, and considering how certain fans are notorious for not maintaining personal hygiene, I don't think we can count on everyone staying sanitary.

THer NBA is filling arenas right now with 15-18k people and they aren't having any incidents. WWE had their Wrestemania show with 30,000 in attendance two straight nights and had no issues. THe Super Bowl also had 25k and no issues. How is it that the NBA, NFL, WWE and NHL have hbeen ble to hold events with large amounts with people, but Blizzard can't? Your argument doesn't hold water when other organizations have already done it with no problem.

Anyone getting sick at a physical convention is going to be bad PR. Enforcing strict regulations is going to be bad PR. Limiting foreigners attending Blizzcon is going to be bad PR. It's a lose-lose situation.

All the organizations had strict regulations. All of them limited foreigners attendance. Not one of them got bad PR for it. You cannot say that Blizzard can't do it when there are several examples of other organizations already doing it.

- - - Updated - - -

Again you ignore existing vaccine mandates in your country. There are only certain reasons that are allowed for exemptions and there is varying degree of enforcement. You live in a country that is already a totalitarian state according to your own definitions of what makes it one. It is okay for you to not choose to have a vaccine. But don't try and claim moral superiority or being some paragon of freedom because of it.

There are not existing mandates in the US. Nobody is forced to take the COVID vaccine. I do not have to take it if I do not want.

If you want to naively trust the government that approved a drug that pharmaceutical industry who barely tested it and are already seeing issues crop up, go ahead. You claim "follow the science", but what you really mean is "follow the science that tells you to blindly inject a barely tested drug and ignore the science that uncovers the problems".

[rhorle]

Your argument doesn't hold water when other organizations have already done it with no problem.

There have also been problems linked to events. There is also a large difference between sports and a video game convention. Could it have been done and have been relatively safe? Sure. That also doesn't mean Blizzard is wrong for playing it safe and there not being enough time to plan the event once it became clear vaccines, and others measures, were working. The country only recently hit 50% of the adult population having a vaccine after all.

Only looking at the events that prove your case doesn't hold water. Professional players are still contracting COVID-19 or being added to the protocol lists. The Yankee's had break through cases. Testing has also dropped so tracing out breaks to large scale events is harder. A local school district near me had a party one weekend in march that had 200 students attend. It caused the first large-scale out break in the district all year. Things can still happen so things must still be considered and not ignored simply because you can't accept otherwise.

[jk1895]

The mRNA vaccines are not the same thing as gene therapy.

I don't care what you call it in the end. I am not saying that it alters genes, but that it is a therapy based on genetic engineering with emergency approval and insufficiently researched late effects (random DNA insertions in the per mille range occur, confirmed by the manufacturers!).
To that end, it is completely unnecessary because it is now known that Sars-Cov-2 is not a super deadly disease. But all that people try to tell you is not understood because of your superficiality and fear.
Be happy with your poison, just leave me alone with it!

[Triceron]

THer NBA is filling arenas right now with 15-18k people and they aren't having any incidents. WWE had their Wrestemania show with 30,000 in attendance two straight nights and had no issues. THe Super Bowl also had 25k and no issues. How is it that the NBA, NFL, WWE and NHL have hbeen ble to hold events with large amounts with people, but Blizzard can't? Your argument doesn't hold water when other organizations have already done it with no problem.

These aren't international events, really. They're *mostly* centralized to people living in the cities or surrounding areas.

Even then we're not talking about people from around the world attending Superbowl. It's still people within the same country.

All the organizations had strict regulations. All of them limited foreigners attendance. Not one of them got bad PR for it. You cannot say that Blizzard can't do it when there are several examples of other organizations already doing it.

Sure I can. None of those organizations you mentioned hinged on Esports attendees who are from different countries.

Esports and foreign attendees is a significant part of Blizzcon. You get to reunite with guildies from around the world for this one event. That's what makes it special for a lot of people, not just being able to see a singular show like a national sporting event.


And we're talking about very different things if you're talking about an event where fans sit and watch entertainment as opposed to people lining up to play a demo of an upcoming game and touching the same keyboards that thousands of other attendees have touched. What's the point of having a physical Blizzcon if it's the restrictions will make it a shell of its former self? No demos, no live Esports, longer lines, no people from outside the country... Blizzcon is multi-day convention, not a 3-4 hour show.

[rhorle]

There are not existing mandates in the US. Nobody is forced to take the COVID vaccine. I do not have to take it if I do not want.

Several businesses, schools, and other entities have stated that the vaccine is required. Not all of them are offering exemptions. Once it is given full approval by the FDA, instead of just emergency use, it will be required that all federal employees, (Military, Park Rangers, Janitors, Post office, etc), to get the vaccine. You don't have to take it if you don't want to but stop crying about a totalitarian state. You are the Karen asking for the manager because you can't handle that laws exist and you are not actually free to do whatever you want.

The vaccines were tested. The side effects are rarer then then those caused by COVID-19. You are saying something is unsafe because .00001% of the people got them. Stop being afraid. You are not following the science. You are giving into fear of extremely rare side effects and blowing those occurrences of side effects into major problems.

- - - Updated - - -

I don't care what you call it in the end.

Right. We know you don't care about facts but instead only care about pushing the conspiracies you think are real. You can always take the non-mRNA vaccine causes your objections to become moot. Yet you'll just create new ones for why those are also bad. Right? COVID-19 is not super deadly but it still has a higher death rate then other viruses and is contagious enough that it can cause unnecessary deaths. Like happened in India when a healthcare system was strained.

The only people giving into fear are those like yourself that misuse words to push your view point. If you are not afraid of the truth then there is no reason to try any way you can to twist it. Vaccines are not poison.

[rrayy]

These aren't international events, really. They're *mostly* centralized to people living in the cities or surrounding areas.

Even then we're not talking about people from around the world attending Superbowl. It's still people within the same country.

Then I will point to WWE Wrestlemania. That is an annual event that in fact hinges on 1,000's of fans from all over the world to fill the stadium. They went ahead and had 30k fans in the staidum this year despite interntionals not being able to go. They had no problem.

Sure I can. None of those organizations you mentioned hinged on Esports attendees who are from different countries.

Esports and foreign attendees is a significant part of Blizzcon. You get to reunite with guildies from around the world for this one event. That's what makes it special for a lot of people, not just being able to see a singular show like a national sporting event.

Agagn, Blizzard already showed you how to hold those events. And people from around the world are not required to have the event. YOu can easily hold the event without that and people in the US can still get together, To say you can't do that unless interntionals can attend is ludicrous.

And we're talking about very different things if you're talking about an event where fans sit and watch entertainment as opposed to people lining up to play a demo of an upcoming game and touching the same keyboards that thousands of other attendees have touched. What's the point of having a physical Blizzcon if it's the restrictions will make it a shell of its former self? No demos, no live Esports, longer lines, no people from outside the country... Blizzcon is multi-day convention, not a 3-4 hour show.

So I point once again to WWE & Wrestlemania. They also have events over multiple days. They have meet and greets, a convention like fan access event where yo get to see all kinds of different exhibits, play demos of video games and buy merchandise. Sound familiar?

You cannot say Blizzard can't do it when WWE did do it. There is nothing preventing Blizzard from doing it if they really wanted to. None of what you say is a deal breaker.

[Triceron]

Then I will point to WWE Wrestlemania. That is an annual event that in fact hinges on 1,000's of fans from all over the world to fill the stadium. They went ahead and had 30k fans in the staidum this year despite interntionals not being able to go. They had no problem.

Yes, and reading up on it they set it up like a show event. Everyone has a seat, all the seats are stationed in pods with physical distancing in play, and people are generally seated for most of the event.

It's also housed in a stadium at 25% capacity, which is a very different setup from an open-floor convention where you're free to walk around anywhere and interface directly with demos on the live floor and stand in long lineups for hours at a time.

If you want an apt comparison, then talk about conventions, not stadium shows. This isn't an event where Blizzard simply has one stage and everyone is meant to be seated with physical distancing being maintained.

YOu can easily hold the event without that and people in the US can still get together, To say you can't do that unless interntionals can attend is ludicrous.

I'm not saying what they have to do, I'm illustrating that it's not worth having a convention if it's only aimed at the US audience. Blizzcon is absolutely international. I say this as a Canadian who has had our entire guild travel to attend the event. That being said, you've already illustrated the point - they could hold a US convention but here they are saying they opt not to. And it makes sense since half their live events involve foreigners. You can't say this about the NBA or Wrestlemania.

They have meet and greets, a convention like fan access event where yo get to see all kinds of different exhibits, play demos of video games and buy merchandise. Sound familiar?

That's still different from having live floor demos where people get a chance to play a demo of a game, touching their keyboards and devices. That's one of the major reasons to attend a Blizzcon live event; to be able to try a game firsthand. Otherwise you could just watch the whole thing virtually. Meet and greets with the developers isn't really the selling point, and merch can more or less be bought online since they had the whole VIP access to the Blizzcon store.

[Isenholt]

I'm not sure if this was brought up yet, but I was curious when I read this: Why not just do another Blizzconline? I figured that might be the reasonable middle ground, however slight.

I didn't see anything addressing possible reasons why not from the post or any other blue text. Anyone else see something I missed? To be clear I'm not looking for speculation, I've got plenty of my own, so no "It's because Blizz is dying" or similar replies please. Thank you!

[Dead Moose Fandango]

Ever think it might have to do with long distance running and genes? "Healthy" people getting sick or having heart attacks isnt a new thing that appeared with corona virus. Its part of life.

My friend has the virus and its just sniffles and tiredness for him.

I for one don't believe for a second you have any friends.

[Triceron]

I'm not sure if this was brought up yet, but I was curious when I read this: Why not just do another Blizzconline?

They are doing a Blizzcon online. It's in the 3rd paragraph.

But we don’t want to let too long go by before we connect with everyone again. So in the meantime, we’re planning a global event for the early part of next year, combining an online show along the lines of our recent BlizzConline with smaller in-person gatherings, and we’ll share more as our plans come together.

[Isenholt]

Thank you. That's a bit embarrassing. Thanks to the person on the last page who also replied! I'll read more carefully in the future.