Origins Online was to be the replacement to the lockdown cancelled Origins Games Fair, but now this event has been cancelled as well.
Attendees had started to pull out of the Online event in response to the convention failing to step forward with a Black Lives Matter statement. Once the special guests started to withdraw from the event, Origins felt that they could not, should not, continue.
The statement made a few hours ago begins with an explicit Black Lives Matter stance and then explains the board of directors decision.
Every exhibitor, sponsor and advertiser will get a full refund as well every gamer who purchased a badge.
Furthermore, GAMA will match, dollar for dollar, those exhibitors, sponsors, advertisers or vendors who donate the amounts they are owned to BLM charities (from a given selection). Origins aren’t sure how much money this will raise, or how much money it will cost them, but they say the potential exceeds $100,000.
GAMA had appeared to recognise the Black Lives Matter protests. At the start of the month, they did tweet support for Black creators and designers.
What was missing was that explicit “Black Lives Matter” acknowledgement. As concern grew, the withdrawals started to build.
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