Updated 7/27: Since the publishing of this article, PAX West has updated its attendance policy with regard to COVID-19. Attendees will now be required to show proof of vaccination or a negative test in order to attend.
PAX West 2021 isn’t requiring guests to be vaccinated for COVID-19, and the internet is already voicing concerns over it. The annual gaming convention recently announced it will be returning to a live crowd showcase later this year, making it the first event to do so since the pandemic began in early 2020.
In fact, PAX East 2020 was the last live event to be held before COVID forced the rest of the gaming industry to switch their major presentations to an online format. Last year’s PAX West was one such event, streaming free to the public and even offering up some of the demos that would have been available on the show floor on Steam. The show’s organizers remained hopeful that the advent of COVID vaccines late in 2020 would lead to a quick return to a live stage, but the upcoming PAX West 2021 is oddly keeping vaccination optional – much to the concern of potential convention-goers still wary about the pandemic.
Convention-goers like Susan Arendt, who took to Twitter a few days ago to point out that enough people get sick at the notoriously crowded PAX event. Tinsley 2042 shared this sentiment shortly before, noting that they may reconsider going in the wake of this development. Vicious696 questioned the point of even having the event if vaccines aren’t required, before stating that he won’t be attending.
PAX West 2021 isn’t the only event returning to a live venue in the wake of the COVID vaccines. There have been reports that E3, which recently held its first online event after canceling its 2020 show, will be hosting its 2022 show in front of a live crowd in Los Angeles. However, the upcoming PAX East 2021 will remain virtual, due to already being planned out in advance and lingering concerns about COVID in the summer months.
While there have been plenty of bizarre conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 vaccines and the virus in general, recognized medical professionals have reassured the public that they are safe to use. Furthermore, getting everyone vaccinated is an important part of the process of getting life back to normal, especially when it comes to live gaming events that feature large crowds of people gathered in a confined, indoor space. PAX’s organizers have stated that safety precautions will be taken to prevent the spread of COVID at PAX West 2021, but not requiring the biggest safety precaution of all at its event could very well hurt attendance figures for the first live event to come in the wake of the pandemic.
