TwitchCon Amsterdam has been canceled in the wake of coronavirus fears. It’s not the first gaming convention to cancel or postpone in the wake of the virus.
TwitchCon has been an annual event in the United States since 2015, but last year Twitch brought the concept overseas for the first time. Last year’s European TwitchCon took place in Berlin, Germany. It featured a meet and greets with popular streamers, a swag bag for each guest, a keynote presentation, and guest speaker David Hasselhoff.
TwitchCon Amsterdam was to take place on May 2 and 3. It was scheduled for the RAI Amsterdam Convention Center.
Other canceled events
Conventions across industries have been canceled this year as fears of coronavirus put pressure on presenters and attendees to not attend. Already this year’s Game Developers Conference, or GDC, has been postponed. GDC 2020 was meant to take place March 16-20 in San Francisco. Numerous companies of all sizes backed out of attending due to coronavirus concerns. This cascade of cancellations left attendees feeling as though they wouldn’t get the full GDC experience.
Before GDC’s postponement, developers had already pulled out of PAX East. As this convention was touted as the first time the public could get their hands on The Last of Us Part II, Naughty Dog’s decision to pull out was a disappointment for many of those who had bought tickets.
Unlike the postponement of GDC, TwitchCon Amsterdam’s cancellation announcement makes specific mention of coronavirus. It doesn’t leave much room for a replacement conference later this year, however.
Those who have already purchased tickets for TwitchCon Amsterdam will receive a full refund for their ticket. Those who got a hotel room through Twitch’s hotel block are also eligible for refunds.
The main TwitchCon, this year in San Diego, CA, from Sept. 25-27, is still planned to happen.
As far as avoiding coronavirus goes, the World Health Organization recommends washing your hands frequently, avoiding people who are coughing or sneezing, avoiding touching your face, and seeking medical care early for fevers, coughs, or difficulty breathing.
