Hello everyone. It’s with extreme disappointment that I make this announcement today, but I’ve had to pull Ask An Enemy Studios from PAX West 2021. Everything was ready to go. Hotel, flight, planning, and booth space. Less than three weeks to go!!!! It wasn’t until the folks at ReedPOP, the event organizers, decided to require proof of vaccination, or a negative COVID test that things became difficult.
I am not vaccinated, nor was I planning on it, by the time PAX West came around. When the invitations for PAX West showed up they provided exhibitors with the list of requirements, extensive and restrictive as they were, I was still all about it. No testing or vaccinations were required only the aforementioned restrictions which included things like masks all day errday, hand sanitizer at booth (you all know that’s a staple of AAES booths), no hugs, handshakes, and only 3 people allowed at the booth to name a few. Also this is with each booth spaced out by MATH and 50 to 60 percent capacity for the event. You all know how much I live off of these events. Even if only one person showed up I’d PAX the fuck outta their face with what AAES is all about as I always have and will continue to do. So upon hearing the news that PAX West 2021 was a go I was on it and immediately began planning how to make this a PAX West to remember. I’ll post about that separately later ;)
About two weeks ago I randomly opened up Twitter and happened to see the announcement that proof of vaccination, or a negative COVID test were required (https://west.paxsite.com/en-us/info/news/health-and-safety-update.html). They didn’t email exhibitors about this. I had to reach out. So I started looking for places to test in the Seattle area. Let me tell you it’s no easy feat without jumping through hoops or imposing on friends. After all it’s not their responsibility to help you with a decision you have decided to make. Also, that’s not even getting into how the results of the test would affect my ability to show up and work my booth regardless of whether I had symptoms and could work through them or not. Here’s what it boils down to. Given this disaster of a disease and the response to it, from all angles, I’ve always been firmly, and will continue to be, in the camp that the individual must make fully informed decisions to the best of their knowledge and own them. I can only assume everyone else who planned on attending the event did as well.
I’ve gone back and forth with ReedPOP about where to test, what test was acceptable, and without getting too much into the weeds I came across “at-home” self tests that I could take every morning before the event (https://store.optum.com/shop/products/abbott-binaxNOW-COVID-19-ag-at-home-test-kit-3-pack). While it meets all the requirements they aren’t accepted. Apparently you can prove you had the vaccine on the honor system, but not a negative test? They also, inexplicably, don’t take natural immunity into account. I can’t risk putting all this work into an event then losing access to my booth based on something that is completely out of my control. I’ll just get back to work and hope San Antonio doesn’t cave and allows ReedPOP to follow through with PAX South 2022. “Game Design” Drop out. No prior programming experience. Failed Kickstarter. Publishers and now COVID said “not today!” FUCKING. BRING IT 2022!!!