-
Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
PlayStation cancels planned PAX East appearance due to increasing concerns related to Coronavirus [See Staff Post]
- Thread starter modiz
- Start date
- Status
Which is pretty damn hilarious because we live in the US and Trump is the president. Like Sony pulling out of PAX is contributing to that fear in any meaningful way.
The staff post doesn't say it is, only that people should be allowed to voice their opinion without personal attack. I totally agree with Sony but ya'll need to chill with the thought-police stuff. This is a forum for discussion and that staff post is the least outrageous thing I've ever seen from these mods.
Anyway, these big conventions like PAX have always been an easy way to get sick. No shame in anyone bowing out, especially in light of an international epidemic.
Last edited:
Just because you label something as "toxic" does not make it so, and it doesn't make you righteous in your indignation.
If you could choose between the flu and another virus, or just the flu, which would you choose?
You're not tracking the issue. Sony has chosen a particular risk management strategy in light of Covid19. That's fine. It's also reasonable to think that Sony's risk management strategy is too risk averse. People make those calculations all the time. Every con carries with it an increased risk of serious infections to con goers. That's just the nature of those events. Sony, and many others--but not everyone, perceives this year's risk as unacceptably elevated by Covid-19. That's just a risk estimate though. WHO and CDV didn't urge them to cancel, they did it on their own. Judgements about that decision are perfectly fair.
I have yet to see a poster say we should cancel all cons due to increased infection risk, so clearly there is some amount of acceptable risk. It's weird that people are characterizing this as anti vax or anti science.
I'm not denying the existence of weird meltdown posts about "mY vIdEo gAmEs" but there is space between that position and yours.
How far does that extend to harmful perspectives I think is what people are wondering, or is it a good idea to take a company to task for caring about the physical and mental wellbeing of it's employees even at their own detriment or being allowed to propagate conspiracy theories that a company would use a worldwide virus to delay a gaming console? I guess the expectation is we're usually better than that, if a developer gets called lazy that would be a bigger deal than conspiratorial thinking, and I think there's a disconnect there in this instance, that's just my perspective anyways.
Last edited:
yeah, fuck people for trying to protect their employees from illness. Rotten bastards!
People being skeptical about Sony's decision isn't the same as people peddling conspiracy theories about the PS5 how is Sony using the Coronavirus to hide the fact that "they have nothing". The mod post feels a little dishonest making it seem like being are being hostile for a simple disagreement on Sony's call.
NO, games are more important. This is also another sign PS5 is doomed. I have my needs dammit.
I'm ok with this. I'm also ok with a delay in PS5 if it means more safety and well being considerations are taken for the people making/designing it. I can live another year or two with a PS4.
I would like to clarify on my earlier post that while I think it's more cautious than what the current standing of the situation is, it's a good thing that Sony has people who are capable of making that call to not risk their people despite whatever belief or data exists. Most companies would probably not want to sacrifice an unnecessary marketing opportunity (does TLOUS2 really need it?), so good on them.
I still think the mod post wasn't intentioned to be paralleled with 'both sides'-ing positions on politics, vaccines, or racism like many are going for.
I still think the mod post wasn't intentioned to be paralleled with 'both sides'-ing positions on politics, vaccines, or racism like many are going for.
Unless we see a significant uptick in U.S cases of this virus you have nothing to worry about.
I will because people are too scared of a foreign disease and that is leading to intense racism.
We have literally people in this thread that are spreading conspiracy theories - or as stated "just stating that it's OK to question what Sony has to hide that they need to use the virus as an excuse". Or how the virus is just a hoax. People call that out, a Mod steps in and states that these are valid beliefs and should not be called out.
It's okay to believe that this might be an overraction.
Throwing around conspiracy theories and / or fighting console wars should not be protected as "valid belief" by a mod post.
Is it necessary to question a company's precautions? In a lot of cases, I don't think so. In fact, I think it makes perfect sense for Sony to decide to restrict travel for Asia-based staff.
Some questions aren't intended as challenges though. For example, I'm curious if a company with thousands of employees/execs based outside of Asia had other reasons for cancelling this appearance. If they were just going to demo some games from American studios, then this seems like an overreaction. If they were going to debut the PS5 and senior leadership from Japan were going to be present, then this decision makes sense.
You're free to argue with those theories. They're not so offensive that you need a mod to silence them.
Imagine a man is eating a hamburger while walking across a tightrope. Obviously, the greater physical danger to him is that he falls, rather than he chokes on the hamburger, but it would be a good idea for him to not be eating a hamburger at that moment as well, because it makes his situation worse.
What I mean is, in every situation, multiple dangers exist at any given time. The goal is usually not to eliminate all risk, which can be impossible, but to mitigate it. When you can make a less risky decision without enough harm to yourself to offset the risk you mtiigated, it's usually a wise idea to do so.
You would think that this should be absolutely obvious, but...
That's my current position, but I tend to lean towards caution in situations like this. Thanks for the response.
This thread is a fucking nightmare
Where are these imaginary people saying that games are more important then people?
All I see are people doubting that a large corporation would make a purely altruistic decision and people questioning the possible repercussions of being overly cautious about coronavirus
Where are these imaginary people saying that games are more important then people?
All I see are people doubting that a large corporation would make a purely altruistic decision and people questioning the possible repercussions of being overly cautious about coronavirus
Oh, OK. Thanks. I'll keep that in mind when I conjure up baseless conspiracy theories to peddle in the future since I don't have to fear being actioned.
We've had some issues with conspiracy theories that have been subject to quite a bit of moderation the past few months, so seeing it waved off here is odd. That's not what most seem to necessarily take issue with that mod post, but those that are have some ground there.
Odd that mods have otherwise been quiet for this long. Iirc OP requested it to be closed, there's options to lock as they go through the current backlog of reports, or could just shut it down with a new mod helmed thread with 'no conspiracies, console warring, etc' warning. I'm just failing to see the point on leaving as is given the whole discussion has gone far beyond where it was and continues to spiral.
Of course not. Being a moderator here is simply an unthankful job, period.
Just looking at the situation as it is, it's totally fine to cancel or not, whatever. (other exhibitors decided differently but they're not more evil nor better) ... but making some drama out of this situation on the other hand... to me it's mind boggling. Isn't life too short for that?
Absolutely not
If you see a post that says the virus is a hoax report it
As someone going to Pax this fucking sucks. I understand the decision but it seems a bit extreme to completely pull the plug. Also odd this decision was mad 5-6 days after they announced their lineup. Coronavirus was declared a global emergency almost 3 weeks ago. What changed in the past week?
If anything Sony should've canceled Pax due to the large number of anti-vaxxer fuck heads here in the US. I'm more likely to get sick in the Boston seaport from James O'Sullivan from Southie bringing his son Jimmy Jr to the convention center without getting him a flu shot this year
If anything Sony should've canceled Pax due to the large number of anti-vaxxer fuck heads here in the US. I'm more likely to get sick in the Boston seaport from James O'Sullivan from Southie bringing his son Jimmy Jr to the convention center without getting him a flu shot this year
You do that. But the whole forum thinking you're dumb as hell will be bigger consequence than any moderator action.
Clarification on Discussion Guidelines
Official Staff Communication
The intent of the staff post was simply to say "stop the personal attacks" which is something that a lot of posters have clearly failed to do. We do not support xenophobia or conspiracy theories. We do not support anti-vaxxer nonsense. Not now, not ever. To say otherwise is insulting and disingenuous.
If Sony wants to cancel their PAX show that's up to them and this has no bearing on whether or not it was the "right" decision. People have their own opinions about this decision, and that's fine, but you do not need to be disrespectful towards each other.
The Coronavirus is serious. We have never suggested otherwise.
This is industry news. Let's get back on topic.
If Sony wants to cancel their PAX show that's up to them and this has no bearing on whether or not it was the "right" decision. People have their own opinions about this decision, and that's fine, but you do not need to be disrespectful towards each other.
The Coronavirus is serious. We have never suggested otherwise.
This is industry news. Let's get back on topic.
That's fair, but we can point out that ridiculous assumptions are just that, ridiculous.
Definitely a massive overreaction to back out. But they're entitled to do whatever they want, so in the end, it's really just all kinda moot.
The MWC in Barcelona was also cancelled due coronavirus so... don't think about conspirations. Companies just want to protect their workers as much as they can and avoid risks. Human life goes the first, games can wait.
Also, in 2020 we have streaming so why not just show things on streaming ?
Also, in 2020 we have streaming so why not just show things on streaming ?
That's good on them. Better to be safe than sorry. It's just video games. Potentially putting your staff at risk isn't worth it, even if contracting it here is currently a long shot. If it hasn't vastly improved by Summer, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Nintendo doesn't follow suit and cancel their E3 presence.
- Status