Origins Game Fair Postponed Until October Due to Coronavirus

Origins Game Fair, one of the largest tabletop conventions in the United States, will be postponed until October. The annual game fair was set to take place June 17-21 in Columbus, OH, but was postponed due to ongoing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced cancellations and postponements of major conventions and other live events around the world. Origins will instead take place from October 7-11 and will still be held at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. "The safety and well-being of the Origins community is our number one priority," the Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) executive John Stacy said in a statement announcing the delay. "Given the current health situation, we believe that it is best to move the convention to October."

In lieu of a live event, the Game Manufacturers Association, which runs Origins Game Fair, announced that they would host an online gaming convention on the originally scheduled convention weekend. The virtual convention will feature an Exhibit Hall where attendees can demo and buy games and merchandise, along with streaming workshops and educational seminars. "We are all in this together," said Stacy. "The postponement of the in-person event and introduction of Origins Online is an opportunity for the hobby games industry and broader gaming community to get excited together and come back stronger on the other side of this pandemic."

Origins Game Fair started in 1975 and has long been one of the United States' biggest tabletop game shows. Many game developers debut their new board games at Origins, and the event provides enthusiasts a chance to get a sneak peek at some of the year's biggest upcoming games and compete in official tournaments, tabletop RPG sessions, or one of the event's other 6000+ events.

Origins is just the latest event to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced hundreds of events to either cancel or postpone. While most spring events were already cancelled, Origins' move to the fall is the latest sign that the pandemic will have a significant impact on live events well into the summer.

More information about the delays can be found on Origins' website.