Shorah everyone. We hope you are all safe and healthy in these troubled times.
We’d been hoping to have a more comprehensive update for you by now, but unfortunately things have not gone to plan. We know that’s frustrating, and we apologize. We’re doing our best to get our Mysterium 2020 plans settled as soon as possible, but some things are out of our hands.
What we can tell you at this time is that we will NOT be having an in-person convention in August. Even if somehow restrictions were lifted enough to allow 50-100 people to be in a hotel ballroom (and there is no guarantee that will happen), it would not be safe to do so in our view – not to mention the risks associated with traveling to the convention.
While we can’t answer everything right now, we can answer a few things:
So is Mysterium 2020 cancelled?
No, it isn’t. We intend to hold some form of convention online at the beginning of August. It won’t be the same, but we think it can still be fun for everyone.
Why did you wait so long to announce this/why isn’t everything settled yet?
We were hoping to have everything settled with the Mysterium hotel, which unfortunately has not happened yet. We hope to have Mysterium at the same hotel in 2021, but we’re still in negotiations.
I already registered. Will I get a refund?
Refunds will be available, as will roll-overs to next year’s in-person convention. We expect to have more information about that in the next few weeks. We will email you directly using the email address you gave us when filling out your registration.
Please be patient and don’t start emailing us about either option just yet. Our normal refund policy deadlines will not apply.
What about t-shirts, pins, or other swag?
More on that in the coming weeks.
Should I cancel my hotel room?
No, you don’t have to cancel your room reservation. The hotel should do that in a few weeks. If somehow it looks like they aren’t going to do so, we will let you know with plenty of time to cancel.
What about the transportation I booked?
Most airlines, as well as Amtrak, are currently waiving cancellation fees. Contact your specific carrier for details.
How is Mysterium doing financially? Is this going to bankrupt the convention?
Again, more on that in a few weeks. Right now we are OK and we expect to be fine and able to hold conventions in the future. We are 100% able to refund anyone who requests a refund for this year (see above).
Can I host an event or otherwise help with planning for the online Mysterium?
Absolutely! We’re not ready to take in your ideas just yet, but we expect to get there soon.
How/where will the online Mysterium be hosted?
We will probably use a variety of online streaming and text platforms, depending on the event(s) we choose to hold. Stay tuned.
You don’t seem to have a lot of answers just yet…
That’s not a question, but you’re right. We wish we did, but we’re a small, all volunteer organization, and this is a tough time for even large companies to plan. We just wanted to get *some* news out there for folks to help plan their summer.
In the meantime, if you have a Nintendo Switch you may want to pre-order the Switch version of RealMyst to help brighten your days just a bit – https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/realmyst-masterpiece-edition-switch/
We’ll have more information for you as soon as we can. Stay safe out there, everyone!
-The Mysterium Committee
We know this wasn’t an easy decision and announcing it was difficult. Thanks for keeping us all safe, and for your careful consideration. We really appreciate how responsible you’re being and will make it a fun and interesting time online!
I’m so sorry. I was really looking forward to getting a group together for dinner at Bilbo Baggins. Well, it isn’t going anywhere, I guess!
Just out of curiosity, how is Mysterium organized? Are you guys an official non-profit organization, or is it more informal?