I'm quite sure that I'm going to be stoned and beheaded for this but here it goes!

People everywhere no matter what you think or feel about this virus it's here and we all have to deal with it.  I would beg you all to PLEASE follow all guidelines, laws rules whatever you or they want to call them.   Because if there is a chance that we can end this chaos with just some social distancing and a piece of cloth over our nose and mouth then why are we fighting it?  If not we are ALL risking next years Gen Con and countless other things if the virus decides to continue as is.  So I  beg everyone to please do your part. I enjoyed the virtual con but it's nothing compared to the real thing.  Please people help save Gen Con 2021.

I agree.  It is not too early to start worrying about whether Gen Con 2021 will happen.

We could always move the convention to Russia...

hear hear!

Nope

Agreed. 2021 being able to a real event would make me so happy.

Dr. Fauci recently said that by June, anyone who wants a vaccine should be able to get one, so there is no public health reason why people shouldn't be able to attend GenCon if they want to.  That said, there will still be some social distancing momentum, so I would expect some precautions to still be in place.  Hopefully we'll be past needing masks by then, but hard to say.
 
The biggest risk might be on the planning side.  I assume it takes many months of work to organize a convention like GenCon, and getting the various parties to commit to funding an event that isn't 100% assured of happening will be challenging.  Not knowing things like the permitted occupancy of rooms well in advance would create huge logistical challenges.  Even guessing at the attendance will be difficult.

I'm hoping for the best!

Privateer Press just announced they've cancelled Lock & Load 2021 (which usually takes place in May or June IIRC).

I hope that's not an omen for Gen Con or Origins...

Well that sucks about Origins, if true. Wonder why they wouldn't just postpone it to October like they were originally planning to do for 2020's con?

EDIT: I just checked Origins' facebook page. Apparently they're making an official announcement on 2021 dates, etc. on January 12th. Guess we'll find out for sure then.

Gen Con being held later in the summer may be just what saves it this year.  That extra couple months of vaccine distribution time could be key to getting most of the population jabbed.  The trick, of course, is that the planners would have to start planning very soon, while things are bad, and hope that everything goes according to plan so conditions are viable by August.  Considering the amount of money involved in a show this size, that's a big decision to make based on best guesses and optimism.  Fingers crossed!