You might have read our earlier post on the shutdown of Gen Con So Cal. Yep, after four successful conventions that drew gamers, fans, and people of all shapes and sizes to congregate and have fun for four great days of pure gaming bliss, Gen Con So Cal is no more.

In order to give fans an explanation of their decision, Gen Con's CEO Peter Adkison has posted an open letter on the official Gen Con website, simply entitled "The End of Gen Con So Cal". Read on for an excerpt that deals with one of their main reasons for the decision.

The "problem" is the Gen Con format is a very expensive format for a convention. Most conventions are only an exhibit hall, a vast area where companies set up booths and sell (consumer shows) or promote (trade shows) or both. But at Gen Con we like to be more than just a big exhibit hall. We dedicate tons of space to games and fun events that are of interest to gamers, overlapping with gaming culture, but do nothing to generate revenue.

There's still hope, though, as according to Adkison, "Gen Con Indy is very profitable and is in no danger of going away." He also says that they currently have plans of "taking Gen Con Indy and Star Wars Celebration and making them even better, without compromising anything that’s there now. Funds that were being invested in Gen Con So Cal will be diverted to these shows."

Click on the "read" link below to read the full open letter.

For any geek eager to socialize, this may be big (perhaps sad, depending on your preferences) news. Gen Con LLC has recently announced that it is cancelling its Anaheim show, Gen Con So Cal. According to them, the cancellation was decided upon after "extensive deliberation, thought and time."

If in case you have no idea what Gen Con So Cal is, here's a little background: Gen Con So Cal started in 2003 and is usually held at the Anaheim Convention Center. The goal of the event is to provide gamers with the "best four days" in gaming.

Yeah, gathering of card-game collectors, comic book lovers, dice addicts, pen and paper aficionados, MMORPG dependants, and Klingons. Lots of Klingons. If you don't consider yourself a member of those already listed, just be aware that events of this nature matters to us folk who are into video games because most RPGs and MMOs are featured at during such events.

For example, during So Cal '06, at the eGame Arena exhibit, their traditional Halo 2 and Super Smash Brothers tournaments were big hits, there were booths for Guitar Hero  rockers, and MMO fans got to show off their skills in a WoW tournament.

Peter Adkison, CEO of Gen Con, and founder of Wizards of the Coast, had this to say:

Putting an end to our Gen Con So Cal show was in no way an easy decision to make...

...But at the end of the day, it became apparent to us that the show was not likely to grow and expand without immense effort and expense. With our other shows doing so well, it made sense to focus our energy and talent on making those the best shows they can be.

The Gen Con announcement cites several factors that contributed to the cancellation of the show. The factors include: the increase in competing shows in the southern California region, lack of increase in attendance numbers (don't worry it remained at a steady number), and the fact that a few key exhibitors reduced their level of support for the show.

As sad as this may be to some, the bright side of this is that at the least, there are always other Cons to visit. That, and the assurance that those Cons will have more resources allocated to them.