The people behind the eSports and gaming festival GeeX have announced that the event is cancelled only 2 weeks before it was scheduled to start.
The event was to combine a 2000 participant LAN party with an electronic music festival with some of France’s biggest DJs. The 32 team Counter-Strike tournament would have boasted a €10,000 prize pot. The teams who have already payed the entrance fee will recieve a refund but with so many participants GeeX say it could take a while. In a statement on their website GeeX had this to say:
Good evening to all,
We come forward with sad news to announce: the first edition of the GeeX Festival is cancelled.
Two weeks before schedule, our hopes to realise this beautiful project vanished.
We had to think clear regarding the facts: we did not succeed in convincing partners and participants sufficiently. We made the decision to put an end to the project, so that the situation does not become worse.
The lack of enthusiasm we generated arises a major problem of financial balance, which prevents us from making the event happen like we had wished for, in terms of quality.
For a year, we have striven and dedicated all our resources on this project. We have involved partners, contractors, brands, personalities, all our team and many volunteer organisations who committed themselves sparing no effort in their support, to be part of this adventure. And of course, there is the public who put their trust into us, purchasing tickets, booking trip reservations…
We are aware that we will bring disappointment to many, and this is a very saddening thought. But we know as well, that if we keep it alive, it will only make it worse.
Our intentions are to limit the damage as much as possible. It is still time.
We have set up an email address to register your refund claims of eTickets: refund@geex.fr . There will be high numbers of them, we will ask that everyone be patient, operation may take several weeks. For each request, please provide us with a copy of the PDF e-ticket as well as your bank account details or a Paypal email address. We cannot assume responsibility for related costs. To the extent possible, please cancel all your travel and accommodation costs if you have any.
Lastly, we would like to thank those who believed in us and placed their trust in us.
The announcement comes as a massive blow to France’s Counter-Strike and gaming scene and we hope that another event will be organized and go through in the future.