Virtualcon (Furrydelphia 2020)

Furrydelphia 2020, also known as Virtualcon, was a virtually-held convention operated by Furrydelphia. The event, which was originally intended to operate under the theme "Galactic Fleet," was held completely in the online virtual-world video game VRChat in August of 2020. No official guests of honor were announced.

Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Furrydelphia 2020 was first announced on August 18, 2019 at the conclusion of the previous convention, Celtic Knights. The theme, which was set to be entitled Galactic Fleet, was announced at the end of November that same year, with Dealers Den and Marketplace applications opening the following month. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared SARS‑CoV‑2 (the virus known for causing COVID-19) a global pandemic, leading to nearly all large gatherings to be cancelled for the foreseeable future across the United States. Due to the uncertainty of the virus, Furrydelphia staff held a virtual town hall via live-streaming platform Twitch on May 16, 2020 to discuss the status of the convention. A summary of the town hall was posted following its completion later that day.

On June 5, 2020, a press release was distributed via the Furrydelphia website and subsequent social media platforms announcing the official cancellation of the in-person event and delay of the Galatic Fleet theme. Pennsylvania's continued limit of 250 participants per gathering (as part of the "Green Phase" of Pennsylvania's COVID-19 response) was cited as the main factor in this decision. In the press release, convention chairman Drayne detailed the immediate future of Furrydelphia, including the forwarding of all purchased registration to the next in-person event (which would be Back to Con in 2021), along with the announcement of virtual events such as a Dealers Den, panels, and more via VRChat.

Venue

At the conclusion of Celtic Knights, it was announced Furrydelphia would remain at the Valley Forge Casino Resort in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. This was eventually revoked in the press release released in June of 2020 regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, and the convention was instead held virtually via VRChat, a virtual reality-based video game. A digital replication of the Valley Forge Casino Resort was created to be used for the event.

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  Promotional photo of the virtual reality lobby created for Furrydelphia 2020
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  Gameplay within the virtual reality lobby created for Furrydelphia 2020

Theming

Furrydelphia 2020 was originally announced under the name "Galactic Fleet," an outer space and science fiction theme, with the official website and promotional material referencing this as early as late 2019. Due to the cancellation of the in-person Furrydelphia event as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the theme and name were shelved for future use. The press release that announced the closure of Furrydelphia 2020 relayed that Galatic Fleet would return in 2021, although the theme was not officially used again until 2022.

Promotional Materials

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  "Galactic Fleet" poster released prior to the cancellation of the in-person event
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  "Virtualcon" schedule released ahead of the VRChat event

Convention-Exclusive Merchandise

The following merchandise was available for individual purchase online during the virtual event.

Concept Photos

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  Promotional collage of the merchandise released for "Virtualcon"

Board of Directors

The following list was adapted from the Furrydelphia website as it was published in 2020 and reflects the Board of Directors at the time of this event. A current and up-to-date list of Furrydelphia staff can be found here.

• Drayne the Wolf - Convention Chairman, Operations Director
• Higgawits - Vice Chairman
• Fray the Husky - Public Safety Director
• Yuukari Shishome - Director of Attendee Services
• Hyperion - General Manager