For months, the popular gamers group OKGamers.com had been working with Sapulpa, OK based Central Technology Center to organize and host the fifth annual TechCon this coming Saturday. Hundreds of gamers planned to come out and participate in a variety of gaming tournaments from Soul Caliber to League of Legends. You can imagine the surprise and frustration of those gamers when they saw this abrupt message on the Facebook event page.

TechCon V cancelled for Saturday, January 26 at Central Tech.

Gamers responded to the short message demanding an explanation. What they were given was the promise of a more detailed message to be posted today. This is what they got.

National tragedies in recent months have caused Central Tech to reevaluate curriculum, extra curricular activities and events. Central Tech offers its sincerest apologies for the late notice of cancellation of TechCon V. While Central Tech supports the intent of the event, fostering fellowship and partnering with the community, as an institution it must also uphold social responsibility. Hosting a tournament depicting graphic violent images may detract from Central Tech’s mission and be construed as insensitive considering Central Tech is an educational institution – a school.

In response to the magnitude of comments, we again apologize for any disappointment and/or inconvenience the cancellation may have caused. At the same time we ask that you understand the sensitivity of the issue and the position we as an institution must maintain.

Yes, you read that right. Because of recent shootings such as that in Sandy Hook and more recently in New Mexico, Central Tech felt that the risk posed by hundreds of gamers all congregating on a school campus was too great and canceled the event at the last minute. The school made this decision despite the 4 years of incident free gaming events it has had up till now.

Meanwhile, OK Gamers and its partners are busy trying to salvage this event as well as the relationships with local businesses that have been damaged because of this last minute cancellation.

UPDATE: OKGamers has found a replacement venue for this Saturday’s event.