We understand that recent events have sparked questions and confusion for many. In light of this, we aim to provide a clear overview of the situation to stop the onslaught of misinformation.

On Monday, it was brought to our attention that a series of offensive posts had been interacted with by Susan Calloway’s X account. This included comments and reactions. These interactions spanned almost a year. Promptly addressing this issue, we reached out to Susan for clarification, recognizing that her account had been previously hacked. Regrettably, the ensuing events triggered a wave of abusive comments directed not only at Susan and her supporters, but KupoCon, attendees and the KupoCon team.

During that period, KupoCon and its affiliates encountered various threats, ranging from public messages to direct messages, and, in some extreme instances, recorded voice clips directed at staff members. Consequently, Susan chose to deactivate her account in response to the relentless abuse.

Following direct communication with Susan, we outlined a series of measures, enabling her to identify potential unauthorized access to her account using the platform’s security and privacy tools. Subsequently, after thorough deliberation and consultation with our partners and security team, equally dismayed by the situation, a decision was made to withdraw her appearance in light of safety concerns. While Susan was of course disappointed, she has been understanding and we continue to keep an open dialogue with her.

We anticipate that Susan will issue a personal statement in the days to come. Regarding the interactions, we unequivocally denounce any hateful content. Our convention is a celebration of Final Fantasy. Our principle is to treat everyone with kindness and respect.

KupoCon stands as a family friendly event and an inclusive and safe environment for all. The recent incident has deeply troubled us all, and we are striving to navigate an extremely challenging situation with a multitude of strong and differing opinions. We urge the wider community to remember that mob-like behavior and abuse are unacceptable. Hatred is not something we endorse. We implore everyone to practice kindness and respect.