For what it's worth, I doubt I'll participate in an online only convention. The opportunities to meet people, make serendipitous connections, and do anything that's not on the schedule don't really play out well in an online only format. Playing society games with total strangers is dramatically improved by eye contact and physical proximity not to mention the ability to have side conversations that's possible in person but difficult online. While I know there were some out of game chat channels the last few years, those are pale imitations of the social interactions that you can have in a bar or sitting poolside. Having more than seven or eight people involved in a conversation in a voice chat is pure chaos, and discord doesn't really support the ability to break off and have a side conversation like a bar does.
It seems like lots of folks are pleased by the idea of having an online only convention, so clearly this move serves them well. But for me, an extrovert who goes to conventions to make new friends and meet up with old ones, well, this diminishes what conventions can be. Take my 2 cents for what they're worth.
