Phoenix Fan Fest has been canceled.
Square Egg Entertainment, the company behind the newly re-named Phoenix Fan Fusion (formerly Phoenix Comic Fest and Phoenix Comic Con), has decided to discontinue its yearly fall event.
GALLERY: Some of the best cosplay from this year's "Comic Fest"
"Phoenix Fan Fest, traditionally held in October or November, has struggled over the years to find its own identity, audience, balance of price, size, and offerings, and community support," the company said in a written statement.
"It is not for lack of love of our fans, but in the best interest of the future of all our shows that we have decided not to host Phoenix Fan Fest 2018."
The cancellation leaves Square Egg Entertainment with three main events: Phoenix Fan Fusion, Minnesota Fan Fusion and Vegas Fan Fusion.
Phoenix Fan Fusion will return next year. It is scheduled for May 23-26, 2019.
WHY ALL THE NAME CHANGES?
Phoenix's annual convention celebrating pop culture, comic books, authors, illustrators, actors, and vendors has had three names in less than two years. Why?
Earlier this year, San Diego Comic Con won a lawsuit against Salt Lake City Comic Con over the term "comic con." (Salt Lake's event is now called Salt Lake Comic Convention.)
As a result of that lawsuit, Square Egg Entertainment renamed the Phoenix convention from "Phoenix Comic Con" to "Phoenix Comic Fest."
On the final day of this year's convention, Kristin Rowan, director of marketing, sales and public relations of Square Egg Entertainment, announced at a press conference that the event would be renamed to Phoenix Fan Fusion.
"We've been saying a lot this year 'we hear you and we're listening.' One of the things we've heard most is "Phoenix Comic Fest" just doesn't roll off the tongue," Rowan said at that press conference. "We heard you and we're listening. It doesn't sound quite right to us either."
