Alright, I got a response on Facebook and then poof! a new e-mail with the little barcode arrived. A comment on Facebook from someone listed as working for Experient (but never directly identified as such) said that the older QR code will not be valid and you must have the new barcode.
"The QR code will no longer be valid. You will be getting a new email this week with your registration details."
I still have yet to hear back from Experient customer support but I've given up on that.
However that this is not being widely communicated to the tens of thousands of registered attendees and then to have the new e-mail delivery not start until three days prior to event pickup is absolutely ridiculous. Not to mention the only response I've been able to receive was from posting to an unofficial social media group.
There are way too many variables to be doing this last minute without any transparency to attendees. Some examples: e-mail addresses may have changed with no way to update it, the new unexpected e-mail may be eaten by a spam filter, I noticed the new e-mail requires proper encryption on the receivers end - what if they're using an older e-mail client, database issue that prevents someone from getting the e-mail - not unheard of in a mass e-mailing, error on the new registration from a database integration hiccup, and the biggest problem and change - you can't log in and reprint it yourself or view it on demand.
Not one place on the new e-mail does it say something like, "Any previous proof of registration for 2016, including QR codes or prior receipts, are valid for membership pickup. Only this new barcode will allow you to receive your membership." And guess what, FanimeCon Registration FAQ still says "Confirmation E-Mail with QR code/barcode that was sent to you after membership payment" - this whole thing is just building confusion for something that can be a stressful enough topic for staff and attendees. This information should be on the main Fanime homepage as the primary topic for this week.
When customer service is very poor, it takes even longer to resolve issue such as these and registration changes have been locked down for at least two weeks without any warning or information. The notion of "Santa Claus is going to bring you a new registration in the night - surprise!" isn't how an event company is supposed to run things.