The international event is coming down under again. For the ten year anniversary (well at least at the convention centre), PAX Australia (PAX Aus) will be returning to Melbourne. It’s a gaming, esports, and technology event like no other. Here’s what you can expect this October.
What is PAX?
Short for Penny Arcade eXpo, PAX is a gaming, technology, pop culture, and esports event that happens all around the world. There’s a PAX West in Seattle (America), PAX East in Boston (America), PAX Unplugged in Philadelphia (America), and PAX Aus in Melbourne Australia. We are so fortunate this major event has chosen to come to our shores.
PAX Aus is similar to DreamHack. Where DreamHack has a bigger focus on esports, with a mix of streaming, panels, and expo, PAX Aus goes bigger. The event takes over the whole of the Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre (MCEC). The expo part of PAX Aus covers the entire exhibition area of the MCEC. There are panels and talks in the meeting and conference rooms, there’s a table top gaming and BYO computer play area in the expo hall, and all the outside areas are taken over by activations and community meetups. This year, you can expect it to go even bigger and better.
Australia’s BIGGEST gaming festival is coming for you! Yes! Specifically you! Book Here: https://t.co/pg1tPhU7zQ
PAX Aus 2024 | 11-13 Oct | Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre | Australia’s Biggest Gaming Festival
3 Day Badge – SOLD OUT
Saturday Badge – SELLING FAST!
— PAX Australia (@PAXAus) May 30, 2024
The PAX Aus expo hall
This is one of my favourite areas to hang out. Attendees queue from the early hours of the morning to get access to the hall when it opens at 10am each day. The expo hall is a chance for brands to show off their latest technology and games. In the past, companies such as Legion, Samsung, ACER, MSI, Harvey Norman, AMD, Intel, and more are showing off their latest gear, monitors, computers, streaming tech and more. Then there are gaming companies such as Nintendo, Square Enix, Ubisoft, Devolver, Wargaming, and even Riot Games have their latest games on offer for attendees to play.
ESL Australia, our biggest esports competitive platform always host the esports stage showing various professional esports games such as League of Legends, CS:GO, Valorant, Rainbow Six Seige, and more. If you’re into the Australian Indie gaming scene, Creative Victoria support up and coming game designers by allowing them to showcase their games to the public.
In the past, companies such as Up Banking and Aussie Broadband have held booths. These have been great ways to find out what new services and deals are on offer. Aussie Broadband even held a session with streamers on how to get the most out of streaming and games. Even game educators such as JMC Academy are providing information on their game design courses. Finally, you can’t go past all the anime, local artists, board games, and table top gaming outlets that have so many things for you to try and buy. My wallet certainly suffers when I go to PAX Aus, so make sure you’re prepared!
What’s already been announced?
A lot of applications are still available for exhibitors, panelists, Indie gamers, and many more. Therefore, only limited information has been released at this time. Details about exhibitors and other activities in the expo hall are usually dropped around early September. We’ll be sure to keep you posted. So what do we know? Well, Julian Wilton, the Creative Director of Massive Monster has been announced as the Storytime Speaker for PAX Aus this year.
Speakers and panels
Storytime is the opening keynote at PAX Aus 2024 and will talk about his journey into game development. It’s a real treat to have such a high caliber creator here in Australia. Canadian voice actor Mark Meer, most well known for his role as Commander Shepard in the Mass Effect games, and has voiced characters in Baldur’s Gate and Dragon Age will be in attendance at PAX Aus this year.
John Robertson and The Dark Room are returning after a popular run at PAX Aus 2023. The Dark Room is an interactive, cyberpunk style, comedy game show. Fans are excited to relive this experience with many calling it “thrilling and completely unmissable”. That’s all we know for now, and we’ll be sure to keep you updated.
Expo Hall
Square Enix has already announced they are bringing Final Fantasy XIV Online to PAX Aus 2024. The focus will be the new Dawntrail expansion. The cosplay competition is a huge draw card and usually has a large stage either in the Expo Hall or one of the conference rooms. Some of the cosplay judges have been announced, so if you’re into cosplay, you better start working on your costume!
Should you get tickets or wait?
Even though all the exhibitors, talk shows, and schedule hasn’t be released, I wouldn’t delay on getting tickets. Three day badges are already sold out, but there are still plenty of individual days available. Tickets are $75 AUD each. If you’re into gaming or technology in any way, you have to come to PAX Aus. Hundreds of thousands of fans descend into Melbourne for three days of fun and you don’t want FOMO.
Merchandise preorders have ended, so if you want merch, you’ll have to make your way to PAX Australia this October. Here’s some of the gear on offer for this year so you have something to look forward to:
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