PAX Aus is less than a month away. Doors to Australia’s biggest gaming festival open on October 11-13 at the Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre. The schedule is now live, and many vendors have confirmed their attendance. Here’s everything we know so far, and some of the cool things you can do in Melbourne next month.
PAX Australia
Running for a decade now, PAX Aus is three days of gaming fun and culture. There are games to play, cosplay competitions, panel discussions, a huge expo hall, tournaments, and performances. Many vendors have been confirmed, and we shared in our previous post, top global speakers coming to Melbourne. So here are more juicy details for you.
Which people can I meet?
Panels are a great way to find out what’s happening in the gaming industry. There will be talks from Sonia Coronado Cuesta, the Senior Music Designer at PlayStation, Ryan Warden the Production Director of Avowed from Xbox, and Josh Weier, the Project Lead on Portal 2. Rich Lambert, Game Director on Elder Scrolls Online will be at PAX Aus for another year running. The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit fans will not want to miss Weta Workshop’s two panels on Tales of the Shire. These are some big name international speakers that you won’t want to miss. This is in addition to those we have already mentioned in our previous post. To see the full panel schedule, check out the PAX Aus website.
Various Australian gaming communities will be holding community gatherings. These usually take place on the weekend outside the convention center. If you are part of a gaming community, get in touch with them to find out if they have a meetup planned. You can also contact many communities on Discord. For example, Epic Armoury will showcase a LARP (Live Action Role Playing) battle at Pollywoodside Park each day.
What companies can I see?
The expo hall is probably one of my favourite attractions at PAX Aus. On the expo floor, you’ll meet everyone from top publishers, to up-and-coming Indie developers, internet providers, artists, and more. Here are some of the newly announced vendors, and some of my top picks for things to check out on the expo floor.
Technology
You’ll be able to see and get hands on with some of the latest technology at PAX Aus. From virtual reality headsets, to driving simulators, monitors, and custom built PCs. This is where I get my tech fix for the entire year. Nothing has been officially revealed yet, but word on the internet says there will be brand new peripherals, and we’re likely to see new monitors, and lots of custom computer builds. We’ll keep you updated when more is announced.
Video games
The chance to play the latest and greatest games is something I really love about PAX Aus. This year, there’s so much to do, so make sure you schedule in plenty of time to include all your favourite games, and discover some new ones.
Ubisoft will be at PAX Aus, and their booth will include opportunities to play Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Rainbow Six Siege. PlaySide, the team, behind the popular—and very Melbournian— game Dumb Ways to Die, will be bringing along a new unannounced Dumb Ways to Die game. Fans will also get the opportunity to play Kill Knight and Mouse.
Xbox Game Pass and Lenovo Legion are teaming up to bring some really fun activities. This includes new games to play, photo moments, and of course, SWAG to be won. SEGA is making the journey down under and packing Sonic x Shadow Generations, Two Point Museum, and Metaphor: ReFantazio into their checked luggage. There will be opportunities to play the games and engage with the team.
Square Enix is bringing FFXIV in a big way. They’ll be hosting a panel, having a fan celebration, and there will be plenty of opportunities to play the game.
I’m excited to see Shadowverse make the return to PAX Aus. They’ll be coming with CardFight Vanguard, and Weiß Schwarz. Play the digital games, and walk away with a physical card. I’m also pumped to see Australian sensation Cult of the Lamb return to PAX with Devolver Digital and Massive Monster. Word on the street is there will be a Cult of the Lamb wedding, and everyone is invited.
Tabletop games
Some of my favourite games will be available to play in the PAX Aus TableTop area. It wouldn’t be a PAX Aus without Magic: The Gathering in attendance. It’ll be a good chance to learn to play, and they’ll likely have cards from the latest set. If you haven’t played Settlers of CATAN, then you can head on down and try it, along with CATAN New Energies. The newly released STAR WARS™: Unlimited game will be available to play. If you missed our review, grab a ticket to PAX Aus to play, and walk away with a free promo card.
Popular anime-based trading card games are coming from Bandai including One Piece, Dragon Ball Super, Digimon, and a new game: Sand Land. Disney will be at PAX Aus for the first time showcasing the Disney Lorcana Trading Card Game. Get hands on with the game, and maybe trade among other fans.
Other tabletop games on offer for tabletop fans include BattleTech, Shadowrun, Exploding Kittens, Forest Shuffle, Tilt N’ Shout, Cards Vs Gravity, Herd Mentality, Dumb Questions to Ask Your Friends, You Can’t Say Umm, and so many more.
In addition to popular tabletop games, PAX Collaboratory will showcase a selection of in-development tabletop games built by our own home grown talent. You’ll have the chance to playtest them and provide direct feedback to the creators. PAX Aus 2024 will be the biggest showcase of tabletop games in PAX Aus history.
What things can I do?
It’s not all about being stuck on the expo floor and playing games. There are plenty of areas in the hall for something different, and lots of events happening outside the main expo building. For example, Dungeons and Dragons are bringing back their popular ‘paint and take’ activation where fans can choose a figurine, paint it, and take it home. This will be part of their large themed superstore to celebrate their 50th anniversary.
PAX Aus will give fans the chance to see some of the best in the industry battle it out, and I don’t just mean virtually. Red Bull is bringing four top content creators to PAX Aus for a dodgeball tournament. Each creator will lead a team, and there are chances for fans to have casual games against Loserfruit, Lachlan, Fall from Grace, and Muselk.
You’ll also have the chance to check out up-and-coming Indie game developers in PAX Rising:
And if all this is a little overwhelming, you can always just go and chill out in the console gaming lounge to recharge. Or just sit and watch the pros battle it out at the Speedrun Marathon. And if all that doesn’t provide a break, you’re lucky that Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre is situated right on the Yarra River, so you can chill outside, and still feel like you’re part of the action.
