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Penny Arcade Expo doubles in size

First details for August celebration of all things gaming revealed; 30,000 expected to converge on downtown Seattle for the show; Freezepop and Jonathan Coulton to perform.
By Brendan Sinclair, GameSpot
Posted Jan 26, 2007 4:33 pm PT
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Jerry Holkins (Tycho from Penny Arcade) talks about the new home of PAX.

Popular Web comic Penny Arcade has a number of spin-offs, from customizable card games to books to video games, but perhaps the most successful of its ancillary ventures has been the annual Penny Arcade Expo, or PAX. Developed as a celebration of all forms of gaming, from pen-and-paper role-playing games to the latest video game consoles, the convention has grown in size each year it has been held.

Today Penny Arcade revealed the first details of the fourth annual PAX, the largest one to date. Slated for August 24-26, the expo has outgrown its old venue and will be moved to the Washington State Trade and Convention Center in downtown Seattle, Washington. The extra room afforded by the move will make the 200,000 square feet of floor space at this year's PAX more than twice the size of last year's show. More space means more people, and the organizers are "conservatively" expecting 30,000 attendees at PAX 2007.

That doesn't quite match the attendance of last year's Electronic Entertainment Expo, which had more than 60,000 visitors. However, it might not be long before the growing expo rivals E3's largest attendance figures; PAX attendance has doubled with each new show.

In addition to a show floor filled with contests, tournaments, and unreleased games, PAX 2007 will play host to the annual Omegathon three-day gaming competition, as well as a number of musical acts. Penny Arcade writer Jerry Holkins told GameSpot today that Jonathan Coulton ("Code Monkey," "Re: Your Brains") and Freezepop (whose music can be heard in games like Amplitude and Guitar Hero) will be performing at PAX 07.

To register for the show, visit the official Web site.

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52 Comments

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GrlGmr

I went to PAX last year, had a blast. Here's some of the pictures that I took:

http://s10.photobucket.com/albums/a126/Arklier/PAX/

It was very, very crowded though. Waiting for some of the panels, you were definitely getting to know your neighbors in line.

Posted Jan 30, 2007 12:54 pm PT
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Caduceus06

I don't think PAX should fill the void of E3, it is a gamer's show. That's the point.

Posted Jan 30, 2007 6:17 am PT
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Phayble

Guess im going to have to go register for this since i live like 20 minutes away.

Posted Jan 29, 2007 2:18 pm PT
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vf21x

NERDS!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted Jan 29, 2007 1:24 pm PT
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skrutop

datniccah187 wrote:
I've heard of penny arcade but i haven't checked it out yet. Maybe i will right now?


Hey, man. Welcome to the Internet.

Posted Jan 29, 2007 12:40 pm PT
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dyaballikl

already got my tickets for pax!!!

Posted Jan 29, 2007 10:50 am PT
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chrisdojo

dang.... those PA dudes are gettin rich....

Posted Jan 29, 2007 5:53 am PT
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rudyHG

Zomg! Freezepop at PAX, most excellent

Posted Jan 28, 2007 8:17 pm PT
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Dirk13

with these comparisons now being drawn to E3 i really hope that PAX doesnt also stast to suffer the same bloat that E3 did. While it isnt a trade event and is actually about play over business, it still could find unique ways of stinking as it grows larger and larger......i for one hope it doesnt though (even though i am not close enough to ever attend)

Posted Jan 28, 2007 4:15 pm PT
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Reetesh

Hope we can have a whole PAX thing in GS with all videos and stuffs like for CES and Previous E3s.

Posted Jan 28, 2007 10:09 am PT
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datniccah187

I've heard of penny arcade but i haven't checked it out yet. Maybe i will right now?

Posted Jan 28, 2007 7:56 am PT
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Cloud737

I really like Penny Arcade, and I didn`t know they had an expo. Seems pretty promising, and I hope they can fill up the gap left by E3.

Posted Jan 28, 2007 2:56 am PT
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nappan

I'm all for competition in virtually all things, game shows included. With the complete d**k move that the E3 people made, other shows trying to fill that void is important. Lets see how it all shakes out.

Posted Jan 27, 2007 8:45 pm PT
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grizam

last year was awesome.....
go if you can it was the best 3 days of my summer.......sounds pathetic but it really was heh

Posted Jan 27, 2007 4:34 pm PT
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comthitnuong

thats good news. we need bigger gams shows

Posted Jan 27, 2007 2:32 pm PT
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GrayHalo

@ okassar, E3 got downsized after last years its not going to be a public event like it used to be, so like DarkSoldier56 mentioned gamers, and developers may replace E3 with PAX to preview and show case new games respectively.

Posted Jan 27, 2007 12:31 pm PT
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okassar

Meh,if PAX ever does get 60,000 people,E3 would go up to like 90,000-ish.E3 is huge,but ya dunno,Pax can break the E3 tradition as the last E3 was full of crazy fanboys that ruined everythng and made it a bad experience.

Posted Jan 27, 2007 10:29 am PT
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DarkSoldier56

so...........PAX is the new E3?

Posted Jan 27, 2007 10:18 am PT
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lobobizarro

E3 is no more, PAX now reigns! I think they can handle it. E3 made a bad move, and PA just said 'We will just become the next E3 and more!'

Good for them, I hope I can go to this year's PAX.

Posted Jan 27, 2007 9:59 am PT
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HuxleyHobbes

Well crap, I gotta get to Seattle now, don't I?

Posted Jan 27, 2007 9:31 am PT
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The_Weekend

PAX imperia !

Posted Jan 27, 2007 6:10 am PT
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Doolum

good to hear such kind of good news.

Posted Jan 27, 2007 5:11 am PT
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nevereathim

Good for Penny Arcade, they're a great company

Posted Jan 27, 2007 3:15 am PT
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RaiKageRyu

Hmm, maybe I should pick up where I left off in Penny Arcade..

Posted Jan 27, 2007 1:52 am PT
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ScreamDream

I'd go if I was close.

Posted Jan 27, 2007 1:44 am PT
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MasterOfDarkCow

Javier, you got my number on that one. TimmyB's CAD ftw!
PAX = still good idea. hope it doesn't downsize anytime soon.

Posted Jan 27, 2007 1:23 am PT
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surferboy2177

A little too far for me to go, but I'm excited none the less.

Posted Jan 26, 2007 11:07 pm PT
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Zoomer30

So has PAX TV sued them yet for using the name?

Just kidding, dont even know if PAX TV is still around.

Posted Jan 26, 2007 11:06 pm PT
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Re_ensurer

Interesting.

Posted Jan 26, 2007 9:42 pm PT
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digitalguardian

I wanted to go last year, but wasn't able to. Hopefully I'll be able to make it this time. The problem is going there without a chaperone.

Posted Jan 26, 2007 7:30 pm PT
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Cantius

"Chief_Kuuni
hmmm"
"Ever_Ab
shh, he's thinking "

Lmao...

Posted Jan 26, 2007 7:26 pm PT
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Outlawlaw

Poor Tycho, he's such a wuss he bought the burning crusade *shakes head sadly, dies a little inside for the poor little addict * hehehehe.

Yeah I read the site regularly

Posted Jan 26, 2007 6:54 pm PT
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samuraismurf

quote:
Generic_Dude
"Am I the only one who believes Penny Arcade to be a cheesy hack operation whose moderately popularity can best be described by the theory that modern conveniences have turned us, the human race, into jelly-bellied, lazy-minded simps who collect their data regarding the world around them via sitcom and internet forwards?"

If you call four million plus readers moderately popular and make gross generalizations about the human race, than yes; I would say you are alone.

Penny-Arcade is well written, well illustrated, and funny. While I will not speak for or about everyone like you do, I personally do not get any of my news from that site. All the comics are always about news I have heard/read about elsewhere.

Are you the only magnificently naive person on this site? No. Are you one of the few magnificently naive people on this site who likes to garner attention to themselves by criticizing something everyone else enjoys?

I hope.

Posted Jan 26, 2007 6:39 pm PT
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Dirk13

i've always thought pax would be cool but it's kind of a moot point if you dont live in or perhaps near seattle, kind of a bummer.....wish there were sattelite versions or somesuch closer to home

Posted Jan 26, 2007 6:30 pm PT
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glitchgeeman

More room for PAX? Sounds good to me!

Posted Jan 26, 2007 6:19 pm PT
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vaejas

Only PAX could make me consider having my shoes x-rayed and fingerprints taken to get there.

Posted Jan 26, 2007 6:02 pm PT
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Inu7

Penny Arcade is the sickness

Posted Jan 26, 2007 6:00 pm PT
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EverAB

"Chief_Kuuni
hmmm"

shh, he's thinking

Posted Jan 26, 2007 5:51 pm PT
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Chief_Kuuni

hmmm

Posted Jan 26, 2007 5:39 pm PT
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kenesu96

Am I the only one who believes Penny Arcade to be a cheesy hack operation whose moderately popularity can best be described by the theory that modern conveniences have turned us, the human race, into jelly-bellied, lazy-minded simps who collect their data regarding the world around them via sitcom and internet forwards?"

I AGREE!! this thing is so stupid, and generation Y will be the downfall of society because of it. than afterwards i am sure there will tons of weblogs webcomics and chainmails of how stupid society was before we got rid of it

Posted Jan 26, 2007 5:20 pm PT
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Ryvvn

Generic_Dude says:
"Am I the only one who believes Penny Arcade to be a cheesy hack operation whose moderately popularity can best be described by the theory that modern conveniences have turned us, the human race, into jelly-bellied, lazy-minded simps who collect their data regarding the world around them via sitcom and internet forwards? "

Maybe not the only one but I certainly disagree with you sir. Good day.

Posted Jan 26, 2007 5:14 pm PT
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Gigas_Yuu

It will be awhile before PennyArcade forum fanboys come and start text fighting Generic_Dude and hitting for 4 hps.

Posted Jan 26, 2007 5:14 pm PT
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Bigmac573

LAWL @ 360

Posted Jan 26, 2007 5:13 pm PT
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TheExiledOne13

Uhh ohh... comment attack of the webcomic fan boys.

Posted Jan 26, 2007 5:05 pm PT
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Javier

In my opinion Penny Arcade sucks; Ctrl+Alt+Del is funnier.

Posted Jan 26, 2007 4:58 pm PT
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I_Stole_the_Tv

I agree completely Generic_Dude, you summed up Penny Arcade very well.

And I live in Seattle and there's too many scary nerds here as it is.

Posted Jan 26, 2007 4:57 pm PT
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Bio_Spark

It really is amazing that their little get-together has grown into a huge convention in only a few years. Good for them, it looked to be crammed full last year. They'll need the room.

Posted Jan 26, 2007 4:50 pm PT
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Generic_Dude

Am I the only one who believes Penny Arcade to be a cheesy hack operation whose moderately popularity can best be described by the theory that modern conveniences have turned us, the human race, into jelly-bellied, lazy-minded simps who collect their data regarding the world around them via sitcom and internet forwards?

Posted Jan 26, 2007 4:45 pm PT
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Seven_Is_Darker

Sounds cool, too bad I don't live in the Seattle area

Posted Jan 26, 2007 4:44 pm PT
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EverAB

3RD COMMENT

Posted Jan 26, 2007 4:39 pm PT
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