PAX expands to East Coast

Penny Arcade's open-to-the-public gaming convention will get a sister show on the other side of the country starting in 2010.

Since its inception in 2004, the Seattle, Washington-based Penny Arcade Expo--PAX for short--has grown in leaps and bounds. Last year's open-to-the-public event saw 39,000 gamers pack themselves into the Washington State Convention and Trade Center for a three-day celebration of tabletop role-playing, console, and PC gaming. For this year's show, the organizers are doubling the exhibition hall space to accommodate more than 70 companies displaying their wares for the crowd.

That's nothing compared to the show's future expansion plans, as Jerry Holkins--writer of the Web comic that is the expo's namesake--announced that beginning in 2010, PAX will spawn a second show on the East Coast. The Web comic has enlisted the help of Reed Exhibitions (the team behind the New York Comic-Con) to handle the logistics of the new show, but Holkins stressed he and Penny Arcade artist Gabe Krahulik will still be hands-on with the event.

"We still run the show, determine all the panels, choose where it takes place, select the bands, pretty much everything," Holkins wrote. "We are its conscience. Reed provides the logistical muscle."

Holkins also hinted at even greater plans for PAX, saying that an East Coast show is only the beginning. "It deserves to be on the East Coast," Holkins said. "Frankly, it should be global. I'm working on it."

40 Comments

  • Jedited255

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 8:31 pm PT

    Sounds interesting, i live in NJ so naturally i was excited when i saw this. Can't wait to see PAX on the East Coast!

  • lamprey263

    Posted Aug 6, 2008 4:26 pm PT

    this is a great idea as long as those gaming companies think they're willing to go to multiple events annually, paying their event fees and costs of traveling and promoting, it'll be interesting to see how this'll work out with two PAX shows

  • PieCrusher

    Posted Aug 5, 2008 6:58 pm PT

    Spreadin the love! This is great. Multiple shows means more great games.

  • Agent00X

    Posted Aug 5, 2008 11:39 am PT

    More Shows = More Video Game Fun! = Happy ME!

    I Live near Boston and I have for-ever wished that I could go to E3 in LA and now PAX WILL COME TO ME! GO EAST COAST!

  • Rect_Pola

    Posted Aug 4, 2008 10:35 am PT

    Ooo, I like it. I'd love even more shows, evolving it into a PAX tour. That would allow smaller developers options to focus on. This may very well end up bigger than E3 ever was

  • chief_527

    Posted Aug 4, 2008 8:19 am PT

    South Florida!!!

  • BigDaveyDogz

    Posted Aug 4, 2008 5:10 am PT

    I hope its in NYC...I live there

  • subrosian

    Posted Aug 4, 2008 12:58 am PT

    East Coast will be great, I'll finally be able to go to PAX without having to worry about the time / travel requirements. I only hope it's not in NYC - the hotel costs, transit, and convention center costs would make that a nightmare.

  • Khalathwyr

    Posted Aug 3, 2008 6:32 pm PT

    Well, before we go "global", hows about trying to put a few cons in the CENTRAL US! Both coasts have enough love as it is with cons. Either Chicago or Dallas/Austin would be good sites to have one as well.

  • tainteddonut

    Posted Aug 3, 2008 3:18 pm PT

    That is awesome news.

  • pidow

    Posted Aug 3, 2008 11:12 am PT

    Ah, more places to see gaming at.

  • jrabbit99

    Posted Aug 3, 2008 7:53 am PT

    i realy wish it is in NYC

  • Stexe

    Posted Aug 3, 2008 5:13 am PT

    I have to agree with TwilightWaits. Again, I'm biased too living 30 minutes outside of Philadelphia, but it would work perfectly. People wouldn't have to deal with the insanity of NYC and they would more likely than not be able to get cheaper tickets and have a place closer to the DC crowd. It would be the best of both worlds. Plus, they would be unique as there are not a large number of gaming conventions that take place in Philadelphia.

  • tawagivercetti

    Posted Aug 2, 2008 7:31 pm PT

    sweet

  • ashuncc2

    Posted Aug 2, 2008 4:56 pm PT

    Nice! I wouldn't mind making a trip to NYC for PAX.

  • lextexrex

    Posted Aug 2, 2008 11:32 am PT

    Michigan?

  • xbox360progamer

    Posted Aug 2, 2008 10:41 am PT

    umm i never liked this show but thats great..

  • PieCrusher

    Posted Aug 2, 2008 10:26 am PT

    PAX is going to be awsome. They have totally eclipsed E3 by a long shot.

  • TwilightWaits

    Posted Aug 2, 2008 10:23 am PT

    Frankly, I think they should do it in Philadelphia. Admittedly, I'm biased, living in the Philadelphia suburbs, but frankly, I think they would be able to get a much better deal on the convention costs than in NYC. Philly has several large convention centers available that don't see much use (the Philly convention Center itself, the Valley Forge CC, et cetera), and they could pass those savings onto the fans in the form of lower ticket costs. Win/Win for all involved.

  • BewilderedRonin

    Posted Aug 2, 2008 10:14 am PT

    I hope they don't try and put the East Coast PAX in New York. Nothing against NY, but it has so much there already. DC/Baltimore would be good, Chicago would be awesome. Maybe go south and do Atlanta or Miami.

    Either way, expanding PAX to an east coast event is great news.

  • terdoo

    Posted Aug 2, 2008 9:05 am PT

    Well thats cool.Finnaly some care about the east coast.

  • RonTorque

    Posted Aug 2, 2008 6:21 am PT

    PAX is growing more and more this is just the beginning.

  • tophat666

    Posted Aug 2, 2008 5:49 am PT

    new york PAX!

    OMHFG!

  • ps2forever

    Posted Aug 2, 2008 5:08 am PT

    most likely the gaming convention will be held in New York. they get mostly everything here in the East coast. i dont' care, i can drive me car lol.

  • ColdBeer69

    Posted Aug 2, 2008 12:52 am PT

    Honestly, PAX will probably never "replace" E3. Go to PA's website and read their full post about this.
    http://penny-arcade.com/
    They speak specifically on that, like how "PAX is everything E3 isn't." It makes sense, but either way, this is great news for everybody.

  • gnbfd

    Posted Aug 1, 2008 11:07 pm PT

    *prays that it will be in Baltimore/DC*

  • AncientDozer

    Posted Aug 1, 2008 10:26 pm PT

    Don't beat E3. . absorb it. Turn to the ESA and absorb it all into the glorious empire that is Penny Arcade. Become the voice of the video game world and RULE AMERICA.

  • Dirk13

    Posted Aug 1, 2008 9:14 pm PT

    hmmm, so which one would they beat at though? surely they cant make the events equal, in the end i feel like one will be better than the other.

    but as someone who lives in between these two places, and was living in southern california, this announcement is no help to em attending the show

  • FrankenLife

    Posted Aug 1, 2008 8:28 pm PT

    That's right kill E3. Kill it good.

  • Flat_Line_____

    Posted Aug 1, 2008 8:00 pm PT

    Bout friggin time the east coast get some gaming conventions. Now if we can only get some of these big gaming tourneys to hold competitions around here, closest I think there is around here is in Texas.....

  • Mystoksor

    Posted Aug 1, 2008 7:59 pm PT

    finally. we really need this. hopefully this will be the final death knell for E3; a more fan-centered, public event attracting more people than ever before

  • Vulpis

    Posted Aug 1, 2008 7:27 pm PT

    What 'one day'? It already *has* replaced E3--companies make the presentations there that in the past they would have used E3 for.

  • muffinmanjedi

    Posted Aug 1, 2008 7:00 pm PT

    I think this will replace E3 one day. Tycho and Gabe, PLEASE MAKE IT HAPPEN!!

  • Xendercide

    Posted Aug 1, 2008 6:05 pm PT

    Maybe now I can fulfill my lifelong dream of getting Rich Gallup's autograph.

  • JLuke360

    Posted Aug 1, 2008 5:17 pm PT

    Finally. Nobody ever shows us East Coasters the love we so rightfully deserve.

  • TristanH12

    Posted Aug 1, 2008 4:33 pm PT

    Fantastic news, maybe something new will be announced!!!

  • mikewalsh69

    Posted Aug 1, 2008 4:24 pm PT

    cool hopefully this will inspire E3 to go back to how it used to be: something good for the gamers. i'd love if there were events like this in ireland but it's too small of a country.

  • Zandder

    Posted Aug 1, 2008 4:18 pm PT

    Neither Mike nor Jerry have yet to be to Chicago. Dammit.

  • chibi-acer

    Posted Aug 1, 2008 4:09 pm PT

    Ooh...very cool!

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