67,600 pack into PAX Prime, third expo rumored

By Tor Thorsen, GameSpot
Posted Sep 8, 2010 4:17 pm PT

Seattle gaming-for-gamers expo reaches record numbers yet again; speculation about international Penny Arcade event surfaces.

As has been the case since its founding, the Penny Arcade Expo has posted larger attendance figures with each subsequent year. According to PC gaming site the Big Download, a record 67,600 people piled into the Washington State Convention Center for PAX Prime, which ran September 3-5. That's a significant jump from the 60,750 people who showed for PAX 2009.

67,600 people packed into PAX 2010.

The renaming of the main event was due to the premiere of an East Coast spin-off, PAX East, which itself drew nearly 53,000 attendees when it ran March 26-28. The event was such a hit that the organizer of both events, Reed Exhibitions, has signed a contract to hold PAX East at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center through 2013.

From its humble beginnings in 2004, when just 3,300 fans of the game-focused Web comic Penny Arcade turned up, PAX has turned into a major fixture of the yearly game-expo circuit. One reason is that unlike other US gaming expos, such as the Game Developers Conference and the Electronic Entertainment Expo, it is open to the public. As a result, the size of the event is limited only by the venue itself, with Penny Arcade business manager Robert Khoo telling the Big Download that this year's event was almost too large.

The pair of comic artists is also pondering a third expo, according to game-industry site Gamasutra. In a Q&A session on the final day of PAX 2010, Penny Arcade co-authors Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins reportedly hinted that they and Reed Exhibitions were considering a third PAX. The locale would likely be an international city that has yet to be determined.

For a full rundown of this year's event, visit GameSpot's complete coverage of PAX 2010.

11 Comments

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T03
Posted Sep 13, 2010 8:57 am GMT

obviously, the 3rd one will be in Europe or Asia, not Canada (wtf, weren't 2 paxs already in the American continent?) or lolAustralia. I hope it will be in europe, because i'm in europe.
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nunuu
Posted Sep 10, 2010 3:52 am GMT

I'm hoping this potential "international" PAX means that it'll take place somewhere in Canada. Afterall, it won't be too costly for US publishers and developers to cross the border AND we've got a great many gaming companies across the country to begin with.

And lord knows we can use a GOOD gaming convention up here.

However, it may very well be that BECAUSE of the proximity between both countries, they may just opt to start a PAX outside North America.
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Kayim
Posted Sep 9, 2010 9:42 pm GMT

PAX Mexico! Push for it Kiko!
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Fusco1980
Posted Sep 9, 2010 3:11 pm GMT

[This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]
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MEDzZ3RO
Posted Sep 9, 2010 12:58 pm GMT

Seifer-fx
If that's what yours looks like you'd be well advised to see a doctor.Haha
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ogara0c9
Posted Sep 9, 2010 8:01 am GMT

@Shadow_Fire41
The episodic games are now dead. Episode 3 is now being released in narrative form as we speak, chapter by short chapter.
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Seifer-fx
Posted Sep 9, 2010 6:38 am GMT

[This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]
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pudgexd
Posted Sep 9, 2010 1:24 am GMT

Penny Arcade Expo. @cagefury
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CageFury posted Sep 8, 2010 8:43 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)
CageFury
Posted Sep 8, 2010 8:43 pm GMT (hide)

What's PAX?
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Shadow_Fire41
Posted Sep 8, 2010 8:01 pm GMT

.......i do not care all that much........i will start caring when i get more game information, that and can we PLEASE get penny arcade adventures 3 and 4?
its bull that we were promised 4 episodes, only get 2, and they don't even finish 3 and 4 in comic form, hell i don't think they are even remotely close in the writing to finishing it.
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Vegeta-sama
Posted Sep 8, 2010 7:59 pm GMT

eff that... PAX Central!
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Fusco1980 posted Sep 8, 2010 6:50 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)
Fusco1980
Posted Sep 8, 2010 6:50 pm GMT (hide)

[This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]
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S2333
Posted Sep 8, 2010 6:02 pm GMT

Didn't E3 get downsized after 60 000 people turned up?
Also please have this third expo in Perth, Australia. That sort of tourism would be incredible for our city.
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jakedecker1 posted Sep 8, 2010 5:01 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)
jakedecker1
Posted Sep 8, 2010 5:01 pm GMT (hide)

number 1 lol
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