Like many gaming events this year, the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) has decided to go digital for their upcoming PAX West and PAX Aus 2020 conventions. This year, the two events have been replaced with PAX Online, a nine-day virtual gaming celebration that will be conducted entirely online.
PAX Online 2020
The nine-day event will run from September 12-20, with non-stop content available 24 hours a day. PAX Online will serve as a digital replacement for this year’s upcoming PAX events. There will be no lines to stand in, and no rush to buy tickets. PAX Online is completely free to everyone with internet access. The event will feature game reveals, hands-on demos, and esports competitions. The PAX 10 Indie Showcase will be making a return as well. Those who enjoy the social element of PAX will also have options for meeting new friends during PAX Online. The event will have custom chat rooms and tournament-aggregation systems, according to the website.
In April, we were still hoping to bring you PAX West this year. But health and safety are paramount, and as we worked on solutions, it became clear that if we really wanted to welcome everybody home, we'd have to take PAX Online. Read the full post here: https://t.co/tMoLP5ndfA pic.twitter.com/7VVJYzn4aa
— PAX (@pax) June 16, 2020
“PAX has always been a community first, from the attendees, panelists, exhibitors, to the incredible Enforcers who keep PAX going all year,” said PAX co-founder, Jerry Holkins. “PAX Online brings that shared experience home, along with game reveals, virtual panels, exclusive hands-on experiences, the chance to hear from and speak with your favorite game developers, plus so much more.”
Of course, it wouldn’t quite be a PAX event without official pins and merchandise to collect. The team behind PAX Online has got that covered. An assortment of PAX merchandise is now available for pre-order on the online PAX Store, including official pin sets, lanyards, water bottles, clothing, and more.
Given the status of the global COVID-19 pandemic, PAX’s shift to digital comes as no surprise. Whether PAX Online becomes a permanent event in the PAX lineup in future years remains to be seen, however. To learn more about PAX Online, head over to the official PAX website. Be sure to check back here as new details become available.