PAX started in 2004 after Penny Arcade founders Mike and Jerry wanted to create an event that celebrated every kind of gamer, from tabletop through to PC. Originally only in Seattle, the expo grew to include a Boston event called PAX EAST, with the original event changing to PAX Prime. Both eXpos have been incredibly successful, leading the team to reach out to other countries to see who would be interested. The state of Victoria put its hand up and worked hard to land the popular expo in Melbourne.
The biggest part of PAX for many attendees is the chance to see their favourite game developers in person and PAX AUS did not disappoint. From Ron Gilbert to Gearbox, Bioware to Rooster teeth, there was a games celebrity to get everyone drooling. Each games developer not only announced exclusive news to the Australian audience, they also generally allowed time for a Q&A, enabling all of their Australian fans to ask questions they would never normally have the chance to.
My one complaint was the huge amount of queuing at the event and the lack of queue management. Though the enforcers were trying their best it was obvious that this was an inaugural event; the queues were constantly filling up quickly and being moved from place to place. You generally had to line up a couple of hours before the panel you wanted to see if you wanted even a chance to get in. The rooms were too small and the fans were too many. There was talk of a bigger venue already being looked into and this, alongside some more experienced enforcers, could definitely help solve this problem. It was clear that if you wanted to see someone at the event, you had to dedicate some serious time to queuing. Thank god for my Nintendo 3DS and Animal Crossing: New Leaf!
The area underneath the “Big Top” was mostly dedicated to tabletop and console gaming. Here you could hire and play tabletop and console games as well as learn to play games like Magic: The Gathering and Warhammer. Magic: The Gathering was a hit at the event, although this could have just been because of the amount of free cards they were handing out. The Big Top was generally packed and had tournament-type events being held through the weekend.
PC gaming was just behind the Big Top, people could bring their own or play one of the several PCs provided. I only visited this a few times, and both times it wasn’t as full as the other venues. I assumed this was because PC gaming is so easily done at home, so many people didn’t see the point in gaming alone while at the event. 
Next up was the place your wallet wanted to run and hide from — the expo hall. Filled with every kind of gaming merch, this was where you could spend big and check out all the games developers attending the event. Aside from all of the money you wanted to spend, there were plenty of amazing booths to distract you from your wallet's tears. The biggest by far was the League of Legends booth, or should I say stage? It was constantly packed with people checking out gameplay and design showcases. World of Tanks was probably next, and although their “stage” was slightly smaller they had included an actual giant tank, so you have to give them props for dedication. They had also set up a large number of computers for people to play the game with the help of their team.
Nintendo was also in attendance, as well as Rooster Teeth and Australian indie game giant Halfbrick Studios. Some booths like Saints Row were marked R18+ and were hidden behind curtains, which had Mike and Jerry raving as the US PAX events do not do that and they loved the family friendly idea. There were also some booth babes walking around, but PAX has a ‘no booth babe’ policy, which meant that day two saw the girls wearing much more clothing (most people I talked to felt the girls were simply not needed and should have left completely).
But perhaps the most exciting part of the event was the benefit it provided for the Australian gaming industry, and more specifically Australian indie game developers. The Aussie Indie Pavilion was a huge success at the event and allowed the developers to show off just what Australia is capable of. From games being made by one or two people through to small studios, the Pavilion was a place where these developers were able to show off their creations and their current projects. All told, the event was a massive success that I simply can’t do justice in this one article. Mike, Jerry, and Victorian Minister for Innovation Louise Asher have all announced that PAX AUS will return in 2014, and that they are already looking to move to a larger venue in Melbourne.
If you are a gamer, whether it be mobile, PC, console, or tabletop, you should definitely attend PAX AUS 2014.
