conventions – Nerds on Earth https://nerdsonearth.com The best place on earth for nerds. Mon, 10 Jan 2022 15:57:27 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://nerdsonearth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/cropped-nerds_head_thumb2-100x100.png conventions – Nerds on Earth https://nerdsonearth.com 32 32 All the podcasts from NerdsonEarth.com, under one umbrella. We create short run podcasts for nerds, covering D&D, Marvel, Starfinder, and more! You vote for your favorite shows and they just might get a second season. conventions – Nerds on Earth false episodic conventions – Nerds on Earth jason.sansbury@nerdsonearth.com podcast All the podcasts from NerdsonEarth.com, the best place on Earth for nerds. conventions – Nerds on Earth https://nerdsonearth.com/wp-content/uploads/powerpress/noe-podcast-logo.png https://nerdsonearth.com/blog/ 2022 Board Game Convention Schedule https://nerdsonearth.com/2022/01/2022-board-game-convention-schedule/ Tue, 11 Jan 2022 13:00:00 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=37907 MiNi Con Brothers

Check out the major board gaming conventions in 2022! Including details about Gen Con, Origins, PAXU, and more!

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MiNi Con Brothers

Now that 2021 is in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to look ahead at the 2022 Board Game Convention schedule! There are tons of great shows to visit, play games, meet people, and stay abreast of all the new happenings in the board game industry!

Last year, there were a lot of changes for conventions because of the pandemic, and expect those same safety measures to rightfully continue in 2022. More shows are requiring proof of vaccinations and masks while in attendance to protect the attendees. You’ll want to check out the individual convention websites for the latest in these measures.

In case you’ve never attending a big convention, there are plenty of resources out there to help you get started. In fact, we have a nice article detailing Best Practices to help you when attending a convention. Especially if you’re a first-timer! The article is from a few years ago, so you’ll want to take extra health safety precautions if attending this year.

Anyways, there are some big board game conventions that you’ll want to check out, in addition to some smaller ones that are gaining in popularity. This isn’t an exhaustive list of every convention, just a summary of the big-ticket ones more centered around board gaming. Many regions have their own smaller conventions that might be more your speed.

Small/Medium Conventions

Dice Tower Con

Dice Tower puts on a couple different conventions and events throughout the year, but Dice Tower West and Dice Tower East are made for landlubbers who won’t be gaming on the high seas through the Dice Tower Cruise. The claim to fame with this convention put on by one of the larger board gaming channels is their Dice Tower library! This features over 2,000 games for you to rent and try out! It’s a great way to try board game titles without needing to purchase them. Here’s the list on BGG with every title in the library.

  • Dates: March 2-6, 2022 (Dice Tower West), July 6-10, 2022 (Dice Tower East)
  • Location: Las Vegas, NV (Dice Tower West), Orlando, FL (Dice Tower East)
  • Dice Tower Con Website
  • Current Safety Measures: Mask-wearing indoors

CMON Expo

CMON Expo has been virtual the past two years, so people are itching to get back to an in-person con. CMON is well-known for their games involving beautiful miniatures, and this convention celebrates everything that they offer. I’m anxiously awaiting the next Marvel United iteration to arrive! As of now, I don’t believe dates have been set for this con.

Geekway to the West

Geekway hasn’t even hit its 20th anniversary yet, but it continues to grow year after year. You won’t find as extensive a game library as some of the other conventions on this list, clocking in around 2000 titles. Attendees will also find game tournaments, a vendor hall, and long swathes of tables awaiting to be played on. Another nice thing about Geekway is that it’s a centrally-located convention, right in the middle of the country.

  • Dates: May 12-15, 2022
  • Location: St. Charles, MO
  • Geekway Website
  • Current Safety Measures: Full vaccination status

BoardGameGeek Con (BGG Con SPRING)

BGG Con SPRING is coming up in May. As you can expect, this is the BoardGameGeek convention from the website that you probably use every day for all of your board game needs. In the past, attendees have gotten games on registration and board games are played abundantly. This convention also features a gigantic library with over 5000 games!

  • Dates: May 27-30, 2022
  • Location: Dallas, TX
  • Unofficial BGG CON SPRING Thread
  • Current Safety Measures: Full vaccination status and mask-wearing indoors (2021 guidelines)

Large Conventions

Origins Game Fair

Origins Game Fair is one of the smaller BIG conventions, but don’t be fooled – over 20,000 people make the trek to Columbus for this amazing convention. It’s basically like a smaller, more manageable Gen Con! There are two gaming halls to accompany the vendor hall, and this is one of the first big US conventions of the year so you can expect many new releases. I should definitely get around to attending Origins one of these years.

Gen Con

Gen Con is the top dog when it comes to board game conventions! You’re promised the ‘best four days in gaming’ and having attended multiple times I can confirm that you get what is advertised. The convention grounds are massive, and the City of Indianapolis swells under the influx of new nerds flocking to the convention center and attached Lucas Oil Stadium. Gen Con also features digital ticketing for events through their app.

  • Dates: August 4-7, 2022
  • Location: Indianapolis, IN
  • Gen Con Website
  • Current Safety Measures: Full vaccination status and mask-wearing indoors

PAX Unplugged

Also going by the abbreviation PAXU, PAX Unplugged brings gaming to the east coast! PAXU features gaming of all kinds, including your favorite board and tabletop games, miniatures, panels, and more. There are also plenty of ways to recharge your internal batteries during the show thanks to AFK Rooms. Don’t forget to pack your favorite cosplay!

  • Dates: December 2022
  • Location: Philadelphia, PA
  • PAXU Website
  • Current Safety Measures: Full vaccination status and mask-wearing indoors

International Conventions (Outside U.S.)

UK Games Expo

The UK Games Expo is the largest convention in the UK, and roughly the same size as Origins. There are two separate vendor halls that you can check out, as well as ample amounts of open table gaming. This is also a really good option for budding designers who want to organize playtests for the board game that they’ve designed. You can also pack used games to sell at the show, and then you’ll have plenty of space in your luggage for the return trip.

  • Dates: June 3-5, 2022
  • Location: Birmingham, United Kingdom
  • UK Games Expo Website
  • Current Safety Measures: Full vaccination status and mask-wearing indoors

Essen Spiel

Essen Spiel is the big one. This is perhaps the largest gaming convention in the world, with over 150,000 attendees each year. That’s DOUBLE the size of Gen Con! Essen Spiel is the Super Bowl of the board gaming convention year. I mean where else can you go and store bags filled with your board game treasures on-site? Essen Spiel has anything and everything!

  • Dates: October 6-9, 2022
  • Location: Essen, Germany
  • Essen Spiel Website
  • Current Safety Measures: Full vaccination status and mask-wearing indoors

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The Punchlist: This Week’s News for Nerds https://nerdsonearth.com/2020/04/the-punchlist-this-weeks-news-for-nerds/ Wed, 29 Apr 2020 12:00:00 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=30475

Welcome to THE PUNCHLIST where Nerds on Earth rounds up this week's news.

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Welcome to this week’s PUNCHLIST, where we round up the biggest news in nerd culture. It might be from the MCU, board gaming, D&D, and more. But whatever the news is this week, you can bet it will eventually separate you from your money.

7. The OP Announces Warhammer 40K Risk

Risk: Warhammer 40K pits Ultramarines, Orks, Chaos Space Marines, Aeldari Craftworlds, and Genestealer Cults against one another for control of the planet Vigilus!

The classic Risk rules will see a few 40k-flavored additions that have us curious. We’re working on an interview with the game’s designer, so stay tuned!

+ More here: Risk: Warhammer 40k

6. UK Games Expo Joins the Long List of Cancelled Conventions

COVID-19’s threat and the uncertain timeline it has created has claimed another victim in the UK Games Expo. Other nerdy conventions that have fallen prey to the pandemic include E3, San Diego Comic Con, Emerald City Comic Con, Origins Game Fair, Anime Expo, WonderCon, and more.

PaizoCon, however, is taking place online since they can’t gather in person! You can catch the details for that here.

+ More here: UK Games Expo 2020 Cancelled: What’s Happening Next?

5. Marvel and Disney Employees Furloughed

Half of the editorial staff for Marvel Comics has been furloughed for the time being. Disney has also furloughed over 100,000 employees – most of whom are park employees, as the doors have closed on those parks across the world.

+ More here: Marvel Furloughs Employees

4. Indie RPG: Kids on Brooms Is Open for Pre-Order!

Fans of the rules-light, narrative-first Kids on Bikes will find much to love in the newly announced Kids on Brooms. This time you play as a witch or wizard at a magical school of your own creation as you embark upon magical and mysterious adventures!

You can pre-order the 100-page rulebook using the link below!

+ More here: Kids on Brooms

3. Comic Lovers: Diamond Is Eyeing Resuming Distribution in May

Diamond “set a target on-sale date of May 20.” This comes after DC’s announcement that they were bypassing Diamond for the time being and leveraging Lunar and UCS. You can read our full discussion of that move here.

+ More here: Diamond ‘Targets’ May 20 for Distribution Return

2. More Marvel Movie Delays (But Also One We Get Earlier!)

The pandemic has wreaked havoc on movie release schedules as well. Here is a quick list of the current Marvel movies’ release dates (not all are MCU):

  • Black Widow: November 6, 2020
  • The Eternals: February 12, 2021
  • Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: May 7, 2021
  • The third Spider-Man movie: November 5, 2021.
  • Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness: March 25, 2022.
  • The Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sequel: October 7, 2022.

But Thor: Love and Thunder has moved up from February 18, 2022 to February 11! So there’s that. It was originally slated for a November 2021 release, so we’re not really getting it earlier, but we’ll take what we can get!

+ More here: Movie shifts

1. Board Gamers! Marvel Champions Gets a Red Skull Expansion

Fantasy Flight’s The Rise of the Red Skull expansion offers new player decks for Hawkeye and Spider-Woman along with five villains: Crossbones, Absorbing Man, Taskmaster, Zola, and Red Skull.

A campaign mode is also introduced in the set which takes you through each villain in turn in a connected story.

The silhouettes below tease future scenarios and heroes. Do you have any guesses on who they might be?

+ More here: The Rise of the Red Skull


Check back next Wednesday for more news for nerds. Better yet, scroll down just a few more inches and sign up for our newsletter, The Cable.

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TantrumCon’s First Impression Is Promising https://nerdsonearth.com/2019/02/tantrumcon-2019/ Tue, 19 Feb 2019 13:00:58 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=22968

Looking for a great board game convention? We give our impressions of the first year launch of TantrumCon.

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When Earth Nerd Clave pitched some of us attending the TantrumCon in South Carolina, I was surprisingly agreeable considering I had no idea who the Tantrum House folks were at that time and that, in general, staying away from South Carolina has been good for me.

But this past weekend, some of the Nerds on Earth crew gathered together at TantrumCon 2019 and I have to say, it was a great experience.

What TantrumCon 2019 Nailed

As someone who has experience in creating great events, you always want to cover a few of the basics:

1. The convention space was solid. The event was hosted in a nice Marriott hotel with ample meeting space, good chairs and, if you were staying at the hotel, easy access. That is huge. While I wish that WiFi had been included and a breakfast of some sort, on the whole, I can’t complain too much about the location.

From left to right: Earth Nerds Adkins, Jason, and Clave enjoying Zombicide at TantrumCon.

2. The volunteers and staff were very friendly. As someone with some borderline social anxiety issues, being in a new place with new people can be a challenge. But instead, they did an excellent job of communicating, welcoming and being available.

Plus they gave away a ton of games, both to premier attendees and via raffles all weekend.

3. They were working to make things better. There was a small hiccup at the Friday dinner that made them want to address it before Saturday’s dinner; they sent an excellent email, explained everything, offered a refund and, again, sent a good follow-up after the refund was requested.

Coming Back For More

Three things that will make me want to go back to TantrumCon next year: 

1. Their game library was stellar. The chance for us Nerds to pick up a bunch of games we were interested in, grab a table and play was exceptional. For the size of convention that it was, they had many, many games, old and new. (Several of them seemed like we were the first players of, as we had to punch out pieces.)

The Nerds on Earth crew squeezed in some Spacefinder Society time!

2. The demos. When you have heard about a game like Gloomhaven and your interest is piqued, you can see what it is like. I spent a couple hours getting a walk through of the game by one of the TantrumHouse volunteers and left knowing more about the game and having a clear idea about it. (Plus it went on Amazon sale that weekend!)

3. The RPG area. I hope that this area grows to include some Dungeons and Dragons next year but us Nerds got to play some Starfinder and had options at some other indie games and Pathfinder sessions as well. 


All in all, TantrumCon was a good event and a great time to play some serious boardgames with friends. Here are some of our thoughts about the changes in the convention scene that favor great regional conventions versus huge nationally known cons.

If you are in the southeast and looking for a good event to gather at, this one is worth putting on the list of possible conventions to attend!

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Some Best Practices to Help You Feel (and Be) Safe at Cons https://nerdsonearth.com/2018/12/some-best-practices-to-help-you-feel-and-be-safe-at-cons/ Tue, 11 Dec 2018 12:59:36 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=21249

Everyone should feel and be safe when they travel to conventions, so here are some guidelines for that very thing. And these aren't just for the benefit of vulnerable populations, this is a guide to help each of us contribute to an environment to makes all feel safe.

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Disclaimer: We’re not safety experts (though we consulted with one on this). These common-sense safety practices were put together both from personal experience and by talking to other members of the gaming community.

I played a tabletop roleplaying game for the first time two years ago. It started after I binged all of the amazing Glass Cannon Network’s Giantslayer AP episodes, and I decided I wanted to see what actually playing Pathfinder was all about.

I quickly found a local game, signed up, and have been hooked ever since.

I began playing as often as I could, first with Pathfinder, and then gleefully hopping on the Starfinder bandwagon when it was released in August of 2017. After seeing how amazing the local gaming community is here in Boston, I couldn’t wait to go out and experience the larger community at conventions across the country.

While we’re certainly there to have fun, and the overwhelming majority of the people we play with are amazing people, the unfortunate reality is that you can never be really sure about your safety. My day job has me travelling to trade shows and networking events, and using the best practices I use there, along with input from the gaming community, I’ve developed this list of safety best practices for conventions.

To be honest, I don’t do all of them all the time. I should – sometimes you’re so caught up in the moment, in the fun, it’s easy to rationalize or forget. That’s why I call this “Best Practices” instead of “Tips” – this is the high bar to aim for, and it’s OK to miss.

While this list may seem solely for the benefit of vulnerable populations, it’s not just that. Let this be a guide as well for how you can conduct yourself in a way that creates an environment where others feel safe. We have this list included as a downloadable PDF at the end of the post, along with some additional links to help you out!

1. Don’t tell strangers what hotel you are staying in or allude to how far away it is from the convention center.

This can be harder at conventions that take place in specific hotels or where GMs who run a certain number of slots get comped rooms. I consider my hotel location to be part of my “physical security,” and as much as I can, I keep it on a “need to know” basis. If someone I don’t know, or don’t trust, asks me where I am staying, I just say “nearby,” or even try to laugh it off, “Oh! In all the confusion of checking in I forgot the name. Somewhere over there (gesture vaguely)? Let’s get back to the game!”

2. As a GM, keep your tone friendly but professional: don’t give personal identifiable information about your life to strangers (such as where you work, what school you go to, any social media groups you are in, etc.). You’re there to have fun, but you don’t need to be anything more than polite to someone at your table if you don’t want to.

It can be hard to keep personally identifiable information to yourself when most convention badges have your name printed on them! Even more so in this day and age of rampant social media, everyone seems to be one click away. Having a more common name is helpful in this situation–unfortunately for me, my unique last name means there is only one of me on networking sites. If you’re trying to remain anonymous, disclosing what Facebook groups you’re in, what company you work for, etc. are all ways people can find you just by knowing your first name. If pressed, you can say “I don’t talk about my personal life at conventions, sorry. Now, why again did you think goblins as a playable race were a good idea in PF2e?”

3. Save the surrounding area maps offline in your preferred map application (or print them!), so you can access them even if you don’t have service. Save the location of the nearest 24 Hour Urgent Care / Emergency Room in your offline maps and memorize the address. See the “Links” section below for instructions on how to do this in both Google Maps and Apple Maps.

Wi-Fi and cellular reception can be spotty sometimes at conventions. Download the local area maps ahead of time. Taking ten minutes to learn the layout and names of the surrounding streets to the convention is also a good idea.

4. If you do meet someone new (be it as a friend or something more), ask trusted friends or acquaintances if they know them, and what they think of them.

While you should never solely rely on the judgement of your friends and acquaintances, it’s an excellent puzzle piece you can use to make an assessment of someone. You can directly ask someone, “Has Person X ever done anything that made you or someone else uncomfortable? Have you seen them do something that didn’t sit right with you?”

5. Either bring a trusted friend with you when meeting with new people, or let your friend know where you are going to be and how to check in.

This is a relatively standard method of utilizing the buddy system. If you really trust your friend, consider using a Trusted Contacts application on your mobile device. Apps like these enable you to constantly share your location with a specific person or allow them to “ping” you and request your location if you miss your appointed check-in time. If you don’t respond to the request in a timely manner, the application automatically shares your location with your trusted contact.

6. Drinking at conventions happens–some conventions are lovingly referred to as “A Drinking Convention with a Gaming Problem.” Always watch your drink: if you don’t pour it yourself, or watch someone open/pour it, don’t drink it. Bring your drink with you to the bathroom.

I’ve been in situations before where I walk into a bar or hotel room party where I am handed an open drink right away. At first, it was awkward–I worried about offending the host–but with practice it became easier to say “Thanks for the offer. If you don’t mind, I have it as a general rule for myself to never drink something I didn’t open or pour myself, no exceptions.” I usually close the statement or explanation with something positive about the person offering the drink to keep the tone light but firm – this isn’t personal to them, it’s personal to me.

7. Walk in pairs, especially late at night. If you feel like someone is following you, don’t walk back to your room–go to the front desk or police/security station.

“Safety in numbers” is a tried and true personal security best practice. If you feel you are being followed, walk towards a situation where there will be people who can help (security, police, hotel staff, etc.). Walking back to your room further isolates yourself. Don’t feel bad for skipping an elevator with someone who makes you feel uncomfortable or asking someone at the front desk to escort you to your room.

8. Even with friends you trust, don’t give out your hotel room number unless absolutely necessary.

This personally identifiable information should be kept need-to-know. If someone doesn’t need to know it, don’t tell them. Once someone other than you has that information, you cannot control who has it. Your friends could be talking about coming up to visit you and someone could overhear the room number. Better to play it safe.

9. If you’re hanging out with a group, do so in a public place. It’s tempting to retreat to the privacy of hotel rooms, but only do so with people you know and trust.

After a long day of gaming, it can be so tempting to retreat to a hotel room with your closest gaming friends, some may be friends you only see a few times a year. Most of my best memories from conventions come not from the actual gaming but from the midnight shenanigans with my friends that occur when the gaming is over. If you’re hanging out with people you know and trust, and they want to invite another person, use Best Practice #4–ask questions about the person you are allowing to access your trusted space.

10. If something about a situation is making you feel weird, feels off, you can just leave. You don’t need to stay in a conversation with someone just to be polite. You do not owe anyone an explanation for your departure – but have a plausible excuse in your back pocket if you need one. Having an excuse handy can help you duck out of an uncomfortable situation.

Don’t ignore your gut feelings about people or situations. Those instincts we have evolved over millions of years to keep us safe. Luckily, gaming conventions provide ample reasonable opportunities to excuse yourself – getting ready for your next game, organizing chronicle sheets, or even needing to get some sleep are all valid reasons for leaving a place and difficult to challenge. Use the past tense to subtly communicate that the conversation is over: “It was nice to meet you/play with you/see you. If you’ll excuse me, I need to prepare for my next session.”

11. Develop a subtle signal for use with your friends to signal that you want assistance. Be ready to verbally extract your friend from a predicament if they give you the signal.

Agree with trusted friends ahead of time on a physical signal and a secret code word. The code word indicates to your friends that you would like to leave the conversation. The physical sign can be made from across the room to tell your friends that you need aid. If you see your friend give you the signal, be ready to verbally extract them from their conversation. Having plausible reasons to extricate your friend are important: “Hey, can I talk to you about something private for a moment?” or “Hey, I need your help with something important – can you come see this?”

12. Identify one or two favored meetings spots to reunite with your friends, ideally in a public place. Cell phone signal and Wi-Fi can be unpredictable at a large convention, and it’s good to have a place you can withdraw to find friendly faces.

Potential spots could be right near HQ for your preferred game (though don’t loiter for the sake of loitering!), right outside the doors to the convention, or in a quiet seating place. Many of these meeting places develop organically, though it doesn’t hurt to formally verbalize that these are trusted meeting areas in the event that your lose cell service or your battery dies.

13. If you cosplay or regularly volunteer for a gaming company, consider using a separate email address to coordinate convention appearances and work.

While not always necessary, having a dedicated “gaming” email can help partition your personal life from your gaming life–though for some (including me!), there can sometimes be a fuzzy line between the two. Having a way you can “officially” be contacted can allow more open communication with fans or other gamers you want to stay in touch with for professional reasons. (More on cosplay safety here.)

14. Regarding mental safety: be mindful and create a self-care plan for before, during, and after the convention. Share the plan with one or two close and trusted confidants at the convention in case you need a little extra support.

Conventions can be big, loud, and overwhelming. For some, conventions and crowds of any size can cause anxiety, both leading up to and while attending the convention. Check in with one or two trusted people ahead of time and ask them if they will be available to help you if needed.

Links

Here are directions for how to store maps offline with Google Maps (for Apple and Android).
Here are directions for how to add “favorite locations” to your Google Maps (for Apple and Android)
Here is how to view maps offline with Apple Maps (for Apple).
Here is how to bookmark locations with Apple Maps (for Apple).

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Gearing Up For PAX West: An Intro to the Video Game Convention https://nerdsonearth.com/2016/08/gearing-pax-west/ Mon, 29 Aug 2016 12:37:33 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=9025

We introduce you to some of the events of PAX West, one of the world's largest and best video game conventions.

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If you’ve been reading this site for a while, you know that a large portion of our writers are exploding with anticipation over their imminent trip to Dragon*Con, the annual nerd pilgrimage to the blistering heat of Georgia, to cram into a giant room with tens of thousands of other nerds, standing in lines to buy autographs from actors from cancelled TV shows or to see new trailers for the next disappointing big budget comic book film.

As for me, I’ve got other plans for the upcoming weekend. Along with thousands of others, I’m currently packing my bags to head to the beautiful Pacific Northwest (and it’s mild 70° weather) to attend the greatest nerd gathering of all of them: PAX West (née Prime).

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Majestic

I’m just kidding, of course. I know Dragon*Con is super fun for all attendees, and I would attend myself, if not for the fact that PAX West always falls on the same weekend, and I’ve dedicated myself to attending PAXes both East and West to spend time with friends from all over the world.

As is customary, I’m sure a large portion of our time will be spent eating far too much food and paying far too much money for delicious adult beverages, but that’s all dressing around the edges of the show itself. Since almost all the other writers are going to Dragon*Con, I figured I would do a quick write up of what I’m looking forward to during my time in Seattle, so here goes:


1: The Cards Against Humanity and Giant Bomb Variety Show

2781270-img_3090Every PAX I go to, my favorite part of the show is always the Giant Bomb panel, because those guys know how to have fun and keep a crowd entertained while doing so. Another group that always has fun panels (with some of the weirdest surprises) are the minds behind everybody’s favorite party game for horrible people, Cards Against Humanity.

This year, however, the stars have aligned and these two groups of nut jobs have decided to combine their powers to put on what will hopefully be the most memorable hour of nonsense any of us have seen. It is kind of a bummer they got put in a 4PM slot as opposed to the late night slots they normally occupy, but I’m sure it will still be a hell of a ride.


2. PAX Wrestling League of Heels

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The commissioner Greg Miller, from Kinda Funny

Alright, show of hands: who misses the attitude era of WWE, when larger than life characters like the Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin use their quick wits and brutal dispositions to entertain us every week?

If you appreciate the grungy 90s influenced days of wrestling where we all cheered on the bad guys beating the snot out of people, before everything got a family friendly wipe down so the characters boil down to “dude in jeans” or “dude in tights” and the worst insult you can say on air is “stupid idiot”, then the newly dubbed League of Heels is the place to go.

“Big” names from all over the video game industry, both the development and journalistic sides, come together to compete in various video games and portray their best old school pro wrestler style personas in wonderfully nonsensical story lines. If you want to know more, look no further than the most 90s aspect of the whole thing, the website, and don’t forget to check out the previous events on YouTube to make sure you’re caught up with all the story lines.


3. The Indie Scene

2528464-pax10_bigThe show floor at PAX is always chock full of all the recognizable AAA video game titles we’re all anticipating, and I’m sure people will be elated to get to play Titanfall 2, Final Fantasy XV, maybe even (hopefully) the new Mass Effect.

However, the best part of the show floor isn’t all the big name booths, with their flashing lights and giant statues. The most important thing to know about the show floor is that some of the best games you can play are all the smaller indie titles spread throughout the area.

Every year, the games I enjoy most at the show are the small games off to the side, made by a handful of people who just want to get their idea out there for the public to see. If nothing else, it’s nice that often enough you can pretty much just walk up and play some of these titles, as opposed to waiting upwards of 3 hours in line to play one of the bigger titles (I’m looking at you, Lawbreakers).

It can get a little overwhelming if you try to just dive in and see all the smaller games around the floor, so a good place to start is with the PAX 10, a collection of games curated by the show runners to present to the public.


That’s just a few of the great things you can see if you happen to be attending PAX West this coming weekend. If this is your first show, I would also suggest that you at attend some of the nightly concerts to hear some great music from acts like MC Frontalot and the Video Game Pianist, and at least the final round of the Omegathon, a 10 round tournament of various games and challenges that lasts throughout the show.

For more advice for first time attendees, or even some general advice for somebody attending any sort of convention, check out this great guide for PAX first timers.

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