PAX West 2018: schedule, map, badges, registration, and notable gaming events
Check out all the essential details PAX West 2018 attendees need in order to make the most out of the show.
The time for PAX West 2018 is nearly upon us — so close, in fact, that the whole Shacknews crew is practically tingling with anticipation over new game reveals and a potential torrent of in-depth information. Like many other gaming-oriented expositions, PAX West 2018 is a swirling, often-chaotic array of moving parts, and making sense of it all requires keeping crucial details like dates, times, events, and etiquette in mind at all times. Luckily for Shacknews readers, we've got the full rundown on all these essential elements featured below.
PAX West 2018 dates and times
The PAX West 2018 festivities begin this Friday, August 31, and run all the way through Monday, September 3. Show hours run from 10 a.m. (local Pacific time) through 12 midnight every day with the exception of Monday, when the showroom floor will close at 7 in the evening. The Expo Hall also has its own hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Friday through Monday.
PAX West 2018 badges, registration, and prices
Since PAX West 2018 is only just a matter of hours away at this point, most options for badges and registration have already sold out. There's still a few openings for Monday, and interested attendees can hop in on Monday-only action for just $50.75, though there is an extra $45 dollar charge for BYOC attendees who want to bring their own PC rigs to the showroom floor.
More information about registration, including the latest updates on badges and pricing, can be found over on the official PAX West website.
PAX West 2018 schedule and notable gaming-oriented events
The PAX West 2018 schedule is absolutely jam-packed with high-profile events, the majority of which center around video games, gaming as a hobby, or the games industry itself. As such, it's hard to provide a clean rundown of just what players should look forward to, since really everything sounds exciting.
However, we do have a few ideas of where to start. Here are our picks for the more interesting gaming-oriented events scheduled for PAX West 2018. To find the full schedule of events, be sure to head to the official PAX website.
Friday, August 31:
- Weird (and Wonderful!) Nintendo Peripherals - 11 a.m. to 12 noon in the Sasquatch Theatre
- Game Design Theory: What Makes Battle Royale so Popular? - 2 to 3 p.m. in the Cat Theatre
- Dear Player: Love Letters form the Games Industry - 5 to 6 p.m. in the Hippogriff Theatre
- Breath of the Wild and the Future of the Zelda series - 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Sasquatch Theatre
Saturday, September 1:
- Read Dead Radio Live: The Games That Shaped Red Dead Redemption - 11 a.m. to 12 noon in the Sasquatch Theatre
- Anthem: Our World, Your Story - 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the Main Theatre
- Maestros of Video Games - 2 to 3 p.m. in the Sasquatch Theatre
- Sexy or Stupid? The Great Video Game Sex Scene Debate - 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Sandworm Theatre
Sunday, September 2:
- AppJunkies Live: The Worst Games Ever Made - 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the Wyvern Theatre
- Telltale's The Walking Dead Reunion Panel - 3 to 4 p.m. in the Wyvern Theatre
- Please Stand By: Video Game Marketing Done Right... and Wrong - 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Sasquatch Theatre
- Sound Design Live: Watch Us Recreate Video Game Sounds - 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Sphinx Theatre
Monday, September 3:
- Sequels, Series, DLC: How Video Games Are Changing Storytelling - 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Hydra Theatre
- Procedural Storytelling in Video Games - 12 to 1 p.m. in the Wyvern Theatre
- Video Game Music Theory 101 - 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the Wyvern Theatre
- Omegathon Final Round - 5;30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Main Theatre
Again, there are loads of interesting panels to be held at this year's PAX West — check out all the rest over on the official PAX website.
PAX West 2018 expo hall map and general etiquette
As if the lights, noise, and people weren't distracting enough, PAX West 2018 attendees will also have to sift through the labyrinth of booths all throughout the Washington State Convention Center. Since many events are held simultaneously across all hours of the expo, attendees will have to make plans regarding timing and the specific location they need to be when events begin. That's why the PAX organizers have provided a very handy map to help guide attendees through the crowds and toward their preferred spectacles.
The PAX West 2018 expo hall booth map is available through this specific PDF map hosted on the PAX West website. Not only does it spell out the location of all the expo's various booths, it also provides an exhibitor directory and gives some helpful tips on how to navigate the showroom floor. Among those tips are obvious pieces of advice like don't stop in the middle of aisles, plus ones that may be obvious but are worth spelling out anyway, like making sure to head away from the expo floor before taking cosplay photos.
Lastly, there are a few final things attendees will want to keep in mind. The PAX team urges players to not play Pokemon Go during PAX, which ought to be obvious — why go to PAX only to spend the bulk of the time staring at your phone? Attendees should also be aware of the potential for allergies or sickness, the likes of which are only compounded by human contact. Gabe and Tycho of Penny Arcade personally recommend the Iron Guard Position as an alternative greeting, though fist bumping and hand sanitizer should serve as viable alternatives to or defenses against the traditional handshake.
That should sum up the crucial information PAX West 2018 attendees and potential attendees will need. To stay up-to-date on the latest coverage from PAX West 2018, including news, trailers, interviews, and more, keep it tuned right here to Shacknews.
