Originally scheduled for September 4th through 7th in Seattle, Washington, PAX organizers have pulled the plug on PAX West in the face of COVID-19 concerns. Convention organizers will be combining the canceled con’s event schedule withthe also-canceled PAX AUSto form PAX Online, a free digital convention that will be hosted from September 12 until September 20th.
Organizers hope to retain as much of the PAX experience as possible, including industry panels, special presentations, and limited-edition merchandise. Certain aspects of the con cannot make the leap to digital, of course, including the geeky grandeur of gaming booths, but the organizers are working on a system to allow attendees to play demos of hotly anticipated titles without leaving their homes, and have plans for guests to mingle digitally over custom chat-rooms.
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PAX is not the first convention to go digital in response to coronavirus. Anime Expo recently canceled 2020’s gathering in favor of Anime Expo Lite, a digital event featuring some of the companies and presenters who would have attended the con. San Diego Comic-Con is also releasing an online component with a virtual floor shopping experience. Not all conventions have been able to make the leap, though. E3 attempted andfailed to establish a digital counterpartto it’s annual June event.
Despite these adaptations, the future of live gaming and pop culture conventions ranges from uncertain to bleak.Postal 4developer, Mike Jaret, recently speculated that E3’s 2020 cancellation wouldlikely lead to the downfall of the live event. This could result in a sea change in how fan cultures interact. Certain aspects of conventions simply translate poorly to digital frameworks. While a digitized version of PAX’s annual cosplay contest may allow professionals and experts to show off their skills, amateur cosplayers will likely be lost in the cracks.
That said, there are benefits to be had from the switch to digital. Panel and presentation lines will become a thing of the past, as will overcrowded walkways and time-capped demos. Above all, content that required a badge is now being made freely available to all-comers. Only time will tellhow much damage coronavirus will inflict on gaming culture, and whether fans find these new digital formats as satisfying as in-person experiences.
