FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEATTLE — June 22, 2021 — In-person game expos make their much-awaited return this summer with PAX West 2021. Badges go on sale in the next two weeks for the West Coast’s most attended gaming event, taking place at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle this Labor Day Weekend, Friday, Sept. 3 through Monday, Sept. 6.
Since the last major North American on-location gaming event, PAX East 2020, ReedPop and Penny Arcade have cancelled six consecutive in-person shows, prioritizing the health of the PAX community. Show organizers are working with venue officials, local governments, and health authorities to determine event capacity, which will be reduced, and ensure a safe setting. Detailed health and safety guidelines will be released in the leadup to PAX West 2021.
Ahead of the West Coast’s premier celebration of gaming culture, PAX reveals the esports details for PAX Online East 2021, which joins forces with EGX Rezzed Digital, from Thursday, July 15 through Sunday, July 18.
PAX Arena partners with Metro Esports for a VALORANT amateur open tournament with a diverse competitor lineup and $10,000 prize pool. Quarter- and semi-finals take place Thursday, July 15 at 12:00pm EDT with the finals set for Saturday, July 17 at 12:00pm EDT. Metro Esports will scout participants to create America’s first multicultural, mixed-gender pro VALORANT team called The Metro Squad, and select players to compete in-person at the PAX Arena at PAX West. "I am beyond excited to partner with ReedPop and engage a broad and diverse community of gaming enthusiasts," said Shaon Berry, Founder and CEO, Metro Esports.
iRacing brings North American and European qualifiers to PAX Arena on Friday, July 16 with a $5,000 NA prize pool provided by iRacing and a £5,000 European prize pool provided by EGX. On Sunday, July 18 at Noon EDT, Beasley Esports, Owners of the Houston Outlaws, bring their Search for the next Rocket League Team to PAX Arena, with the top eight teams advancing to the finale on August 21-22, where one lucky team will be signed to a one-year long contract to compete in the Rocket League Championship Series under an all-new professional team. PAX Online East also features the return of the digital Omegathon, pitting four attendees in a multi-round competition of secret titles, with a grand finale closing out the competition.
"It’s been almost two years since the last PAX West, and it's been surreal to imagine its triumphant return,” said Jerry Holkins, co-founder of Penny Arcade and PAX. “I can't think of a better excuse to leave the house than PAX West."
Four-day badges for PAX West 2021 will run for $230, while individual Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday badges will go for $60 each.
Optional badges for PAX Online East are available now for $15, granting eligibility to compete in the digital Omegathon, a $10 merch coupon with exclusive pin availability, early Discord access, and more.
Media and content creator registration for PAX Online East is now available through Wednesday, June 30. Journalists, YouTubers and Streamers will be able to apply for badges to PAX West later this month.
For more information check out the PAX Online East website, join the official Discord server, and follow PAX on Twitter, Facebook, Twitch, YouTube, and Instagram.
Assets
About PAX
PAX, or Penny Arcade Expo, is a festival for gamers to celebrate gaming culture. First held in Seattle in 2004, PAX has nearly doubled in size each successive year, with PAX Prime 2014 selling out of tickets in a matter of minutes. Connecting the world's leading game publishers with their most avid and influential fans, PAX expanded with a second show in Boston in 2010, and a third in San Antonio in 2015, making it the three largest gaming shows in North America. The first international PAX was held in Melbourne, Australia in 2013. In 2017, Penny Arcade established PAX Unplugged, its first tabletop focused show, held in Philadelphia.
About ReedPop
ReedPop is a boutique group within Reed Exhibitions – the world’s leading event organizer. Launched in 2006, the group has become the number one producer of pop culture events across the globe as well as a full-service digital content provider and media company. Delivering once-in-a-lifetime fan experiences curated specifically for localized audiences, ReedPop currently features events in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, India, Africa, and Australia, including: New York Comic Con (NYCC), Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2), PAX West, East, South, and Australia, Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC), MCM Comic Con, BookCon, Oz Comic Con, EGX, Comic Con India, Comic Con Paris, Comic Con Seoul, Comic Con Africa, Star Wars Celebration, and ComplexCon. ReedPop also runs and operates Gamer Network and its portfolio of leading gaming websites including Eurogamer, RockPaperShotgun, and GamesIndustry.biz. The staff at ReedPop are a fan-based, globally focused group of professionals that are uniquely qualified to build and serve the communities with whom they share a common passion.
About Penny Arcade
Penny Arcade has been the world’s most popular webcomic for over 20 years, with over 3.5 million readers. Started in 1998 in the living room of Mike Krahulik & Jerry Holkins, it has grown into a media empire encompassing multiple beloved properties such as Lookouts, Automata, and beloved D&D live-play series Acquisitions Incorporated. Penny Arcade was responsible for the creation of Child’s Play, a gaming charity that has raised over $45 million dollars for children across the world. They are also the founders of PAX, the number one consumer gaming festival in North America, with hundreds of thousands of loyal visitors every year.
Media Contacts
Carter Dotson / Kyle Prahl
Stride PR for ReedPop