PAX Aus, Australia’s biggest video game event, has taken on many forms over the years. Like many in-person events, it had to adapt in the wake of a globally disruptive pandemic. Based on what the major expo has planned, 2025 might be one of the best iterations in recent history.
A few years ago, PAX Aus had a distinctly grassroots vibe. While big gaming players — like Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox — downsized or abandoned a physical presence altogether, hesitant to spend money on an event on the rebound, independent creatives flourished.
It was a wonderful time to check PAX Rising and the Indie Showcase, a large section of the show floor teeming with indie games. Without the distracting bluster and bright lights of publishers with bigger marketing budgets than the entire development costs of most indie games, it was their time to shine.
Several of those games have since successfully launched, a remarkable achievement given the volatile nature of the industry. Copycat wrenched hearts out with its poignant story, and The Drifter is up for Game of the Year at this year’s AGDAs.
This year’s indies look equally as promising, but there’s also a sense that this year’s PAX will be bigger on multiple fronts. Many of the names absent or subdued in recent years are back in full force.
Don’t discount the value of big names
Indie games may be a highlight of PAX, but heavyweight talent and tantalising first looks at upcoming tentpole releases are what get people through the doors.
Popular performers like Amelia Tyler and Ify Nwadiwe were confirmed as guests in the lead-up to PAX Aus 2025. Since then, PAX has added even more headline acts, including veteran RPG developer Josh Sawyer, the TikTok-popular Good Games Morley crew, and Magic: The Gathering‘s Gavin Verhey, who will deliver the Storytime keynote.
It’s a great mix of video game and tabletop talent that balances local and international appeal. Combine that with an overwhelming list of chaotic-sounding panels, and you’ve got a recipe for a good time.
I’m most looking forward to Nintendo’s return to PAX Aus. After skipping last year, Nintendo is back with a big Switch 2 presence. Playable demos of unreleased games, including Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Kirby Air Riders, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, will make it one of Nintendo’s biggest showings since before the pandemic.
Xbox, EA, Bethesda, Ubisoft, and Devolver round out an impressive array of mainstream gaming exhibitors. PlayStation remains notably absent, although Ghost of Yōtei would likely be the only game it would want to demo. And that comes out before PAX Aus, defeating the purpose of demoing at a physical event in the first place.
Embrace the spontaneity of PAX Aus 2025
But to view PAX Aus solely through the lens of which major brands are attending would miss the point entirely. This is an event that exists because of a passionate community of people with shared interests.
Many of the best PAX moments are entirely unplanned; happenstance encounters with people you haven’t seen in years, making new friends over a game of D&D, and getting to speak with creatives about their unreleased work. As my friend Leah J. Williams advised on ScreenHub, throwing meticulously planned schedules out the window often leads to the best experience.
And I must recommend checking out PAX Together. Co-run by regular GadgetGuy contributor Alice Clarke, it’s a delightful section of PAX Aus dedicated to celebrating diversity and inclusivity in gaming. Plus, it’s a really chill spot to hang out when the main expo floor gets a bit much.
I’ve been attending PAX Aus since 2018, and it’s always proven to be a blast. I expect this year will be no different.
If you’re keen to go, there are only Friday and Sunday tickets available. All the three-day passes to the 10-12 October Melbourne event got gobbled up some time ago. You can grab what few tickets remain via the PAX Aus website.
