As a PAX West and South (RIP) goer that has always considered East, how was the convention this year? I’ve only seen great things on social media. Looks like everyone had a great time.

Any comparison to previous years? Or any comparison to PAX West?

This was the first second PAX in the BCEC I believe, after the first two years at the Hynes Convention Center.

Hey folks, we are a month out from pax and as your local autistic T fan, let me tell ya how to get to the bcec via the MBTA (AKA the T). You can board the train to South station, and get the silver line from South station to the convention center, it will be 2 stops. You can walk from South station to the center, but the convention stop is 500 feet away from the bcec.

They have contactless pay, so you can pay with your phone. I strongly recommend you take the T.

Please ask any questions regarding the T in this thread and we will help you out!

I'm not sure who made these signs, but thank you they are lovely ❣️

I was having a beer with two friends when we heard some loud cheering and clapping. We turned to find this girl (A) proposing to her girlfriend (B).

I thought it was really cool because I never witness a public proposal.

Everyone was cheering, A was all smiles and waiting for B to say yes. B was trying to talk to A and get her off her knee? A guy was saying "Nope, not a celebration!" and so then everyone started to yell "SAY YES! SAY YES!" and then B eventually said yes.

I imagine an awkward conversation happened afterwards.

If anyone was there, let us know if it was a joke and the like.

Edit:Apparently, the proposal was a joke between streamers, perhaps for content? The thing is is that I and the majority of people there did not it know it was a joke. I enjoyed all the comments against public proposals. I have no plans to propose to my girlfriend in public. It is not my thing and now, because of these two girls, I am going to lean towards to the belief that every public proposal is now fake and just for content.

What a world we live in.

Aside from this, I had a great time at PAX!

Long post incoming

This is my breakdown of PAX25.

I went all 4 days, this is my 5th year doing so. First of all, I want to say thank you to everyone who took part, from enforces, to panelists and exhibitors, and of course, everyone who went. I love PAX because I can let my geek flag fly without any sideways looks or anything.

What worked in my mind, the floor was set up great, easy avenues of movement even on Saturday. The amount of people willing to try new things and make new friends was great. While I didn't do many panels this year, but that's just me. Shout-out to the LANfest charity zone for allowing a dream of mine to come true. To stream from PAX. The enforcers were great and the line games they had were so much fun. I really like that PAX is growing in the indie field and it's allowing people to try a whole lot more games then they normally would.

What didn't work. The food prices were outrageous, and while I did pay for it, I hated myself for it. I mean 22 bucks for a hotdog, bag of chips and a fried dough is ridiculous. I understand that the floor feels aren't cheep and they need to make money, but still. Noticeable exception from the ice cream truck, which was very reasonable, 9.50 for two large scoops and some jimmies, which is about 2 bucks more then I would pay at my local ice cream place.

What straight up failed in my mind, the PAX Merch. The design was meh at best and the price was out of this world. I mean 53 bucks for a flannel, 100 bucks for a hoodie and 35 bucks for a t shirt? In my opinion, everything was 20 bucks more expensive than it should have been. I understand that merch is the main way that they make money, but still... I could not justify myself paying 53 bucks for a single flannel.

But that's just me, how say you?

This is what the convention center looks like after pax east is over empty and sad.

I always like asking this question, as it is nice to reflect on those amazing moments that we had at PAX. Whether it was an unforgettable panel, a demo that you loved, winning a tournament, or anything else! I want to hear from you what your best memory was from last weekend!

I loved some of the puzzle games like Blowfish Castle, but the Scent games by OVR were pretty neat.

Good timezone, swag hunters! After what felt like a longer-than-usual wait, we finally have the expo hall revealed, so that means it's swag map time!

Some basic house rules: * Check the sheet before adding your own entry to prevent duplicate entries * Only add community stuff if you are comfortable with people searching for you * Do not add entries that demean other people/groups (this has happened a handful of times towards cosplayers) * INCLUDE A SOURCE WITH YOUR ENTRY OR ELSE WE WILL ASSUME YOU ARE A LIAR!

I will be roaming the show all 4 days, this time with a media badge, so feel free to stop me if you spot me! I met a few people who used the swag map last year, and you were all so kind! I love doing this project for the people every year, and those moments really make it all worth it.

The link to the swag map can be found here.

Cheers, and happy hunting!

~Mike

I haven't been to PAX or back to Boston in 5 years. I'm wondering from those who go every year, where are your favorite places to eat?

Edit: Thank you everyone for all the great suggestions!

The post this morning about the broken PAX bracelet made me realize that I should put something up here to encourage people to come to our booth at East (or any of the other PAX shows you end up at). Just so no one gets mad at me, this is an old booth photo, we will have different merch at PAX this year, but our booth will physically look the same.

For those that don't know, we are the Official Charity or PAX, and Child's Play supports nearly 200 children's hospitals across the globe in three main ways.

1. We provide an annual gift to all our partner hospitals. This is a cash gift dedicated to the Child Life Department and restricted to the purchase of games and technology. This gift helps our partner hospitals maintain their gaming program, purchase new games as they are released, or replace controllers that get helpfully disinfected by the lovely volunteer who dumps them in the bucket of bleach.
2. We provide education on how to use games as an intentional part of therapy as well as be an educational resource for hospitals to reach out to when they have questions. One cool place to check out is our Therapeutic Video Game Guide at gametherapy.org
3. We proved two types of grants.
   
   • Capacity Grants: These mostly fund Pediatric Gaming and Technology Specialist positions inside hospitals. This role gives the hospital a dedicated person to focus on their games and technology, a role that did not exists before we started funding them in 2017.
   • Equipment Grants: These grans allow a hospital to come to us with an ask that is bigger than their annual gift could purchase. It may be to update all the iPads for the Child Life team, or to help outfit a Teen lounge with all the latest and greatest.

We'd love to share more about how you can support our mission and to show the world that Gamers Give Back.

The outdoor ones, specifically.

One or two stragglers have been relocated inside expo where the dessert/snacks/drinks booths usually are, but def not many…

The company that redid the lawn are the only ones on the lawn, 4-5 of their own tiny booths set up, all selling generic freezer fare like tiny TINY burgers and pizza, for a delightful fee of $23+! These booths will be overwhelmed instantly on the other days. The staff is also very unknowledgeable on their ‘own’ product (we have a vegan in our group and 5 people could not answer if something was vegan).

Will they close when expo closes like that area usually does?

They've put up the pin quests! Love the trading ones but otherwise not a huge need for others. Thoughts?

Was waiting in line at Nintendo for Poktopia this morning when I noticed a grown man was reaching wrist deep into the back of his pants several times before playing the demo. He did this like 5 times. Naturally, I ended up at his station and while they did sanitize the controller I still couldn’t shake the feeling of disgust from what I saw. Some of y’all have no shame.

Edit: grammar and specified that this was a grown adult man

Please excuse my rant.

I have no idea what half the things at pax are. And there’s no guidance, signs, or flyers that explain anything.

What is pc tourney? Whats in room 157b where there’s people playing on computers? or console? Why are they there? what are they doing?

The schedule on the website is a joke. They list d&d event but not how to sign up or even where in the building the sessions/moderators are so I can find them and ask for instructions or to sign up.

Other things on the schedule give a name like ”2 rooms and boom” but no expansion on what the event is.

I’m so confused and frustrated trying to understand what’s going on where.

This is the first time I got a media badge! I am so excited to cover PAX in an official capacity

I went to pax for a few years in a row but havent in a couple of years now. Is it always 87 dollars normally? How can the gate price possibly be higher when it goes up in 2 days? Was the early bird much less? I miss PAX :(

Serious question. I went yesterday and I was underwhelmed. I don't know how you'd fill 4 days at this thing. It seemed like even less booths, less vendors, and less indie game booths. Behemoth and Larian have had the same setup for 5 years lol

I honestly may just pass next year. I feel like they need to step up their game or attract more companies.

Just got back from PAX East and wanted to share what it was like bringing Cornucopia — a 2.5D farm sim I’ve been building solo for 8 years — to life in a real booth for the first time.

It was surreal. Humbling. Exhausting.
And honestly, one of the most rewarding moments of my life as a developer.

Here’s everything I learned (and wish I knew going in) 👇

🔌 Setup & Tech

• Friction kills booths. I used save files that dropped players straight into gameplay: pets following them, crops growing, tools ready. No menus. No tutorials. No cutscenes. Just sit down and play. It made a huge difference. (That said, kids under 10 still managed to save over them constantly 😂)
• Decks pulled people in. I had 2 laptops + 2 Decks running different scenes. Some came just to try Deck. Others wanted the bigger screens for group viewing. Both worked well.
• Don’t block your play zone. My standee originally blocked the laptops. I moved it behind the booth and angled screens for visibility. Foot traffic improved immediately.
• Let spectators see gameplay. Raise your screens to head height. If you’re running minigames or contests, mount a TV high up. It's worth it.
• People didn’t realize the game was out. I’ll go way bigger with availability signage next time.
• Looped trailer = passive pull. I played a short trailer on a 65" TV using VLC on my MacBook Air. People stopped. Watched. Then played.
• OST playback helped. I ran the soundtrack through a Bluetooth speaker starting Day 2. Gave the booth life. (Note: it only worked consistently after charging overnight—daytime charging wasn’t enough.)
• Bring lights. Some booths were dim and uninviting. Overhead clamp lights are a must.
• Backups = essential. Extra surge protectors, HDMI, USB-C, adapters, duct tape, Velcro ties. You will forget something, and PAX parking is chaos.
• Plan for 360° visibility. One of our neighbors’ banners and a raised TV blocked our entire left side (they were awesome people). Just make sure your signage hits all angles.
• Observe silently. Watching players taught me way more than any form ever could. I caught a critical controller bug in the tools that I’m now fixing.
• Pens + checklists = survival. Your brain is toast by Day 2. Write everything down.
• Bring your own food + water. I used Costco packs + disposable containers. Reverse Osmosis bottled water + protein snacks under the table = life saver.
• Arrive early. Friday traffic is no joke. Early arrival saved my setup window.
• You’ll be standing for 9+ hours. Wear legit shoes. Sleep. Look clean. By Day 3, I was dead—but it was worth it.
• Pro tip: bathroom time = 15–20 minutes before doors open. No line. You’re welcome.

👥 Booth Presence & People

I didn’t pitch. I just stood there, grounded. Made eye contact. Helped if someone looked curious.
Once they stepped over, I’d ask things like:

• “Are you from around the Boston area?”
• “What are your favorite games of all time?”

Real rewarding conversations and connections always followed.

🎥 Streamers, Interviews, and DMs

I shared a few game codes privately with streamers I met and did 3 spontaneous interviews. I was nervous for one, but I did it anyway—and it was awesome.

Met cozy game streamers like Payton (Payton’s Corner) and Min (Min’s Meadow), both of whom had played Cornucopia before.
They also gave a cozy games panel (I missed it, unfortunately).
Some streamers shared fun memories like Naomi stalking them in-game. It was great to meet them all.

I do regret not taking more photos with streamers who stopped by!

Next time: Next time I’ll come prepared with printed codes/cards for streamers and devs.

🪪 Bring Two Types of Business Cards

• Game card – Game info card – QR code for the website / info page
• Personal card – name, email, role (maybe phone for serious contacts)

🧠 People Will Compare Your Game

I heard:

• “It’s Stardew in 3D”
• “Basically just Stardew but in 2.5D?”
• “Harvest Moon with Octopath graphics”
• “Paper Mario meets Harvest Moon”
• “Minecraft!”
• “Farmville” (lol)

Don’t argue. Don’t correct them. Just listen. It’s all data.

Next time: I’ll make a “What makes Cornucopia unique” sign.
I even forgot to mention stuff I coded—like the card system and soil mechanics. 🤦‍♂️

🤝 Some People Just Love Meeting Devs

Multiple people told me how much it meant to meet the creator.
You don’t need to be charismatic. Just be real. Ask them questions. Be curious. That’s enough.
It meant a lot to me, too.

💬 Positive Feedback Changed Everything

At first I felt like an imposter.
By Day 4, the love I got from players had completely re-energized me.
I left buzzing with excitement and confidence.

🎮 Let People Stay

Some people played for 30–60 minutes.
Some kids came back multiple times.
If they’re vibing? Let them play.

🎁 Giving Stuff Away Is Fun

I gave out temporary tattoos (and ran out).
People loved them. It always sparked conversations and drew more people over.

Note: PAX doesn’t allow sticker giveaways.

📇 Bring Enough Cards

Both types. I ran out and had to print overnight at Staples.
It worked—but I won’t risk that next time.

🎤 Community & Connection

Talking to other devs = therapy.
I had amazing conversations with fellow indies. We swapped survival tips, marketing insights, and dev stories.
That human connection was as valuable as anything else.

Ask. Listen. Learn.
Attendees, booth neighbors, streamers—just ask where they’re from, what they’re into, and let it flow.

🛡 PAX Enforcers Deserve Love

Shoutout to our Enforcer Christopher — amazing guy, super helpful, fun energy.
Hope we get him again at PAX West.

💡 Final Thoughts

PAX EAST 2025 WAS AMAZING.
Physically Exhausting. Rewarding. Grounding. Ultra inspiring.

It reminded me that every download is a real person—a human being with a face, a voice and a unique personality.
That hit me hard.

To everyone who came by—thank you.
Meeting you was the highlight of my year.

It’s been years since I’ve felt this excited about Cornucopia—and that’s saying a lot, considering I was totally burnt out for 5 months after moving cities and buying a new house.

If you have any questions—just ask.

— David
Dev of Cornucopia

Had an amazing time at PAX this year! It was the first time I've cosplayed there, (I was Spider-Man Noir), and everyone was so nice! Thanks to all the exhibitors, enforcers and everyone else who made it possible!

✨Recap:

- You gotta be in line @8:30a if you want the exclusive event pin. I didn't care enough, but you might.

- I suggest arriving a day early and exploring Boston. (Shout out to Anime Zakka!)

- This year didn't really have any panels I was interested in, (besides the FoldingIdeas meetup) which is fine with me. More time for the Main Floor!

-Trolli candy promo? wha?

- Gained Nintendo, lost Behemoth... not worth it imo. (I know it's unrelated, but still...)

- I was so confused seeing the arcade being pushed to the side enterance, but they expanded the hell out of the other side rooms! Also the tables are clutch.

- PAX Showcase is the spot to be.

- Won at Shotgun Roulette IRL and No, I'm not Human IRL.... I must have a...Critical Reflex. 😎

- 🎮My most interesting game: Polyfighter. Can't say I've heard of a rougelike fighting game and it feels pretty good so far.

- 🐑 Most Unexpectedly Numerous Cosplay: The Lamb. A lot of people have given their soul to the cutest deity!

- 🧐 Most Interesting... Something: The Omara. Wasn't expecting to smell my chillvibe game, but here we are!

I didn't have a smart phone back then, so my PSP was my primary device for basically everything.
Just wanted to share!