More PAX Online details for Aussie Gamerz,
Saturday, 13 Sept. through to Sunday, 21 Sept AEST, Free show combines several of the industry’s largest events including PAX West, PAX AUS, and EGX to feature community activities, esports events, can’t-miss panels from fan-favourite industry creatives, journalists, and content creators, and hands-on demos from some of 2020’s most anticipated titles.
The nine-day expo of gaming will open with the creator of the seminal Cyberpunk franchise Mike Pondsmith delivering the storytime keynote Sunday, 13th Sept. at 3:15AM AEST and if thats too early it will be repeated Sunday, 13th Sept.at 8:00PM AEST for Gamerz that are Downunder.
The official Discord server for PAX Online will bring together these hallmarks, which have delighted millions of PAX attendees over the years, alongside dedicated community spaces, gaming schedules, and easter eggs to create a central event hub with everything fans need to enjoy the celebration.
Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk will appear at the PAX Arena to provide commentary for a special Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 tournament presented by OMEN. Alongside renowned skate photographer Atiba Jefferson, Hawk will break down top-tier play from a hand-selected group of the THPS community’s finest, including Prod1gyX and TylerLasagna. The winner will receive a skate deck signed by Hawk along with OMEN gear and the opportunity to donate OMEN setups to a charity of their choice.
The Telstra Tourneys and Freeplay will present a daily schedule of community tournaments and freeplay for Australia’s PAX Online, with live-streamed finals and a huge mix of games giving Aussies the chance to play with and against friends around the globe. Participants will be playing for bragging rights and exclusive PAX Online medals.
The prestigious PAX Online Indie Showcase will deliver a virtual showcase of home-grown games among the 20 winners, including TopplePOP: Bungee Blockbusters (SAI Team), Unpacking (Witch Beam), and Innchanted (DragonBear Studios).
PAX Rising also returns, showcasing Australian and international talent, including the best games proudly made in Melbourne, supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria.
PAX Online continues other beloved show traditions, including a jam-packed panel schedule. Legendary creator Sid Meier will share the story of his career, and a fan Q&A and diversity discussion will unite the Overwatch voice actors who bring Pharah, Symmetra, Hanzo, Winston, Zenyatta, Echo, Baptiste, and Sombra to life. Ted Price of Insomniac Games (Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart) and Brian Fleming of Sucker Punch Productions (Ghost of Tsushima) will record a special episode of Game Maker’s Notebook, and Gearbox will host an hour-long segment sharing what’s coming next from the studio.
PAX Online will also highlight the best of the Australian & New Zealand games community, including DayZ creator, Dean Hall (NZ), and Battle Royale pioneer, Brian Hicks. Australia’s Jono Pech will host Yuri Lowenthal and Jennifer Hale, seasoned voice actors from some of gaming’s most iconic franchises. We’re also proud to continue to work with local gaming groups, including generOZity, Magnificent Nerds, CouchWarriors, and TGDA.
The hits keep coming with an exciting lineup of panels brought to attendees by EGX. Acclaimed composer-vocalist pairings Gareth Coker and Aeralie Brighton (Ori and the Will of the Wisps), Joris de Man and Julie Elven (Horizon Forbidden West), and Inon Zur and Mimi Page (Fallout 4) will share their collaborative process and how to imbue games with emotional, iconic scores.
In celebration of the HITMAN series’ 20th anniversary, Agent 47 voice actor David Bateson will sit down with Eurogamer’s Ian Higton to reminisce on the series’ legacy, his acting career, and what it’s like portraying one of the most iconic and dangerous characters in video games.
Limited edition merchandise for PAX Online is now available via the online store, with more planned to go live during the event.
PAX Online - Australia - Panels Highlights
● Chaosium Creator’s series
○ Three RPGs from Chaosium. Three of their biggest settings: Call of Cthulhu, 7th Sea and Runequest. Three of the games’ creators and writers running live games for some amazing players.
● The Lyrical: From Games to Gigs
○ A live concert from amazing Brisbane-based musician, Karl Smith, playing a dynamic set of music inspired by a lifelong love of games. https://thelyrical.com/
● A Long Time Ago: A History of Star Wars Games
○ Since 1982, Star Wars has been letting us play in a galaxy far, far away. Join us as we discuss some of the classic Star Wars games showcasing the good, the bad and the bantha poodoo.
● DIY Robot Overlord: How does AI really work?
○ In this session, game developers from Tasmania’s Secret Lab (Night in the Woods) and academics will reveal what genuine AI is. How machine learning works, and how the rise of our machine overlords might still be a few decades away yet… as we train a real, actual AI to play a game.
● Intro to Miniatures Painting
○ Join Dallas Kemp from Atomic Mass Games as he guides you on your first steps in hobby miniatures painting. In this class, he will go over the essential tools and fundamentals needed to start your hobby journey.
● Press X to SCIENCE!
○ Can the biggest questions in science be solved by gamers? How can video games make us better scientists? Why are experts prescribing Dungeons and Dragons to their patients? Catch some SCIENCE! with Tim, Megan, and Phill as they bring their contagious enthusiasm from Australia to PAX Online!
● Puttin' In Work - How Performances Bring Game Icons To Life
○ Have you ever wondered what goes into the performances that bring characters to life in your favourite games? Australia’s Jono Pech hosts Jennifer Hale and Yuri Lowenthal to learn about turning words on a page into an immersive gameplay narrative.
● Clocked: Gold Games on the Silver Screen
○ Do you have a favourite gaming scene from a movie? Do you even watch movies without gaming in them? Join the Clocked team plus special guests as they dive into the decorated history of video games on the silver screen.
● Survival of the Fittest: DayZ to Battle Royale to Icarus
○ Join DayZ creator Dean Hall and Battle Royale pioneer Brian Hicks as they chart the past, present and future of the survival game genre. Featuring never-before-shared lessons from DayZ the mod, early Battle Royale tournaments like the Survivor Games and the upcoming Icarus, these industry veterans will explore the technical, development and gameplay barriers the genre faces.
● Play it Again: Preserving Australia’s Game History
○ The 1990s was an important era in Australian game development, with technological innovations such as Full-Motion-Video and motion capture helping to shape a new generation of games. This panel will discuss the Play it Again ARC project, whose aims are to collect and preserve iconic titles from the era.
PAX Online 2020 is a digital event and free to attend. For schedules, FAQs, and more, check out the official website of PAX Online and follow PAX on Twitter, Facebook, Twitch, YouTube, and Instagram. The official PAX Online Discord server will host the global attending audience, with details to come.
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