Video games, cosplay, tabletop, reunions—PAX Aus is celebrating ten years of uniting us all Down Under, and after a glorious 2022 return, two big names in Nintendo and Bethesda are committing to this year’s edition in Melbourne.
With exclusive demos and publishers setting up shop, Bethesda—the name behind the Elder Scrolls and Fallout series—is among them, although nothing specific has been confirmed just yet.
Other brands expected to be making a grand appearance include Devolver Digital, Audio-Technica, ASUS ROG, Aftershock PC, Cooler Master, HTC VIVE, Corsair, MSI, and Crunchyroll.
Across the expo hall, PAX Rising also shines a spotlight on some of our local indie developers, where you can have a crack at some demos for smaller titles and have a chat with the faces behind them.
Square Enix drew the biggest crowd at last year’s iteration of the popular expo, showcasing (the critically acclaimed MMORPG) Final Fantasy XIV: Online and an epic eight-man battle from its most recent expansion Endwalker. With the likes of Nintendo and Bethesda here to show off their latest projects, it’s all steam ahead for October.
Nintendo Australia is also giving us a taste of esports through their AU/NZ Championship 2023 events in the beloved Nintendo Switch titles of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Splatoon 3.
Starting this Saturday, August 19, any eager Splatoon 3 four-man squadrons can take a crack at the online qualifiers. Registered teams will compete in a Turf War best-of-three single elim bracket and successful teams will progress to the quarter and semi-finals in both Turf War and Anarchy Battle best-of-five for a shot to compete at PAX.
Read more: PAX Australia turns 10 as it shakes off COVID for landmark 2023 edition
Similarly, the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe qualifiers will commence on September 1, competing in 150cc with normal items. Points will be accrued throughout the qualifiers, with the top two racers from each qualifier (for a total of 12) having a chance at the championship title.
After numerous rounds of qualifiers during the next couple of months for both titles, the region’s top racers and teams will have a chance to compete for their AU/NZ Championship 2023 titles live at PAX Aus on its last day, Sunday, October 8.
Details regarding registration for these events can be found on the Nintendo Australia website.
This is only a hint of the jam-packed weekend, with plenty more to do from panels to booths, some of which have yet to be announced.
With three-day badges sold out and Saturday badges going fast, you won’t want to wait much longer if you’re wanting to hit up PAX Australia this year. For those seeking their badge before the event, free mail-out for badges ends this weekend.
Keen on checking out the tenth-anniversary celebration? Check out the PAX Aus website for more info on the event and pricing.
