With the COVID-19 pandemic still very much at large, it’s no surprise that we won’t be meeting up for PAX Unplugged this year. The PAX team confirmed the news in an October 8 update on its website.
“With safety being our number one priority, we are unfortunately canceling this year’s PAX Unplugged. The next PAX Unplugged will take place in 2021,” they wrote.
Unlike some other conferences this year, PAX Unplugged will not be hosting a virtual event either. This saved the gaming community from a torrent of jokes about plugging PAX Unplugged back in, but it also means designers will have one fewer chance to show off their new games this year.
The PAX team urged fans to stay tuned to social media for other virtual analog gaming events in the near future. “Stay tuned to our social channels and newsletter for more info on livestreams, panels, and community events!” the team wrote.
PAX Unplugged is a convention celebrating board, card, miniature, and other analog gaming that takes place in November in Philadelphia. It grew out of other PAX events due to popular demand.
“We’ve found that the Tabletop parts of PAX have grown and grown to the point where we said, ‘You know what? Let’s make a show that’s just that.’” PAX wrote on its website.
In addition to a lot of tournaments and casual gaming, the convention serves as a way for designers, particularly up and coming ones, to demo and sell their games. Its 2020 cancellation (and possible 2021 cancellation) means one more hit to a board game industry already heavily impacted by the pandemic.
If you are a developer and this has affected your plans, please get in touch with us and we would love to preview your game in an article on this site.
