PAX West is held annually in Seattle, Washington around early September. After taking last year online, the event will return to the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle for PAX West 2021 during the weekend of September 3 through September 6. The event organizers, Penny Arcade, revealed the surprising news in a press release today, alluding to the fact that the event, while returning to an in-person setting, will come with some changes.
For one, "the show will run at a reduced capacity," according to the team behind the event, though specifics were not yet given. In the leadup to PAX West 2021, "detailed health and safety guidelines" will be made available publicly for the exhibitors, press, fans, and other attendees.
The news comes just about a week after E3 was held entirely online, but with vaccination rates now eclipsing 50% in the US among adults and with still several months to go until the event, clearly all involved parties feel the event can resume this fall closer to the way it's always been.
Badges for the event will go on sale in the next two weeks, with four-day passes going for $230 or individual day passes selling for $60 each. PAX Online, a replacement show for the PAX events already gone by earlier this year like PAX South and PAX East will also unfold next month, including a Valorant tournament. Media members can register now for their PAX Online 2021 badges.
Meanwhile, media registration for PAX West will open up soon, according to the PAX team. It remains to be seen what kind of presence publishers, developers, and especially indie teams bring to PAX West. The show is often revered for its more fan-friendly, indie-packed showfloor as compared to events such as E3, but it's not yet known which brands, teams, and creators will make the trip amid some still lingering COVID fears.
