Another PAX West has come and gone. I always look forward to visiting Seattle, enjoying Dee’s hot dog carts, and discovering new games and other goodies. This year was no exception. From video games to tabletop and even a surprise outside of my wheelhouse, these are some of the highlights from my time in Seattle this year.
The Video Games
Video games have traditionally been my main focus at PAX, especially West. Usually at this point in the year, after the whirlwind that is the summer game reveal season, demos for some of those games can now be tried out. This was not really the case this year, at least not to the same degree. I did get to try out some pretty neat stuff still, though, like Final Fantasy VII Revelation (check out my preview here on RPGSite where I tried to take on Ruby Weapon) off-site, and there was other stuff that I wanted to but couldn’t, like Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 and Ace Combat—damn long lines.
The best game I played on the show floor, and worth the hour-long wait, was Konami’s upcoming Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse. Man-o-man, was this a blast. The first new entry in the metroidvania style in a LONG time, Belmont’s Curse seems to be hitting all the right spots to be a wonderful return for the franchise, even though I’m not sure the audio is quite up to the same pedigree as others (check out my full thoughts here at RPGsite).
Other games I got to spend some time with were the remaster of the original Thief PC game, and boy does that still feel like a PC game from the 90s in the best possible way. This latest remaster from the team over at Nightdive Studios doesn’t have a release date yet, but for fans of that old-school Thief goodness, it should keep this one on their radars. Though, playing on the controller did take a little getting used to, more so because I’m more used to the mouse and keyboard with those games, but before long I settled in and was off, nocking water arrows and cracking guards over the noggin with my blackjack, just like old times.
The Board Games
For those who haven’t visited West before, unlike PAX East in Boston, West splits its video game booths and tabletop into two separate large halls, roughly a block or two apart. Inside the Summit building, card games, miniature games, TTRPGS, board games, and more spanned multiple giant floors, and I felt like a kid in a (very expensive) candy store. This year, for the first time, I gave myself a full appointment-free day devoted to just seeing what I could there, demo’ing some games, looking for things to buy, and just being a convention attendee for once. I quickly realized I needed more than just a day next time.
I got to learn and try some really fun and interesting new games like Six-Sided Seas, Gunsen: Battle for Toshi Ranbo, and, perhaps the one I laughed with most, String-Theory, among many others. If you want a more in-depth list, check that out here! Anyone who attends PAX, even if you haven’t ever played a game more complicated than UNO or Monopoly, should really stop by and give the board game rooms at these conventions a walk around; not only are there games for every skill level for you to discover, there is a massive free library of games to try, teachers all over to demo and show you how to play, and really just an electric energy in the air that is hard to put into words. You never know when that random person you play a game with may just turn into a lifelong friend or gaming buddy.
The Other Treats
Perhaps one of the neatest things that I got to check out,t though, were a couple of Stern Pinball’s newest machines themed around Transformers and the Fallout TV show. Now, admittedly, I don’t have an intricate knowledge of pinball machines; I don’t have a favorite, and I couldn’t tell you how one machine is different from another (outside of the looks, that is). That being said, my mom has always loved pinball, and anytime I ever find myself in an arcade, I have to get in a game or two. So when Stern reached out to come by during the show, I said, sure,e why not.
Starting with Transformers, based on the classic 80s cartoon version of the property, the machine featured gorgeous retro artwork, perfectly chonky representations of Optimus and Megatron (who could shoot the balls from his gun arm) and even the likes of Soundwave and Grimlock. In the back, a screen showed short snippets from the cartoon, and while the hall was pretty loud, you could tell that some lines had been rerecorded. I was especially listening out for Peter Cullen’s Prime, as my demo came a few days after the unfortunate passing of the legend, and it was very clear that Cullen was not doing the lines for the Autobot leader. With the flashing lights, neat artwork, and nostalgia filling my veins, I had a really fun time with this machine, and if I could afford it, there’s no doubt that it would go right into my office.
The Fallout pinball machine was just as detailed and a love letter to that show’s fans as the Transformers one was. A menacing Deathclaw lurked in the back, ready to strike, with images of the cast from the show and the signature Vault Boy sprinkled all over. The most impressive addition was a Vault 33 in the rear that could be opened for massive points. Something I was successfully able to do (just tooting my own radioactive horn here for a minute). Similar to Transformers, the Fallout machine also had a screen that showed off both your score and clips from the show, and though I haven’t yet watched it, I did enjoy the Pip-boy aesthetics that showed up too. All in all, another fun machine, but it just didn’t get hold of me as much, due simply to not being as connected to the theme.
Overall Thoughts on PAX West 2026
In general, while there were certainly some great games, PAX West borderline felt like one of those towns you may drive through that is past its heyday. The fact that big (and local) names like Microsoft, Nintendo, and even Wizards of the Coast were all MIA made the whole video game hall almost barren. Larian was there in a small way, but with not being ready to show off Divinity (I’ve got my fingers crossed for next year), their normally large-scale booth contributed to this feeling as well. Even the hotel bar – a quintessential hangout after the show for devs, publishers, and media folks – wasn’t nearly as big. You could actually move around! Was it because of how close it fell to not only Gamescom, but also BlizzCon and TGS? Maybe. Or just that the country is rather f***ed up right now and prices to attend just don’t make it worth coming to? Also, maybe. Regardless, I hope this isn’t a sign of something more troubling.
On the flip side, the tabletop side of things was as lively and fun as ever. There was a completely different energy to the Summit Hall when compared to Arch, and spending more time over there this year than previous PAX Wests, I just felt happier and more excited there too. The fact that one of the big announcements on the first day of the show was that a brand new PAX was coming next June to Houston- a PAX Unplugged, no less. The board game and tabletop-focused variety of PAX, a fact that I found rather interesting (and telling imo), instead of bringing back PAX South. But when looking at the two halls, maybe not all that interesting.
At the end of it, though, the best part of PAX – be it East, West, or Unplugged – has been and always will be getting a chance to see my friends and peers, reconnecting with folks I largely speak to over email, and just being able to let my true nerd colors fly. Even with the nerdiest of my friends at home, I still feel a need to tone it back slightly, but at these events, it’s just so much fun to be able to dial the nerdiness up to 11 and be with similar folks. And that was as splendid as ever.
