PAX East To Return To Boston For Next Three Years

The consumer-centric Penny Arcade Expo will return to the city of Boston for at least the next three years, with the event coming to the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center for 2011, the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority confirmed to The Boston Globe. The Penny Arcade Expo, known now widely as PAX, has been growing in popularity and relevance among the game industry and gamers. Unlike the recent E3 event, PAX isn't industry-only, but open to the public as a venue to show off new and upcoming games directly to consumers. The most recent PAX East occurred in March this year, attracting over 50,000 attendees to the John B. Hynes Memorial Convention Center in Boston. This year was the first year for PAX East. PAX originated in Seattle, WA, home base for Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik, creators of the popular video game-themed Penny Arcade webcomic. The first PAX was held in 2004. Reed Exhibitions, PAX's organizer, signed the deal with the MCCA, according to the report. In a statement, authority executive director James E. Rooney called the return of PAX East to Boston "a huge win for Boston and the Commonwealth."