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PAX Is Officially Coming to the ‘Dork Population’ Capital of Texas With New Tabletop Show
PAX, the long-running tabletop and video game convention founded by Penny Arcade creators Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik, is returning to the southern United States with a brand-new event, PAX Unplugged Houston. The inaugural show will take place at the George R. Brown Convention Center from 25 to 27 June 2027, marking PAX's first southern outing in around six years since PAX South ended in 2020. The organisers say Houston was chosen for its strong infrastructure, airport capacity, hotel availability and a large, young, tech-savvy population, which Krahulik jokingly described as having a high "dork population".
The new show will be PAX's second yearly Unplugged event, reflecting the tabletop gaming industry's continued growth and creative expansion. Holkins and Krahulik noted that tabletop content has always featured heavily at their video-game-focused conventions, with a third of PAX East's floor space typically dedicated to it, and pointed to projects such as Acquisitions Incorporated, the pioneering Dungeons & Dragons actual-play show launched in 2008, as evidence of that crossover. They also referenced Acquisitions Incorporated's recent switch from D&D to the Daggerheart system, underscoring the sector's ongoing evolution.
In short
- PAX Unplugged Houston debuts 25-27 June 2027 at George R. Brown Convention Center
- First PAX southern event since PAX South ended in 2020
- Reflects tabletop gaming's growing prominence within the PAX franchise
Explained simply
PAX is a series of conventions built around video games and tabletop games, such as board games and role-playing games. It was founded by Penny Arcade creators Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik, and its events bring players, game makers and fans together.
PAX Unplugged is the part of the series focused on tabletop gaming. The format reflects how these games have grown alongside video games: PAX events have long included tabletop areas, and shows such as Acquisitions Incorporated have introduced role-playing games to online audiences. Convention organisers also have to consider practical factors such as venues, hotels and transport when choosing a city.