@CockroachMan: Nintendo has an office in Seattle (actually Redmond but nobody under the age of 50 lives in Redmond)

I'm hoping for a demo of The Agency will be somewhere in the midst of the Sony booth. I've noticed no news on it of late which is a bad sign.

Punkateer

@Brian Crecente: All I remember is a white light, and then I heard the whisperings of departed studios.

PAX deserves to be the new E3. And there should be a rule about excluding journalists. Filthy baginsess. With their insider info. They're always lowering our precious's metacritic scoresesss.

(gollum, gollum.)

deathbunny

They kept Microsoft and Sony away from each other...Good Idea.

Mucudadada

*sigh* Nevermind, it was the site resizing the image to fit the page width, it looked ok when linking the JPG directly.

Stevedroid

Intel's booth maybe the biggest, but it's in the WORST location. Way in the back from the main entrance.

Can't wait until the 29th!!

exkon

@chuffhoncho: Your pants when you walk in and see it in its full glory.

Being stuck in the midwest I never get to go to any of these. Some day though. Some day I will wander out of Omaha and make it to PAX.

Grahamunculus

Seriously, did you use MS Paint to resize the image? It looks like shit.

Stevedroid

Can we get a map that's not compressed to hell and unreadable?

Stevedroid

@Talryyn: Live ray tracing is far away from any sort of game demo. Especially to the tune of HL2 EP3. But if your into Raytracing "games", try looking up OpenRT. It is OpenGL for Raytracting (hence, RT). If i remembered correctly they got Quake 3 running 30 fps using raytracing, but the machine was 15 machines working in parallel....

Eumenides

@Brian Crecente: Out of all these trade show, media expos, conventions which do you like covering the most? Seems like this or TGS would be hard to beat, but I have never gotten to go to any of these. However, I do get to go to the PGA Show every Jan/Feb in Orlando....so I got that going for me which is nice......oh and there are even booth babes there.

Mitch Cumstein

W00t for the east coast show next year. This year I will have to sit in quiet agony as people have alot more fun than me.

*Sits in quiet meditation for a year*

svenhoek

Woah.. Nintendo is not going to Leipzig, but going to PAX!?

I bet no one ever expected for this thing to get this huge.. Penny Arcade will dominate the world!

CockroachMan

@alzheimers: Larrabee dev kits shown?? With live ray tracing and HL2 EP3!

Talryyn

We barely got any announcements out of E3, so this does look better, sadly.

MorbidLilim

In the past, Intel and nVidia's booths have been something of a "catch all" for PC gaming, showing a number of PC games that aren't anywhere else on the floor. ATI has done this as well, but they don't appear to be in attendance this year.

Vexorg

I am just hoping to read some more hands on previews of the big games to help my buying decisions, cuz no way in hell I can afford all the stuff I want to buy this holiday.

Pojomofo

Stardock is more important than Nintendo, based on booth size!

Dreamwriter

Looks better than E3.

Ryuujin1024

So, between PAX, TGS, and the Games Convention in Leipzig, which one is supposed to be the "new E3?"

JoRo1986

Tiny compared to Leipzig - the TRUE worldwide Consumer games show

Darkedge

@GC: Oh. That certainly explains it then. I knew PAX had something like that going, just didn't make the connection.

Silent Predator

SO PUMPED.

@Silent Predator: Intel is a big PAX sponsor. They run the BYOC and PC Freeplay sections already, but as far as I know, they haven't had a giant booth like that in years past. Maybe it's sort of a 'PC gaming isn't dead!' thing.

GC

@zeldarooles: I don't remember Ninny. Sony and Microsoft were pretty strong though.

@Silent Predator: Intel purchaser Project Offset, Havok, they work on Larrabee GPU - their presence in gaming is really strong these days.

Kro

@Brian Crecente:
Are we both being facetious now?
I remember the press conferences, I recall only one 'major' announcement.

Maybe you were using major to describe the publisher and not the importance of the news.
Oh English, you tricky language.

DissmalScientist

@chuffhoncho: It's just a show floor. It's around 1/4 of the venue - there are conference rooms, game rooms, you name it. Oh, restrooms are there as well.

Kro

@Silent Predator: Nevermind Sega has its own booth. So again: What's up with the giant Intel booth?

Silent Predator

Bethesda's a heavy weight and Rockstar and Bungie aren't?

M-26-7

@thekoopatrooper: If that is indeed Sega's booth, then let me rephrase: What's up with the giant Sega booth?

Silent Predator

Is that map to scale? In a world where size matters:

Stardock > Valve?

for shaaaaame...

FATDAN

Who invited Gamecock?

Cyanotic

What's up with the giant Intel booth?

I think it's kind of neat how a web comic by two guys has created an Expo that is most likely better than one the industry itself did.

Silent Predator

I imagine we'll get more information regarding GHWT's setlist, as I can't imagine they'd pass up a chance to put one of those on stage.

TRT-X

Man, I wish I could go to PAX.

I have so much admiration for Penny Arcade.

Coquiton

@Brian Crecente: Got my tickets yesterday!

CHU BOI

Will Cammie be there? That's the big question.

Eltigro

That's the Sega booth

thekoopatrooper

Assuming that's drawn to scale, I love that Stardock has a bigger slot than Harmonix, Atari, even Bungie

But why the hell does Intel need the biggest booth at the show?

alzheimers

Where the hell are the bathrooms?!? :)

chuffhoncho

@DissmalScientist: All three made announcements as did the publishers. They all had press conferences, remember?

Brian Crecente

"the big difference is that I can't imagine there will be any major publisher or developer announcements coming out of PAX."

As opposed to the one major announcement at E3?

DissmalScientist

These maps are a great way to see what companies actually matter.

thekoopatrooper

Wow, did the big three go last year? I don't remember...

zeldarooles

Please needle as much as possible Brian.

Madgame

GC at Leipzig will have 3 times the attendance of PAX but of course no one in America cares about things outside America..

Darkedge

@Grahamunculus: cheer up, buckaroo! it is possible! i'm ambling out of chicago towards PAX. if you consider "ambling" the same as "sitting at o'hare for an ungodly amount of time" the same thing, so much the better.

geekgrrl

@Eville1 says SKUse me a sec.:

Thank god I'm not the only one. I give them out as gifts now.

Double J

Shouldn't the Activision and Blizzard booths be... oh I don't know together??

Ibramgaunt

@shMerker: Yeah but the buff guy over at the Haze booth handing out drug containers (I mean, mint packages with mirrors to cut them up and make lines out of them...yeah.) was funny as all hell. They kept shoving them at me by the handfull. I still have about 20 left.

Eville1 says SKUse me a sec.

who wants to get drinks at PAX?

ConstantCupcake

@CockroachMan:

Well, I mean it's what, a 20 minute drive from NOA offices in Redmond to Seattle? Of course they show up, it's in their back yard. They'll load up Cammie's mini van with DS's and a couple of Wii Fit boards and set up shop.

Double J

I'm confused as to why Bungie is even there, considering no one knows what they're working on. Also, why does Intel have such a huge booth?

justinbox360

@Mucudadada: Should have put them next to eachother. The blog articles from the three days at pax could feed people for months.

Last year was a lot of fun. This year is shaping up to be even better. Can't wait. I spent a total of maybe ten minutes in the pc freeplay room. The rest was on the show floor and in the consoles of years past room :)

Eville1 says SKUse me a sec.

It makes me happy that I don't see a giant-ass army booth that would mainly consist of empty space, a jeep, and one screen with some cheesy light gun game. It always drove me crazy seeing them taking up so much space for so little on an already crowded show floor.

shMerker

@Brian Crecente: I can't imagine there will be any major publisher or developer announcements coming out of PAX

PAX's target audience is gamers; E3's target audience is the press. This is as it should be, and (@Omnimon) I kind of hope it stays that way! I suspect Gabe and Tycho would discourage press conferences.

beeporama (brian.j.parker)

@Omnimon: Keep in mind this is meant to be for fans. Like Comic Con, it's not really about announcements.

Brian Crecente

I would imagine that devs/publishers pay for booth size and placement. So you'll see who has money to blow, and/or who feels that PAX is worth dropping coin on. Intel has a huge booth because they're made of solid gold.

Ettie

God damn would I love to go to this. Hands on with Fallout3 is worth the price of admission alone.

ThisCharmingMan

@Brian Crecente: I would expect that if there isn't a major announcement at PAX this year, there will be in coming years. PAX has too high of an attendance of actual gamers to be ignored and more and more of the major gaming media outlets are in attendance. In the meantime E3 is absolutely failing, part-in-parcel due to the lack of preparation by the 'big 3'.

Omnimon

@Punkateer:

Hey! When did I turn 50? Man, those last 20 years must have just flew by. Now GET OFF MY LAWN!

Vexorg

@Darkedge: Speak for yourself. I care a great deal. Sadly, 90 percent of the gaming culture cannot afford to fly there. Which is why I am VERY certain 90 % of the world can't get to PAX either.

Eville1 says SKUse me a sec.

What? Did they extend the size of the floor this year? I don't remember it being that big last year. I guess they opened up the right wing. Niiiiiiice.

I can't wait, even though I SORELY miss the intimate days of the Necrowombicon. Back when I could actually talk with Gabe and Tycho and play Air Hockey with them. Last year's the only year I didn't see them on the floor and say hi. :(

dynendal

@Double J: HAHA yeah me too. Or use em as ...stash tins. :D.

That on top of the armload of Rockstar stickers I liberated (Ok, ran through their tent and took half the bowl.) and I've still got a decent amount of shwag from last year. Sadly I no longer have any of the TW@T stickers.

Eville1 says SKUse me a sec.

I'm still enjoying the fact that Bungie and Rooster Teeth are right across from each other. Also, it's handy that the Sony booth is right inside. Stop there first; if it's anything like last year, they'll be the ones handing out the ginormous swag bags. Makes life easier.

janai

@PatMan33: Second that.

BudDudandSlash

@Dalren:

I'm not sure how anyone could take something named after a stretchy cable seriously either, yet they brought us Halo.

Fail.

Billkwando

@Ibramgaunt: Hey, you're right o_O

FeatherNET

@Dalren: oh but they do. whether you like it or not

jp182

Anyone who goes to this, make certain that you see The OneUps perform!

PatMan33

@DaveKap: Amen. I remember saying the exact same thing last year. Let everyone else drool over Nintendo while I play more Dark Resurrection.

Eville1 says SKUse me a sec.

I'm surprised Harmonix didn't spring for a larger booth. The lines for RB2 are gonna stretch out the convention hall door!

Crippl3

Got my passes yesterday. Can't wait! I really hope Nintendo brings some WiiMotion Plus stuff with them... so everyone can wait in line for that while I play everything else! :D

DaveKap

I like clusterfucks condensed tightly.

Looks like to be an amazing and hectic environment. Go go team Kotaku.

PsycheE

I'm not sure how anyone could take something named after a web comic seriously.

Dalren

Pikmin 3 demo/ Keep your eyes peeled :-)

Interstella5555

Impressive layout. Wish I had some time and money to burn to cruise out there

yashichi8bit

It's funny watching the Euros whine about Leipzig as PAX gets bigger and bigger every year.

GC

If anyone's curious why Stardock has such a huge booth it's probably because this is the first time Demigod is playable by the public (unless they go to GamesConvention but they didn't announce anything) and that seems like one of the largest budget games Stardock has published in quite a while.

However, Intel's booth I still have no idea about.

NCSoft has a giant booth you say... (hopes irrationally for Guild Wars 2 news).

Nirolak

I would be headed straight to D3 Publisher's booth for any and all OneChanbara goodness.

yanya

There's only 1 booth that matters on that map and its the Mega64 booth.

Tarutaru_Pantsu

@Tarutaru_Pantsu: amen. Funny that the mega64 booth was the one I immediately set to scope out :P

Sandbox_Emperor

Mega64, across from Nintendo. Lulz will be had I'm sure.

Feel kinda bad for the small Sega booth.

Nubius

@Tarutaru_Pantsu:

The only question now is, what will they do?

MonkeyBiz

I bet Intel has the huge booth to show Project Offset with. Project Offset was coming along very nicely before it was bought by Intel yet we haven't seen anything new about it since it was purchased. Seems like they would need a huge amount of space to properly demo the game, given its heavily multilayer based.

@Brian Crecente
Weren't there several things announced at Comicon this year, not to mention in years past? Tron 2 perhaps?

And isn't the Tokyo Games Show aimed at gamers? I understand its not the same formula as PAX, but the audience is definitely comparable and TGS is usually full of announcements isn't it?

Just saying.

magicat

Needle them so much they think you are giving them acupuncture treatment Brian.

WPack911

When thinking about what PAX is, who it's for, and what its scope encompasses, you have to acknowledge the tabletop RPG stuff. That's half the reason I'm going!

Aliasunknown

@Dalren: I'm not sure how anyone could take something named after a web comic seriously.

Probably because it consistently draws tens of thousands of attendees (of a high-value demographic no less).

It might be a web comic, but these guys have been around for years, making a good living and employing others. They helped found a charity that has raised literally MILLIONS of dollars. Like them or not, they're proven their moxie.

beeporama (brian.j.parker)

@beeporama (brian.j.parker): LOL. You said moxie. Did they prove their pluck as well? :P

Billkwando

@Billkwando: Certainly their mettle!

beeporama (brian.j.parker)

@beeporama (brian.j.parker): Awesome. :)

Billkwando

@justinbox360:

Bungie is there because they're based in Kirkland, WA. Similar to Nintendo and MS, I think they're showing up because it's the closest thing to a hometown con based around a piece of their business.

beta_angel

pretty sure the booth size goes to those who pay for it and who pay for it first. no preferential treatment from these guys.

dufflehead

There have been comments aplenty regarding the Penny Arcade guys and the actual quality put out with their strip, but you have to admire what they've created and how far they've come on what was originally a diversion created for a now-defunct game news site. Charities, the video game equivalent to Burning Man(and now, apparently, possible successor to E3), a line of merchandising and more or less the foundation of the Web Comic as a popular medium (for better or worse.)

And it all began with the efforts of two game enthusiasts on their off-time and the lightning speed word of mouth the internet provides. An empire from the basement of two schmoes; the American dream.

PyramidThing