SXSW Sydney will return in 2024 after its first successful, though somewhat chaotic, first-year event. The bad news for those wanting to attend both PAX Aus and the SXSW Sydney Gaming show is that both events will probably be close together again.
SXSW Sydney 2024 has planted its flag on the week of October 14-20, 2024. If PAX Aus settles on similar dates as it did this year, that will again leave a short gap between the two shows.
In October this year, the break between the end of PAX Aus and the beginning of SXSW Sydney was about a week. It’s not a lot of time to recover, especially when you’ve got to fit a normal work week between them. For most, it’s now likely a one or the other scenario, and fair enough. What that means is that SXSW Sydney will need to significantly lift its convention game if it wants to properly compete.
This year’s SXSW gaming convention was a strong one and a fantastic showcase of local Australian games and talent. It was a huge lift from all parties concerned, and that is absolutely not to be sniffed at. What hindered the show, for punters as much as press, was the physical spread of events. Unlike PAX, which is held in a single huge venue for the entire weekend, Emily and I spent the whole week of SXSW running around Sydney itself, racking up a number of charges on the work Uber that the accounts department told me they found “concerning”. If that’s what it cost us to make our way around to everything on time and on schedule, I shudder to think of the associated costs for the average punter with a wristband.
Just something to consider when thinking about booking your ticket. Regardless of how to expect to get around the city, plan ahead — it’ll save your life.
It remains to be seen when PAX Australia will plant its flag for 2024. ReedPop tends to announce PAX dates early in the new year. We watch with interest to see if SXSW can cause PAX to blink. If it can, that might create some extra clear air between the two shows.
Keep an eye on the SXSW Sydney site for more details on the 2024 show. No information on wristbands or badges is available just yet, but I don’t imagine it’ll be long before they are.
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