PAX Aus has always been Australia’s biggest gaming event. But this year felt different. Not bigger — different. The shift that’s been happening for the last couple of years became impossible to ignore in 2025. PAX is becoming less about AAA publishers showing trailers and more about the Australian games community showing up for itself.

And honestly? It was the best PAX I’ve attended.

The big publishers pulled back

This isn’t new, but the trend accelerated. The massive publisher booths that used to dominate the show floor were smaller or absent. Sony didn’t have a booth. Microsoft had a modest setup focused on Game Pass. Nintendo was there, but with a smaller footprint than previous years.

The reasons are straightforward. Big publishers increasingly prefer their own digital showcases — State of Play, Xbox Showcases, Nintendo Directs — where they control the entire presentation and reach millions of viewers. Flying demo stations to Melbourne and staffing a booth for three days is expensive, and the ROI doesn’t compare to a polished 20-minute livestream.

This would be bad news if the space they left behind was empty. It wasn’t.

The indie megabooth was the star

The PAX Rising section — where indie developers showcase their games — was the biggest and best it’s ever been. More than 80 Australian indie studios had playable demos, and the variety was extraordinary. Puzzle games, horror games, farming sims, narrative adventures, competitive shooters. Whatever you’re into, there was something from a local developer.

What struck me most was the quality. Even three years ago, the indie section had a noticeable gap between the polished titles and the rough prototypes. That gap has narrowed dramatically. Games at PAX Rising in 2025 looked and played like they belonged on a store shelf, not a student exhibition.

Some of my favourites: a narrative detective game set in 1950s Fremantle, a co-op cooking game where the recipes are procedurally generated, and a horror game set in an Australian rules football stadium after dark (genuinely terrifying, for the record).

Community-driven panels took over

The panel schedule at PAX Aus 2025 was dominated by community voices rather than corporate presentations. There were panels on accessibility in Australian game design, discussions about sustainable careers in game development, and conversations about the intersection of AI tools and creative work.

The AI panel was particularly interesting. Developers from three Australian studios discussed how they’re using AI tools in production — for playtesting, procedural content generation, and localisation. Representatives from AI consultants Melbourne also participated, offering a technical perspective on what’s feasible today versus what’s still aspirational. The conversation was nuanced, acknowledging both the potential and the real concerns about job displacement. It was the kind of honest discussion that doesn’t happen on Twitter.

The esports presence grew

For the first time, PAX Aus had a dedicated esports stage that ran all three days. The VALORANT Challengers Oceania showmatch drew standing room only. A Street Fighter 6 tournament attracted competitors from across the region. And a grassroots Rocket League competition — organised by a community group from Adelaide — had more energy than half the main stage presentations.

This matters because Australian esports has struggled to find mainstream venues. Most tournaments happen in dedicated esports venues or online. Having competitive gaming front and centre at Australia’s biggest gaming convention normalises it for the broader audience.

The merch and community spaces

Something PAX Aus does better than almost any other gaming event is its community spaces. The tabletop area was packed. The cosplay meetups were enormous. The diversity lounge was well-attended and well-curated.

And the merch. Australian gaming merch has improved dramatically. Local artists selling prints, pins, and apparel alongside their games. It’s a small thing, but it contributes to the feeling that this is a community, not just a trade show.

What it means going forward

PAX Aus is evolving from a consumer showcase into a community festival, and I think that’s the right direction. The days when people queued for two hours to watch a trailer that dropped online simultaneously are over. What you can’t get online is the experience of playing a game with the developer standing next to you, hearing a panel where someone answers an unexpected question honestly, or meeting the person who makes the podcast you listen to every week.

Australian gaming has a genuine community. PAX Aus 2025 showed that more clearly than any previous year. If the event continues in this direction — less corporate showcase, more community gathering — it’ll stay relevant for years to come.

Already looking forward to 2026.