PAX Unplugged Houston to debut in June 2027

The first PAX Unplugged event, dedicated to tabletop games, was held in Pennsylvania in 2017. Sean Gonzalez, the PAX event manager, noted that the tabletop industry continues to grow and that tabletop gaming flourishes within the PAX community. When the team investigated the feasibility of another Unplugged event, they considered several major cities, factoring in demand from exhibitor partners and local city infrastructure.

Gonzalez explained that the team was always partial to returning to the South. After comparing a few options, they found that Houston was the best place to launch a second Unplugged. He described the move as a chance to bring PAX back to the fans of PAX South, which was cancelled for the foreseeable future in 2021. The last PAX South show took place in San Antonio in January 2020.

The upcoming Houston event will run from Friday, June 25, to Sunday, June 27, 2027. The show will feature an expo floor for analogue gaming exhibitors, panels, tournaments, and community meetups. Regarding the potential expansion of PAX events, Gonzalez stated that the primary focus is to ensure that exhibitors and attendees of current PAX events have the best experience possible.

"We are now launching PAXU Houston and giving it the attention it deserves, before we even consider expanding any further," Gonzalez said. He added that the team is actively expanding the shows, introducing new feature areas, stages, and programming tracks at East and West, while constantly delivering a great expo hall with new games for fans to discover. Gonzalez expressed gratitude for the industry names and the dedicated community that continues to support PAX, noting that even when the gaming industry faces challenges, the community remains passionate.

Tickets for PAX Unplugged Houston, along with applications for media and content creators, will be available later this year.