Top panel picks for PAX Australia 2025

Aaaah, PAX Australia. It's here again!

There’s dozens and dozens of games to explore on the main show floor, and ample room to play tabletop games with friends in the freeplay hall. But the soft juicy centre of our love for PAX are the incredible panels running constantly across the many theatres.

There’s so many it can be hard to keep up with the best of the event – but we’ve pulled out 15 of the best panels we’ll be trying to make time for during the show. We've sorted them in chronological order to help you keep track of when you should be heading for the theatres (almost ALL the time - hop to it!)

Friday, October 10

Storytime with Gavin Verhey
12-1PM, Main Theatre
The Principal Designer on Magic: The Gathering is here to share his journey from dreaming of becoming a Magic card designer to actually living that dream. Inspo for making our own dreams come true.

The DM Roundtable: advice from pro dungeon masters
2-3PM, Fruitbat Theatre
You can never get enough tips on how to bring a better game to your table of players. This list of pros will be sure to give great advice - bring your questions!

Back Pocket’s PAX Prime Time
7-8PM, Quokka Theatre
The Back Pocket gang hold a live streamed celebration of what’s on at PAX so everyone else can have FOMO while we have fun in the theatre.

Acquisitions Incorporated
8.30-10.30PM, Main Theatre
The Penny Arcade crew will play their live game once again. But which setting will we get this year? It remains a secret, but it’s always a fun night whatever they serve up.

D&D Court: Lore & Order
8.30-10PM, Owlbear Theatre
Submit the crimes that have been committed by players and GMs at your game tables for the court to decide on. With an interactive twist? If you’ve ever enjoyed NADDPOD’s “Dungeon Court”, this will be a fun one to join live.

Interactive Storytelling 101: Write your first game with the tool behind Night in the Woods and Dredge
10-11PM, Dropbear Theatre
Watching experts on stage walk through the power of using Yarn Spinner to show you how to turn a story idea into an interactive experience feels like an inspiring way to close out day one.

Saturday, October 11

You are more employable than you think! The game dev’s guide to game-adjacent careers
10.30-11.30AM, Dropbear Theatre
It’s been a rough era for jobs in games, but this panel aims to offer advice on finding smart angles for getting your foot in the door. The ‘adjacent’ idea offers ways to think about working elsewhere while you continue to chase the game industry career in a healthy way.

Why doesn’t my mini look like that?! How to up your mini painting game!
12-1PM, Kookaburra Theatre
Domino Jack hosts a panel of expert mini painters who will be painting live while they talk about starting out or getting better as a mini painter.

Ghost hunting IRL vs in game
2-3PM, Fruitbat Theatre
If you’ve been loving the ghost hunting game genre come learn about doing the same thing in the real world? Will they find ghosts live on stage? We can only hope…

Fireside with Ify Nwadiwe
4.30-5.30PM, Quokka Theatre
Actor and Dropout TV regular, Ify is here to have a nerdy chat with Steph Panecasio. Should be a good one!

THE DARK ROOM
9-11PM, Main Theatre
This is unmissable. A live interactive videogame improv comedy experience that defies description. I’ll be there. I’m always there. Worth the price of a PAX ticket alone!

Sunday, October 12

What kind of year has it been
10-11AM, PAX Together Theatre
How has the year treated queer female characters in games and pop culture? We’ll hear the takes from the panel. The PAX Together Theatre has a constant stream of excellent explorations of LGBTQ+ experiences across the nerd culture world, as well as having a room to meet like minded folks and generally chill in comfort. Check it out all weekend.

World building that sticks with you
12.30-1.30PM, Main Theatre
Creative leaders from Obsidian, Gearbox, and 20th Century Games discuss how they strive to build unforgettable worlds for games to live in.

Leveling up: the secrets to becoming the best gamemaster you can be
2.30-3.30PM, Dropbear Theatre
Advice from experts on being a better GM? Don’t mind if I do!

Cosplay Central Crown Championship
3-4PM, Main Theatre
Come see the greatest cosplayers show what they’ve got as they compete to represent Australia at a global grand final. Always incredible to see the characters they bring to life.