PAX Launching East Coast Event in 2010

The duo behind webcomic Penny Arcade announced an expansion of the Penny Arcade Expo empire, adding an east coast event which will start in 2010.

Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik told 1UP that the event, set for Boston, will complement instead of replace the current PAX series in Seattle, of which this year's incarnation started today. The Boston event is still in the early planning stages. The two artists / game producers / philanthropists have been "determined to return to the city since delivering a presentation at MIT a few years ago," claims the report.

The announcement is timely, as the video games industry is in a state of transition regarding its expos. The E3 Expo, once king of the hill, has been slammed by critics for its poor performance in recent years. That poor performance may be due in part to its recent shift toward invite-only attendance.

PAX, on the other hand, is open to the public and its popularity among ordinary gamers draws increasing numbers of studios to attend each year. The event could face competition from Leipziger Messe, the organization behind Leipzig's annual Games Convention. The Messe recently announced plans to move into the US, adding to its current European and Asian events.

It appears that the Penny Arcadians have seized an opportunity to expand upon the PAX brand, and it is an expansion that will likely be welcomed by convention-going gamers.