PAX Unplugged 2025 wrap-up
Safely back from PAXU and recovered, it's time to share some thoughts and highlights from this year's tabletop gaming convention in Philadelphia. Spoiler: It was awesome!
Now that I’m safely back from PAX Unplugged (PAXU) and recovered, it’s time to share some thoughts and highlights about this year’s convention.
First of all, it was great. I look forward to PAXU all year and have the best time while there, and this year was no exception. A weekend of seeing friends, meeting people I know only from Discord, playing (and buying) games, and eating great food for four days is amazing.
Even though I come back physically exhausted, I am mentally rejuvenated and filled with creative motivation — riding that post-con high for as long as I can.1
So here are some convention highlights in no particular order.
The first ever Exeunt Press PAXU guide?!
While I usually send out a newsletter about how to find Exeunt Press games at PAXU, this year I expanded it into a full guide. It covered where my games would be, but also other interesting indie booths to visit, the Indie Games Night Market, playtesting at Unpub, new board games, and meetups.
It started as just a list I was making for myself — fellow designers to see, booths to stop by, games I hoped to purchase. Didn’t think much of it, and just wrote down things off the top of my head. Eventually I thought other people might want a copy too. So I posted it.
Turns out, a lot of people liked it!
In fact, a few people told me they were using it as their guide for the con!
So watch for a similar guide next year as well.
The marathon wasn’t a problem (for me).
With PAXU moving to November this year vs. its usual place in December, it ended up being the same weekend as the Philadelphia Marathon. Reddit and other forums were sure this would be a disaster for traffic, hotels, and significantly impact PAXU attendance. I can’t speak for everyone’s experience, but for me, it was basically a non-issue. Other than a bit more difficulty getting my preferred hotel, everything else (e.g. crowds, flow, etc.) were the same as any other year. Plus, I was able to get up early and watch the start of the marathon!
Indie Press Revolution
Indie Press Revolution (IPR) continues to be one of the best places to find and purchase indie games of all sorts. I’m biased because they sell my games too, but I’d love their booth even if they didn’t. They work with hundreds of small creators to give them the ability to get their books into conventions like PAXU. Really cool stuff.
Side Quest Books & Games
This year, Side Quest Books & Games had a table in the PAX Together room at the convention. They worked with indie creators to source books that might otherwise have too small of print runs or presence to get featured, along with some more well-known titles. If you look closely, you might even spot You are a Muffin and Make Your Own One-Page RPG in the photo above. It was great to finally meet Caroline (the owner) in person!
TTRPGkids Indie Self-Publisher Meetup
I can’t thank Steph of TTRPGkids enough for organizing, scheduling, and putting in all the work to make the Indie Self Pub Meetup. To be honest, I was expecting to walk into a room of about 8-10 creators. Instead it was over 30 people who showed up! I instantly felt welcome, chatted, and met new people. The time was up in an instant, and I apologize if you were there and I didn’t get a chance to talk! Really hoping this happens again next year.
Unpub Feedback Frenzy
My first experience with Unpub Feedback Frenzy was at the convention in Baltimore earlier this year. I had never seen anything like it and wrote about pitching at Skeleton Code Machine (SCM) to compile some of my thoughts. The PAXU event was the same format with five sets of designers pitching their game to a panel of industry professionals. I took pages of notes and will probably write another SCM article to share the lessons learned.
What games did I buy and/or play?
The top questions I’ve gotten after PAXU are “What was the best game?” and “What games did you buy?” While I’m not convinced this is the most interesting topic for a newsletter, I will say that Compile was my most played game and Pacts was the one I think about the most. Playthings from DVC was the most interesting demo. The other purchases I’m most excited about include Marie Enger’s Death to the Wizard Kings, Conservas, 20 Strong: Tanglewoods, Griot, and Blood Borg.
It looks like you’re working out.
My watch was pretty convinced that I was working out during the convention. My steps for the main three days were: Friday 13,009, Saturday 15,969, and Sunday 13,742. That’s 6 - 7.5 miles of walking a day. Not enough to work off the cheesesteak from Uncle Gus’ but significant nevertheless.
You’re that guy!
A notable moment was when someone yelled, “HEY, YOU’RE THAT GUY!” in my direction while I was browsing the Plus One EXP booth. I had said that if anyone spots me at PAXU wearing my Skeleton Code Machine shirt, I’d give them a sticker. She had seen my post about that on social media and came to collect!
Reading Terminal Market
The food options around the Philly Convention Center are fantastic. There’s Reading Terminal Market right across the street with cheesesteaks and almost anything else you’d want.2 Sure, it’s crowded at peak hours but never so much that I felt it was unmanageable. Also, Philadelphia’s Chinatown neighborhood is just a block or two away, allowing me to get my mandatory soup dumplings (xiao long bao) almost every day I was there.3
Don’t skip the Christmas Market.
The Philly Christmas market is just a block or two from the main convention entrance and worth visiting. I stopped by Sunday to check out the handmade items and food vendors. It’s a nice break from the convention.
Philly is a great city!
Between the convention center facility, nearby food options, and easy public transportation (Amtrak to 30th Street Station), PAXU has a great location.
Go birds. 🦅
See you next year!
I think that covers everything. Great convention!
I plan to be back again next year and hope to see you there!
- E.P. 💀
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I do wonder how much the lack of doom scrolling has on my mood. PAXU is so busy, it ends up being four days (Thursday - Sunday) without mindlessly scrolling endless media feeds (e.g. Instagram). Might be something to that.
Professing love for a particular cheesesteak in Philly is a dangerous act. There will immediately be heated debates on the subject. That said, you could do worse than get one at Uncle Gus’ Steaks in Reading Terminal Market. Cooper sharp and long hots mandatory.
Don’t judge me. 🥟
Hey! Saw you there at the meet and greet! I have the weird Nested Reality game I have to playtest somehow lol