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RPS@PAX 2023: Meet the PAX Facebook group that takes a community photo every single year

"None of it matters without them"

PAX East is a great place to play the latest games, sure, but as anyone who's attended the event will tell you the games are just a small part of a wider medley of things to see and do. Last year we highlighted the show's thriving pin collecting scene, for instance, interviewing a bunch of Pinny Arcade enthusiasts about the hobby and discovering that physical badges are just a minor part of the appeal.

Encouraged by the lovely warm feeling making that video left in my belly, we set out to shine a light on other lesser-known parts of PAX East during our time at this year's show. This led us to discover the PAX East Facebook group, a community of over 8,000 members brought together through their shared love of video games, pop culture and PAX itself. The page is dominated by a striking banner image, a photograph that shows a large group of people crowded around the PAX logo that's a permanent fixture in the main hall of the Boston convention centre.

Rachel and I found this photograph fascinating. Who were these people? Do they take this picture every single year? How did something like this start, and who was responsible for organising it in the first place?

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About the Author
Liam Richardson avatar

Liam Richardson

Video Producer

Liam is RPS’s vid bud. When he’s not obsessing over the finer details of digital cities and theme parks, he’s probably getting very excited about a colourful indie game that stars a nice frog. A huge fan of everything PC gaming-related, Liam has a particular fondness for classic 90s shooters and Team Fortress 2.

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