PAX East, the annual video game convention that attracts 70,000 gamers to Boston, is next month! The full schedule of keynotes, panels, workshops, competitions, presentations, tournaments includes two panels by yours truly:
Life After Graduation
Sunday, March 12, 1:30–2:30 PM in Cuttlefish Theatre
Colleges are preparing students for a career in game development and design — but how closely does the classroom match the reality? Are the next generation of creators being given the skills and opportunities they need? We'll hear from several recent graduates about the reality of their first years in the industry and what they wish they'd known.
Featuring:
- Ken Gagne [Digital Content Developer, Gamebits]
- Oleg Brodskiy [QA Tester, Irrational Games]
- Francesca Carletto-Leon [Co-Founder, Contigo Games]
- Julie Murphy [Experience Designer, Riot Games]
- Sarah Como [Chief Operations Officer, Zephyr Workshop]

+1 to Journalism: Becoming a Better Writer
Sunday, March 12, 4:00–5:00 PM in Bobcat Theatre
What do you need to know to make it as a games journalist? What pitches do editors love to get, and what tropes have been done to death? Whether you're helping consumers make informed purchasing decisions, unearthing the history of a franchise, or critiquing video games as art, you have to convey a lot of meaning in just a few words before the reader clicks away. Come hear veteran writers and editors share the best in games journalism and our own mistakes we've made along the way.
Featuring:
- Susan Arendt [Executive Editor, GamesRadar+]
- Jonathan Holmes [Writer, Destructoid & Nintendo Force]
- Ken Gagne [Digital Content Developer, Gamebits]
- Alexander Sliwinski [COO, Bithell Games]
If you're attending PAX East, I hope to see you in the audience! We'll be using the hashtags #paxgrad & #paxjourno, respectively, so feel free to follow along, wherever you are. Be sure to say hello afterward, and watch the Polygamer podcast for audio and video from these panels!
(Promotional images courtesy Thomas Awrey)