PAX UNPLUGGED QUICK START GUIDE

Things you can (and should!) bring:

• Water bottle – not only is it eco-friendly, but it’s important to stay hydrated when you spend your day walking around a dry convention center.
• Stamina Items: Whether this is food from home, or something you can pick up around the convention center, outside food is allowed in with you. RTM doesn't mean Read The Manual here, it stands for Reading Terminal Market (just across the street from the convention center!) - but it helps to RTM before you get too deep in your game anyway. Make lunch plans just after breakfast, and dinner plans just after lunch; there's only so much delivery services can do when you're caught unawares, and a lot of restaurants near the PACC are reservations-only in the evening.
• Armor: Conventions span multiple terrain changes. Manage your personal temperature! The inside of the center gets very warm with many thousands of people in it, and you may need additional hydration / cough drops to handle the dry, or bonus deodorant or powders to handle the damp. Dress in layers – it’s December in Philadelphia. ❄️🌧️ There is a coat check located on Level 1 in the Hall F Atrium that may cost a few dollars to store your things in for the day, but that will leave you hands-free to dash around the show. Bonus tip: Pack spare socks, and if you get a chance, switch 'em out in the middle of the day. It'll feel like you have new feet!
• MP Refresh: While entertainment will be all around you, you may also want to bring something handheld – be it your phone, a steam deck, an e-reader or tablet, or even your new/old handheld that can play all your favorite games from the 90’s. Making sure you stay juiced up could be a challenge. If you have a portable battery/power bank we highly recommend putting them in your bag just in case.
• Your EDC (Every Day Carry): Everyone's EDC is different, but it is statistically very likely you or someone near you will thank you for having on your person the following items: a black sharpie, a silver sharpie, a ballpoint pen, a pencil, some mints or gum, and a bag to carry extra stuff in.

Things you cannot bring:

• While we could recite the rules for you here, it’s best to just check this page out. 

Your PAX Badge – the key to all things at PAX Unplugged –  is the most important game piece of this tabletop gaming show. If you ordered before the mailing deadline, you should’ve received your badge in the mail! If you need to pick up your badge, you can find out where to go to pick it up on our entrance plan here. You must have a badge to enter the show. Lanyards will be available in bins in the queue hall on your way in (alongside the program guides) so you can easily wear your badge for visibility throughout the show. 

Your badge covers a LOT of show features which you can browse here. Here’s a idea of what that means:

You can go play a game from our library tabletop freeplay, or even a brand new one from our First Look collection, then you can sit down and watch the Omegathon competition or try a demo from an up and coming publisher. After that, head to a workshop or hear about a few games in the expo hall. Sit down for a brand new RPG with fellow PAX players and conquer a new realm, then crack some packs at a TCG tournament. Your badge gives you the ability to join in on just about anything happening at the show.

If you've never tried a certain type / genre / setup of game, but you've always wanted to, but you're not sure if you know enough about it, congratulations: you're precisely the person we're looking for. Enforcers and hosts are eager as heck to introduce new folks to the thing they like, so give them the opportunity! You're doing them a favor!

Really want to play in that event that you saw was full on the mobile app? Just show up. Events often offer "Standby Queues" giving players a chance to fill vacant seats.

Lastly, Don't worry about fitting everything possible into your day at the show - in fact, using a gap in your schedule to take in Philadelphia is a great way to break up your day and manage stress levels. If you don’t want to stray too far from the show, we also have a Chill Out Zone that is specifically designed for quiet and respite.

We don’t often tell you to “plug in” at this show, but PAX Nav is worth it. Our mobile app is the most up-to-date digital guide to the show. While we do have a print guide, it goes to print way earlier than our schedule is prepared, so we recommend downloading the app to find all the details on specific events, panels, and meetups all weekend long, as well as up-to-date maps (sometimes exhibitor booths move!) and very minimal push notifications.

Want to see who has a panel coming up, where it is, and how to get there? PAX Nav is at your service. Want to sign up for a tournament? Get directions on how to register and use the app the morning of to secure your spot. Curious what exhibitors have special show deals? PAX Nav knows. PAX Nav also includes a handful of FAQs, maps, badge activation, and more that should be easier to use than our website inside convention halls.

Activate Your Badge for very cool reasons! Your PAX Badge not only gives you access to the show, but you can scan unique QR codes throughout the show to participate in the PAX XP scavenger hunt. You can win anything from game codes for Marvel Snap and League of Legends, to a fully decked out computer tower and way more.

Did you know: there are also special easter eggs (aka digital deals) inside PAX Nav that are only available during the show? It’s true! Don’t miss out on discounts and other exciting giveaways.

Maps! In the APP! PAX Nav is going to be your most up-to-date space for navigating the show. We have separate floor maps for our expo halls and content rooms, with handy keys to help you find bathrooms, ATMs and XP stops. We also have the maps available on our website, but during the show we highly recommend using the mobile app.

PAX Unplugged takes place in the Pennsylvania Convention Center across four floors.
We do recommend checking out our entrance directions so you have an easy time finding how to get into the building and heading to badge pickup to enjoy your show.

If there’s one thing we love about PAX, it’s the community. Fans come from all over the world to share in our excitement and celebration of games, but the best part of Discord is that we can keep it going all year long. Ask questions to other fans, enforcers, PAX staff, and city locals to make sure you have the best experience possible. PAX is better together.

Play games with other fans! Start with a digital keep-up game with ALL HAIL BALL, prove your prowess with typing challenge, !roll and #line-simulator will surely entertain for seconds on end! You can even bring it back around and ask to see if anyone is looking for another player for a game or get word on an impromptu meetup at the show. Anything is possible. 🌈

So, PAX peoples: As we like to say to start our game, Welcome Home.

We can’t wait to play games with you. 🐎💙