PAX AUS 2026 Wrap-Up
I've got that familiar feeling after PAX AUS where the weekend has flown by far too quickly, my camera roll is full of photos, and I'm already wishing I could go back and do it all again. PAX AUS 2026 has officially wrapped up after three days at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, and honestly, what an amazing weekend it was.
From 9 to 11 October, Melbourne was once again filled with gamers, developers, cosplayers, collectors and people who simply love being part of gaming culture. There was an incredible amount to see and do, and even after spending a good chunk of the weekend exploring the show floor, I still felt like there was more I could have checked out. Whether you were there to try upcoming games, see the latest gaming hardware, browse merchandise, discover indie titles, play tabletop games or admire some seriously impressive cosplay, there was genuinely something for everyone.
But as much as I loved the exhibits themselves, one of my biggest takeaways from PAX AUS this year was the people. Everyone I met, from exhibitors and cosplayers to random people I crossed paths with around Melbourne, was fantastic. People were happy to chat, share what they were excited about, talk games and just enjoy being part of the weekend. That is what makes PAX feel different from simply walking around a trade show. There is a genuine sense of community here, and you can feel it everywhere you go.
Of course, there were plenty of incredible exhibits competing for my attention. From Aftershock and Red Dragon to FINAL FANTASY XIV, Nintendo, SEGA and ROG, the variety was fantastic. Some stands pulled you in with their sheer size, others with their lighting and presentation, and some simply made you stop in your tracks because of how good they looked.
So, after a weekend of wandering around, taking far too many photos and spending longer at certain stands than I probably intended, here are my favourite-looking exhibits from PAX AUS 2026, along with some of the other highlights that made the weekend so memorable.
My top 7 best-looking exhibits at PAX AUS 2026
This is entirely my own opinion, based on the stands that caught my eye as I walked around the convention. I'm judging these on their visual impact, creativity, presentation and how much they made me want to stop and have a closer look. There were plenty of other fantastic displays, but these seven stood out to me the most.
7. Bluemouth Interactive
That giant Pikachu sitting on a Toniebox was an awesome way to catch people's attention as soon as they walked through Door 4. It was one of those displays that immediately made me stop and take a closer look, and there was plenty more to see once you got past the initial attraction. It was fun, colourful and instantly recognisable, which is exactly what you want from an exhibit in a hall packed with things competing for your attention.
6. Electronic Rebellion
The neon red lighting was the real winner here. From across the convention hall, it did a brilliant job of drawing your attention over to the stand, and once you noticed it, you wanted to get a closer look. With so many exhibitors fighting for attention, having a distinctive look makes a huge difference, and Electronic Rebellion absolutely nailed that part of its presentation.
5. SEGA, especially the Persona stand
SEGA had a fantastic presence, but the Persona stand was the particular highlight for me. The presentation looked incredible, with the sort of strong visual identity that fans of the series will immediately appreciate. Persona has such a distinctive style, and it was great to see that reflected in the display. It was one of those stands where the presentation felt like an extension of the games themselves
rather than just a place to put a few screens and consoles.
4. HyperX
The Japanese torii gate at HyperX looked fantastic and gave the stand a distinctive identity. It was a clever way to create something memorable in a hall filled with gaming hardware and displays, and there was plenty happening here throughout the weekend. It wasn't just a nice-looking photo opportunity either. The overall presentation made it a stand worth stopping at, and it was one of my personal favourites from the hardware side of the show.
3. Aftershock
Aftershock had a fantastic range of PCs on display, and some of them didn't even look like PCs at first glance. The variety of designs was what really got me. There were builds that made you appreciate the hardware inside them, but also builds where the case, lighting and overall presentation were just as impressive as the components themselves. I'll admit I spent far more time here than I care to admit, but if you enjoy gaming PCs and custom builds, it's very easy to lose track of time looking at what's on offer. This was one of the stands I kept finding reasons to look at again.
2. Nintendo
The sheer size of Nintendo's exhibit was astounding. It was one of the major attractions on the floor, with a huge amount of space dedicated to getting people hands-on with its games. Nintendo brought a range of experiences to the show, including Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave, Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass and Pikmin Bloom. There was plenty to catch your eye, and the scale of the stand made it feel like a major destination rather than just another booth.
My one disappointment was that I would have loved to see a range of Nintendo merchandise available to buy, particularly after seeing what's been available at previous events. Still, that doesn't take away from how impressive the exhibit was. Nintendo put on a fantastic display, and it absolutely deserves its place near the
top of my list.
1. FINAL FANTASY XIV Evercold
And the winner is... FINAL FANTASY XIV Evercold!
This thing looked absolutely incredible. It caught my attention almost as soon as I walked into the hall, and somehow looked even more impressive when I got closer. The scale, the presentation and the overall visual impact made it stand out in a convention centre full of impressive displays. It's difficult to explain just how much of a difference a well-executed exhibit makes until you're standing in front of one, and this was easily the best-looking stand of PAX AUS 2026 for me. It was the sort of display that made you stop, take photos and appreciate the effort that had gone into bringing the world of a game to life.
A few honourable mentions
My top seven aren't the only exhibits worth talking about, and there were a few other areas that deserve recognition.
The Indie Showcase was a particular highlight. I love seeing the indie space at PAX grow year after year, and there was a fantastic amount of room dedicated to independent games. There were so many interesting ideas, unique art styles and games that looked genuinely fun to play. It's easy for the biggest publishers and their enormous stands to dominate the conversation, but some of the most interesting discoveries at PAX come from smaller developers who are passionate about making something different. With more than 90 games featured across the Aus Indie Showcase, PAX Rising and New Zealand's Centre of Digital Excellence showcase, there was a lot to discover. I always enjoy seeing this part of PAX, and I hope it continues to grow.
The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 stand was another one that stayed busy throughout the weekend. It had a real buzz about it, and the MW4 statue or bust looked incredible. You could feel the excitement around the game, with plenty of people wanting to get involved and see what was on offer. It was a great example of how a major game activation can turn a stand into a destination in its own right.
Then there was Alien: Isolation. Unfortunately, the queue was absolutely insane whenever I looked over, so I never managed to get a turn playing it. That was a little disappointing, because the game looked incredible and I was keen to give it a go. Still, the fact that the line stayed so busy says a lot about the interest surrounding it. I'll have to find another opportunity to play it, because after seeing it at PAX, I'm even more keen to give it a proper go.
I also have to give a mention to the other major exhibitors, including Red Dragon and ROG. There was so much gaming hardware and gear on display across the hall that you could easily spend hours browsing without running out of things to look at. One of the best things about PAX is having so many different parts of gaming culture represented in one place, from custom PC builds and peripherals to major game publishers and smaller independent developers.
The merchandise was some of the best I've seen
One thing I was particularly impressed with this year was the merchandise. I've been to PAX enough times to know what to expect, but I honestly think the range of merch available at PAX AUS 2026 was the best I've seen. There were some genuinely great items on offer, including T-shirts that I'd happily wear outside of PAX rather than something that ends up sitting in a drawer as a convention souvenir. That's always a big plus for me, because I love picking up something to remember an event, but it's even better when it's something I'll actually get plenty of use out of afterwards.
The other thing that really stood out was how well the merchandise area was organised. In my opinion, the layout and the amount of space dedicated to it were easily the best I've seen at PAX. There were certainly times when the queues got pretty hectic, particularly when everyone was trying to get their hands on the popular items, but I found that things became much more manageable as the afternoon rolled around. I was able to walk straight up, grab the items I wanted and still find plenty of stock available, which was great to see.
Merchandise can be one of those things that becomes frustrating at a big event, especially when you're dealing with long queues or worrying that everything will sell out before you get a chance to buy it. This year felt like a real improvement, and I came away genuinely impressed with both the quality of the range and the way it was handled. It's another area where PAX AUS 2026 really delivered for me.
Tabletop gaming deserves its own spotlight
Although I'm much more of a video game guy, I always enjoy wandering through the tabletop areas at PAX. Even if miniature gaming isn't really my thing, I can still appreciate the extraordinary amount of time, effort and skill that goes into the models on display. Some of the painting and detailing is absolutely incredible, and you can spend a surprising amount of time looking at individual pieces and noticing little details you might have missed at first glance.
What I really enjoyed this year was the energy in the tabletop spaces. There was a real sense of people getting together to share something they love, whether that meant sitting down for a game, checking out a new release, admiring someone's collection or talking through the finer details of a hobby. It felt welcoming, busy and full of enthusiasm.
PAX AUS also had its biggest tabletop offering yet, bringing together board games, trading cards, role-playing games, collectables and passionate communities from across Australia. It's one of the things I appreciate about PAX: you don't have to be an expert in every corner of gaming culture to enjoy seeing what other people are passionate about. You can wander into an area you wouldn't normally spend much time in and still come away appreciating the people and creativity behind it.
The retro gaming room was a nostalgic highlight
One thing I think can go a little unnoticed at PAX is just how much there is to discover away from the main expo floor. It's easy to spend the entire day wandering between the big exhibitors, but some of the best experiences can be tucked away in smaller spaces that you might not even know about unless you take the time to explore.
For me, the retro gaming room upstairs was one of those hidden gems. It was filled with retro consoles, pinball machines and tabletop games, creating a space that felt completely different from the bright lights and enormous displays of the main hall. The nostalgia in that room alone was incredible, and I loved every minute of it.
One of my favourite little discoveries was browsing through the collection of retro PlayStation magazines. There's something special about looking back at old gaming magazines and remembering how we used to discover games before everything was available instantly online. The screenshots, the layouts, the previews and the way games were talked about all bring back memories of a very different era of gaming. I could have spent ages flicking through them.
It's also a reminder that gaming isn't just about whatever has launched this week or what's coming out next month. For plenty of us, it's tied to years of memories, the consoles we grew up with and the games that made us fall in love with the hobby in the first place. Spaces like this celebrate that history, and I genuinely hope they're a regular part of future PAX events.
Cosplay was another huge part of the weekend
You can't talk about PAX AUS without talking about cosplay. All weekend, there were incredible costumes throughout the venue, with people bringing their favourite characters to life through some seriously impressive creativity and craftsmanship. I love seeing how much effort goes into these creations, and the fact that people are so happy to stop for photos, chat about their costumes and share their work makes the experience even better.
One of the big moments of the weekend was the Cosplay Central Crown Championship, which crowned Miss Twisted as Australia's champion for her portrayal of Fearne Calloway from Critical Role. Her costume, which took two years to create and incorporated foam, 3D printing and stilted hooves, was an extraordinary piece of work. Runner-up Benjettt impressed with a portrayal of Alva from Horizon Forbidden West, featuring 3D printing and 120 hours of sewing.
Miss Twisted will go on to represent Australia at the global Cosplay Central Crown Championship final at MCM London Comic Con in May 2027. It's a fantastic achievement and a well-deserved opportunity to showcase Australian cosplay talent on an international stage.
It was also great to see PAX introduce Cosplay Land, a dedicated space for the cosplay community, with workshops, panels, meet-ups and other activities. It's another example of PAX continuing to make room for the different communities that make gaming culture what it is.
But beyond the competition and the elaborate costumes, what stood out to me was the friendliness of the cosplay community. Whether someone had spent years perfecting a costume or was simply enjoying dressing up as a favourite character, there was a real sense of fun and shared enthusiasm. It was a pleasure to see.
The people are what make PAX AUS special
I could spend another few thousand words talking about the stands, games, hardware and things I saw over the weekend, but the thing I'll probably remember most is the atmosphere.
Everywhere I went, I met people who were happy to chat. Exhibitors were enthusiastic about what they were showing off, cosplayers were friendly and welcoming, and even random conversations with people around Melbourne turned into little moments that made the trip better. There was a shared understanding that everyone was there because they loved some part of gaming, and that gave the entire weekend a really special feeling.
PAX AUS has always been about more than just playing games, and this year was another reminder of that. It's a place where people can discover something new, reconnect with old interests, meet others who share their passions and simply enjoy being surrounded by a community that gets it. The program had something for just about everyone, from hands-on gaming and tournaments to panels, special guests and community events.
I think that's why the weekend passes so quickly. There is always something happening, another stand to check out, another game to try or another person to talk to. Even if you arrive with a plan, it's very easy to get distracted by something you weren't expecting to find. And honestly, that's half the fun.
It's also why I think PAX is worth experiencing in person. You can watch trailers, follow developers online, read reviews and keep up with gaming news from home, but none of that quite captures the atmosphere of being surrounded by thousands of people who are just as excited about games as you are. It's the conversations, the unexpected discoveries and the shared enthusiasm that make it special.
Final thoughts: I'll definitely be back next year
PAX AUS 2026 was an amazing weekend, and I'm genuinely sad it's over. The exhibits were fantastic, the variety of games and activities was impressive, the merchandise was the best I've seen at PAX, the tabletop spaces were full of energy, the retro room was a nostalgic treat, and the cosplay on display was outstanding. My personal favourite exhibit was FINAL FANTASY XIV Evercold, with Nintendo and Aftershock rounding out my top three, but there were so many other highlights that it was difficult to narrow the list down to just seven.
Most importantly, the people made the whole experience. That sense of community is what separates PAX from simply walking through a convention hall full of products. It's the conversations, the shared excitement, the unexpected discoveries and the feeling that you're part of something bigger than yourself.
A huge congratulations to everyone who helped bring PAX AUS 2026 together, from the organisers and exhibitors to the developers, artists, cosplayers, tabletop communities and everyone who attended. It was fantastic to see so many people come together to celebrate gaming in all its forms.
I've come away with a camera roll full of photos, plenty of memories and even more things I hope to be included next year. If this year's event has left me with one takeaway, it's that PAX AUS continues to be a brilliant celebration of Australia's gaming community.
That's a wrap on PAX AUS 2026. I'll see you all again next year! We are hoping to have a much bigger presence at PAX AUS 2027 with potential Gaming Australia meet ups etc. So keep an eye out for more information there closet to next years event.
