Get ready, tabletop gamers! After a hiatus of approximately six years, the legendary Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) is making its return to the southern United States with an exciting new event: PAX Unplugged Houston. This latest iteration of the tabletop gaming convention, co-organized by Penny Arcade and ReedPop, will be held at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston from June 25–27, 2027.
The Legacy of Penny Arcade
Founded in 1998 by Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik, Penny Arcade started as a webcomic reflecting their passion for video games and the gaming industry. In 2004, they recognized the need for a dedicated gaming convention on the U.S. West Coast, leading to the birth of PAX. This event has since evolved into a multi-city phenomenon.
“I remember the very first PAX,” recalled Mike Krahulik in an interview with Polygon. “We had about 1,300 people there. And one guy came up to us and said he didn’t have a good time. Jerry and I felt terrible! We still feel that way. There’s no reason we should feel personally responsible for this show anymore! But if I see somebody who isn’t having a good time, I still feel bad. I think it’s important to have two people who feel a responsibility that you have a good time at their party.” This commitment to creating enjoyable experiences has been the driving force behind PAX’s expansion and longevity.
According to Jerry Holkins, PAX Unplugged holds a special energy. “I always feel so energized after it that I immediately want to do another one,” he said. Mike Krahulik added, “And that’s the point of the country where we don’t have a PAX,” highlighting Houston as the perfect location for this new venture.
The choice of Houston was strategic, driven by factors like robust infrastructure, convenient airport access, ample hotel options, and a thriving community of gamers. “We think the dork population is quite high in Houston,” Krahulik quipped.
A New Chapter for Tabletop Gaming
While this isn’t PAX’s first foray into the South – PAX South ran from 2015 to 2020 before being canceled in 2021 – the organizers believe now is the perfect time for a comeback and a second dedicated Unplugged event. The tabletop gaming industry is experiencing a period of unprecedented growth and innovation, and Penny Arcade is eager to be at the forefront.
“We’ve always used PAX as a tool to expose video gamers to tabletop stuff,” Holkins explained. “As tabletop has gotten more powerful, sophisticated, and interesting, obviously PAX Unplugged was the truest expression of what we can do there. But if you go take a look at PAX East, a whole third of the show’s floor is just tabletop stuff. There’s always been this secret tabletop con at PAX shows.”
“Very early on, we decided that was going to be a part of the show,” Krahulik added. “We wanted to tell people, ‘Hey, what you like isn’t necessarily video games. What you like is cool systems, interesting rules and mechanics. And you can get that in lots of different places.’ I had never played Dungeons & Dragons before [[Acquisitions Incorporated]]; that was the same idea, showing video game players that these tabletop games are just as cool.”
Acquisitions Incorporated, or Acq. Inc. for longtime fans, was a groundbreaking D&D actual play podcast that evolved into live games at PAX conventions, pre-recorded miniseries, and even an official D&D 5th edition sourcebook. At PAX Unplugged 2025, it was announced that Daggerheart, the TTRPG created by Critical Role, would be the new system for Acquisitions Incorporated. This announcement sent ripples through the tabletop community, although, as noted by Polygon, it largely went unnoticed.
“We don’t understand it either,” Holkins joked about the lack of buzz. “We started it a long time ago, and all we’ve tried to do is just show how much fun it can be to play these games with your friends.” He explained that exploring different RPGs allows players to discover new perspectives on familiar concepts. “The D&D system lets you do a little bit of everything because everybody knows it so well that the system itself sort of fades into the background. Daggerheart allows for a lot of interplay between the storyteller and the players because it recognizes the effects of the dice rolls and creates these resource pools, almost like in a board game, and then the Game Master can utilize those points to mess around with the game.”
Holkins provided an example from the first Daggerheart game, where Matt Mercer, founder of Critical Role, introduced a new NPC using a specific ability. This formalized a common house rule that many D&D players already use. “But it’s mechanically recognized and tracked,” Holkins added. “Because the interplay between the characters and the GM is so clearly the focus of the game. Daggerheart really skims the cream off of indie RPGs in general.”
With Acquisitions Incorporated now on Beacon, Critical Role’s official streaming service, exciting opportunities are emerging for new projects. “We had a lot of really interesting conversations with Critical Role,” Holkins revealed. “I think it would be amazing to do another more formal series, to tell a more elaborate story.”
Between the new PAX Unplugged and the shift in systems for Acquisitions Incorporated, there’s a lot happening at Penny Arcade. However, some things will always remain constant. “Regardless of where the show is, where it scales to, it will always be like a home,” Holkins emphasized.
“We really do try to make it a show for everybody,” Krahulik added. Holkins concluded with a nostalgic reflection: “We remember being two guys in an apartment making JPEGs in 1998. That’s just who we are, and we’re never gonna not be those people.”
Badges for PAX Unplugged Houston will go on sale later this year. Get ready to unleash your inner geek!
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