Boss Rush Diaries: PAX East 2023, Day Three

March 25 marks day three of PAX East 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. David, Stephanie, and Pat from the Boss Rush Network continue their journey covering various indie games and merchandise. The team interviewed game developers, listened to panel discussions, and tested upcoming games.

DAVID: Editor In Chief

Cosplay, pro wrestling, and massive crowds: day three of PAX East was a spectacle of delight. The weekend brought in the highest attendance yet, and you could feel the energy on the convention floor. Cosplayers showed off their hard work to the delight of the crowds, but the biggest show of the day was the “pro” wrestling matches in the ringside booth for the indie game WrestleQuest. Talk about an advertising strategy! I couldn’t resist the chance to try the demo and ended up talking with the game’s creator for nearly an hour. I won’t say more now, but full coverage is coming.

After lots of suvineer shopping and more demos than I can count, exhaustion set in. I was ready to head back to my hotel when I heard a familiar voice in the media room. I turned to find Zelda and video game theorist Commonwealth Realm sitting at the table where I’d left my gear. We struck up a conversation and ended up talking all things Zelda for a half hour. What a treat! I’ve enjoyed his content for years and getting the chance to talk about my favorite franchise with a content producer I admire is something I’ll always remember.

PAT: Co-Host of EXPCast

This morning’s interviews were all schedule by me, and we got to start off the day by playing a cozy platformer by the name of Shumi Come Home. This was a very laid back 3-D platformer that has hints of The Legend of Zelda and Pikmin. I found it a delight and very charming. After that I tried a game called Farewell North where you play as a dog who is traveling with their distraught owner. The game uses colors to symbolize breaking out of depression and despair.

Right after that, Steph and I went back to the Toge booth to talk to Dimas Novan, the creator of A Space for the Unbound. He explained his inspiration for the game as well as the challenges that he had to overcome. Finally he gave Steph a few pointers on how to write a video game.

After that interview, we wondered the floor a little bit before grabbing a bite to eat. All of us were pretty tired, but we still had some work to do. We split up and I went to the main theater to see Final Fantasy XVI’s producer Naoki Yoshida talk a whole hour about his game. It was a massive treasure trove of information, cut-scenes, and live gameplay. The producer ended the presentation by answering the most important question people had about the game: Can you pet dogs? The answer is yes.

Finally, I watched one more presentation regarding the challenges of performance capture. The panel had a star-studded cast, and it was really neat to see them all live. I felt like they repeated the same conversations over again during their hour, but I was also pretty tired at that point and kind of wanted to end the day. Fatigue is real.

STEPHANIE: Copy Editor, Co-Host of Boss Rush Podcast

Today was a day of the devs for me. I met Noah (SomeHumbleOnion), the creator of Shumi Come Home, and I met Tobias, Head of Publishing for Mooneye Studios. I also met Dimas Novan of A Space for the Unbound, published by Toge. Hearing their stories, discovering what inspired them, and understanding their thought process gave me a whole new respect for the indie video game industry. Their level of passion is immeasurable, and frankly, a breath of fresh air.

Other than that, I wandered around, meeting up with friends and playing any demos that were available. Saturday was filled to capacity, and therefore, insanely busy. I had to retreat to the media room to recharge frequently.

I finished my day attending a panel on bringing video game characters to life with motion capture. Troy Baker recorded an introduction, and I loved seeing Roger Clark (voice of Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption II) in person. Both Roger Clark and Julia Brown have acted for an upcoming sci-fi thriller, Fort Solis, a game for which I played a demo the other day! Although I took it easy today, it was nothing short of amazing. Thank you, indie devs!

Tell us what you think! Will you be attending PAX East in the future? Are you here now? Share your reactions in the comments below or join the conversation on Boss Rush Network’s Discord and Facebook.

The Boss Rush Podcast – Mondays at 7AM ET

The Boss Rush Podcast is the flagship podcast of Boss Rush Media and The Boss Rush Network. Each week, Corey, LeRon, Stephanie, Edward, and their friends from around the internet come together to talk their week in games, entertainment, and more while also bringing topics for conversation, answer listener and community questions, and cover major news and events happening in the video game industry. Watch The Boss Rush Podcast Monday mornings at 7AM ET on YouTube and listen on podcast services everywhere. Thanks for listening!

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One V One: The Creator Interview Series (Also available on its own feed)
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Boss Rush Podcast Extra
Boss Rush Panels

Nintendo Pow Block Podcast – Wednesdays at 7AM ET

Nintendo Pow Block

Nintendo Pow Block is Boss Rush Media and The Boss Rush Network’s Nintendo podcast. Each week, Edward, Corey, and their friends from around the internet come together to talk about the week in Nintendo, including news, rumors, new games, questions, and the fan-favorite Snacktendo segment. Check out Nintendo Pow Block Live on Twitch every Monday night at 8:30PM Eastern / 5:30PM Pacific or on Podcast Services and YouTube Wednesday mornings at 7AM. If you enjoy the show, consider leaving us a five-star rating on iTunes and Spotify. Thanks for listening to Nintendo Pow Block!

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Nintendo Pow Block Expansion Pass
The Nintendo Direct Recap Show
Nintendo Spoiler Alert
Ranking Nintendo Episodes of Standard Definition: The Retro and Nostalgia Podcast

Cross Roads: The Video Game Podcast – Partner Podcast of The Boss Rush Network with Exodus803 – Thursdays at 7AM ET

Cross Roads: The Video Game Podcast

Cross Roads: The Video Game Podcast is the premiere partner video game news podcast from Exodus803. Each week, LeRon, Stoy, and Andre bring the latest in the world of PlayStation, Xbox, and PC gaming, including news, rumors, new games, and topics of conversation. If you want to hear more, watch or listen to Catch Cross Roads: The Video Game Podcast at 8PM ET on the Exodus803 YouTube live on Tuesday, or on YouTube and Podcast Services on Wednesdays. Thanks for listening to Cross Roads: The Video Game Podcast. Partner of The Boss Rush Network. Subscribe to the Exodus803 YouTube channel for podcasts, great content, streams, and more.

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One V One: The Creator Interview Series and Talk The Walk: The Walking Simulator and Cozy Game Conversation – Tuesdays at 7AM ET

One V. One: The Creator Interview Series

One V One is the creator interview series led by Celeste Roberts and Edward Varnell. This series is intended to spotlight lesser known creators who offer something interesting and unique in our community and hopefully help grow theirs as well. Also available on this feed is Talk the Walk: The Walking Sim and Cozy Game Discussion Series intended to explore the wonderful stories told in these great genres. If you enjoy our One V. One Interview Series and Talk The Walk, consider leaving it a five star rating and a nice review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can catch these series on YouTube, the One V One podcast feed, and The Boss Rush Podcast main feed Tuesdays when available. Thank you for listening!