It is now day two of PAX East 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. Today was sold out and the Exhibit Hall was packed, but that didn’t stop the Boss Rush team. Games were played, business cards were exchanged, and conversations were had. Here are our highlights for PAX East 2024 on Friday, March 22nd, 2024. [Warning: Many of us may mention a certain person named Ben Starr…]

This year, Boss Rush Network has expanded its coverage with an eight-person team: Corey (Chief Executive Officer), Ed (Vice President), David (Editor in Chief), Stephanie (Chief Content Officer), Pat (Podcaster), Courty (Podcaster / Streamer), and Mary (Senior Copy Editor). Each day, we’ll share our highlights from all the action at PAX East; you can also find more PAX East coverage of news, games, and culture here.

Corey (CEO)

Day two of PAX East was fantastic. It began with an exciting encounter with Ben Starr, the voice actor from Final Fantasy XVI, at Starbucks. Ben impressed us with his professionalism, and it’s no wonder he’s so beloved. Truly a class act.

Regarding the event itself, we recorded three short segments with Roger Reichardt from Gamerheads, Dave Jackson from Tales from the Backlog Podcast, and the fan favorite Greysun Morales, Lead Guides Writer at Game Rant. We had great discussions about their content and, of course, video games. Meeting other creators like Matt Storm, Finn from NOLAnerdcast, BaronJ67 from Lv1Gaming, and freelance journalist Luis Gutierrez were delightful. Additionally, seeing old friends in person for the first time like Cam Hawkins and Danomak was surreal.

The most significant highlight, however, was being recognized as a cohesive team after so much effort. People acknowledged the podcast team, complimented the website, and appreciated the video interviews crafted by both teams. It felt like all our hard work, dedication, and years of struggle had finally paid off, solidifying us as a legitimate team and recognizable brand.

I’m incredibly proud of this team, whether they’re here with us at PAX East or GDC, or working remotely to cover other events. It’s been a wonderful journey.

Ed (VP)

Day two was an explosive day of fun and highlights. Outside of meeting the one and only Ben Starr, I got to meet other friends I have talked to online. As for my highlight, I got to talk to developers like PikPok about Into The Dead and Inky Dreams about Poland gaming and their company debut title Kamikaze Lassplanes. I interviewed the teams at PM Studios as well as Joystick Ventures, whose co-founders, Star Vanders, are working on their first title, Star Vanders. That’s just some of the highlights for me, but there was more that happened on day two that I was very excited about.

David (EIC)

For me, relationships defined day two of PAX East. Sure, there were the usual floor exhibitions and fun new indie games to play; but on a personal level, going to PAX East this year was the realization of a dream.

Our company attended PAX for the first-time last year as a small group. The connections we made in the industry, the relationships with game developers, and the deep conversations that followed on podcasts and in written interviews filled us with love and renewed our passion for what makes the gaming industry special. All of us are here because we love games and the community bonds that form around this unique medium.

This year, we returned to PAX East with a much larger group. We didn’t just return with a greater ability to cover indie games and trends in the industry; we returned to the friendships we forged and the games we delighted in. Getting to talk with developers from around the world and hear about what had changed with their games compared to last year was a joy not often felt in the rest of my adult life. There’s so much wrong in the world, but the PAX East convention reminds me that we have more in common than what pulls us apart. And games definitively bring us together.

Stephanie (CCO)

Day two was chalk full of gaming and great conversation. It all started with a pit-stop at Starbucks before checking into the Boston Convention Center in the morning. Little did I know, I connected gazes with…Ben Starr (voice actor of Clive, Final Fantasy XVI). He was kind enough to chat with us and take a photo before beginning a hard day’s work. From there, I was blown away by two games, Kristala of Astral Clocktower Studios and Fretless of Ritual Studios, and published by Playdigious. Astral Clocktower Studios is a female-led team creating a dark fantasy game featuring cats, and Ritual Studios is close to launching their incredibly unique “music RPG”.

Pat (CGO)

The day started off really unexpectedly.  We made an impromptu visit to get our morning pick-me-up, when Steph pointed out that Ben Starr was behind us, in line, at Starbucks.  He is just as charming without his morning coffee in him as he is on the internet.  This might have been one of my defining moments at PAX this year.  I also got to play a fun RPG called Cricket: Jae’s Really Peculiar Game that felt like a mix of Earthbound, if it were a Saturday morning cartoon.  I also got to try out DreadXP’s future game called Heartworm.  If you grew up with PS1 era Resident Evil and Silent Hill, this will be a game you should keep on your radar. 

Courty (Podcast / Streams)

Today was so amazing. I never thought my days would be better than day one. I was able to interview indie game content creator DannyB about indie games as a whole and what’s next for the industry. Later on the day, I was shocked when I realize that I hadn’t walked the entire Exhibit Hall yet–like, I thought, how did I somehow miss the center of it all. I saw amazing indie games like So to Speak, No Love Lost, and World of Grimm. Who knows what day three will look like, but I’m excited to say that my first PAX was a hit!

Mary Helen (CE)

A highlight for me on day two was getting the chance to meet and speak with Eloise Singer. It was great to speak with a female developer who also has a film background as that’s something I’m passionate about. Singer Studios has a lot they’ve done, a lot coming, and are working to tell Herstory. I’m excited for further stories regarding the Pirate Queen.

The Boss Rush Podcast – A Podcast About Video Games

The Boss Rush Podcast is the flagship podcast of The Boss Rush Network and Boss Rush Media. Each week, hosts Corey Dirrig, Stephanie Klimov, LeRon Dawkins, and Pat Klein come together with their friends, colleagues, and fellow creators to talk about their week in video games, discuss industry topics, conduct interviews, answer listener questions, and more. New episodes every Monday. Get each episode one week early and more perks over on the Boss Rush Network Patreon page.

This feed also includes Boss Rush Spotlight podcasts and Boss Rush Video Game Book Club. Get both shows early on Patreon. 

Email the Show: podcast.bossrush@gmail.com

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