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Boss Rush Diaries: PAX East 2025, Day Three

6–9 minutes

It is day three of PAX East 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. We are in the thick of it, networking, interviewing…and most importantly, gaming. Here are our highlights for PAX East on Saturday, May 10th, 2025.

A bird’s eye view…

The Boss Rush Network team attendance at PAX East 2025: Ed (Vice President), Stephanie (VP Media Relations), Pat (Chief Gaming Officer), Courtney (Social Media Manager), and Block (Senior Writer). Each day, we’ll share our highlights from all the action at PAX East.


Ed (Vice President)

Day three was an emotional day for me. Nothing sad or frustrating, but rather, pure passion from speaking with the game developers. Each person was surprised by the questions I asked, but they gave very thoughtful and insightful responses that made the conversation not just about their game but about their whole team feeling proud of the work they have done. It truly inspired me and made me feel what I and the Boss Rush team and community are doing is important.

The games I got to play were fun, but it was a minimal experience since it was a bigger crowd today. I tried out Swap Meat and Hank: Drowning on Dry Land. I got to see a new level in Ra Ra Boom from Midwest Games, which I am going to try to play on Sunday. I was able to snag the last copy of Lollipop Chainsaw: Repop Edition and Valkyria Chronicles 4: Complete Edition on Switch from Limited Run Games.

Last but least, the eats. Some of the team and special guest, Greysun Morales from Game Rant, joined us for ramen at Mecha Noodle Bar. The sweet and sour spareribs were on POINT! I finally got to try sake for the first time (Mr. Morales made me laugh from the look he gave). Although I don’t have adult beverages a lot, it was good. I wonder if some are a bit sweeter. After that, we went to Video Game Trivia hosted by the lovely Jacob McCourt. I won’t say who won, but it was a great time for laughs and celebrations. As we head into our final day on Sunday, I am very proud of the Boss Rush Pax East Team. Stephanie, Courtney, Pat, Block, Sofi, and Nellie (she put in some work ya’ll) really made me smile, laugh, and good googely moogely with awesome articles, interviews, discussions, and memories I will cherish with them.

Stephanie (VP Media Relations, Copy Editor)

Saturdays tend to be the busiest at PAX East, and my schedule reflected this; however, every experience was a home run. I checked out Cat Secretary, Akiiwan: Survival, Sky of Tides, Endless Night: The Darkness Within, Gex Trilogy, and Fretless. I didn’t just play their games, but I also got to speak with each dev team and listened to their passions during the creative process. Stay tuned on my coverage on these titles, including one from Limited Run. We got lots of perspective on their dedication to physical media, revamping older games, and the Switch 2.

The devs of Fretless are stoked their game will release May 22nd!

Connection is the other key word of the day. I was fortunate to continue to connect with Twitch streamers and other content creators. After dining with friends–including our lovely friend Greysun from Game Rant–I hit up Video Game Trivia, hosted by Jacob McCourt. I cheered on the panel and chatted with them after the show. It’s days like these that make me incredibly grateful that I am able to travel to PAX conventions and cover news as press.


Courtney (Social Media Manager)

8,500 steps and still counting today. I hid in panels today, and let’s just say I’ve felt more inspired to keep creating more than I ever have from people like Steve Saylor all the way to Rebecca Ford. I feel like I have been summoned to create! There’s still plenty more happening like Video Game Trivia night and dinner, and we are just getting started. Take these words of inspiration from Doug Cockle, “Don’t wait for the door to open, kick it! As the night has come to an end, I would say I had the most fun out of the entire weekend, and I’m excited for a steady Sunday.


Pat (Chief Gaming Officer)

I have been running on all cylinders all day.  Sadly, I didn’t get much gaming in except for five minutes of Gex Trilogy, which is looking nice, by the way.  What I did end up doing was attending lots of panels that just happened to be hosted by the talented Ben Starr.  I was front and center at the Magic the Gathering x Final Fantasy panel.  They showed off some really great art that makes me want to start collecting cards.  If you get a chance, definitely check out the Sephiroth design.

This evening I went to another Natural Six show called Smash or Pass (without Trace), where the cast and audience would see a picture of a monster and decide whether we would smash or pass it.  It was a very raunchy show, and it continued to show just how witty Ben Starr is as he harassed the audience.  I also got to hang out with a friend that lived in the area as well and got to meet some new friends while waiting in line.  To me, that’s what PAX is all about.


Block (Senior Writer)

I didn’t feel my best today, and as a result, I didn’t spend a lot of time out on the exhibition floor. Instead, I took it fairly easy, browsing some booths before heading back to the hotel room and cherishing some time alone, away from the rambunctious two boys I have waiting for me back home.

I did get to spend some quality time with Ocean Drive Studio and their upcoming zombie survival horror game God Save Birmingham. The game has been on my radar ever since it was first unveiled last fall, and it didn’t disappoint in the slightest. I can see this being a huge success, something we’ll be talking about for a long time, if the developers manage to hit all of their ambitious goals. After speaking with them, I felt confident that they will land close to delivering one of the most unique, realistic zombie survival games we’ve ever played.

I also took time to think about this wonderful, diverse community we have in the gaming world. It’s so easy to think of gamers as these stereotypical nerds, but with every convention, I’m reminded of just how many people love and cherish gaming. With so many gaming options, it’s really no wonder: video games, card games, table-top games, competitive games, solo adventuring games, board games, rhythm games, shooting games, the media itself is just as wonderfully varied as the fans that love them.

Gaming is an escape. It allows one to embrace their inner desires, live out their fantasies, experience growth and opportunities that they may never find in real life, but can easily do so by picking up a controller, drawing from a deck, or moving their pieces across the board. Gaming is a safe space for so many people in a harsh world that can threaten their livelihood, or even their very existence. Seeing so many joyous faces finding joy in a largely tumultuous time solidified my thoughts that the gaming community is one of the best communities, and we should fight to keep it open for everyone.


Are you at PAX East? Come find us and say hi! If not, please continue to follow our adventures (and shenanigans) tomorrow!


The Boss Rush Podcast – A Podcast About Video Games

The Boss Rush Podcast is the flagship podcast of Boss Rush Media and The Boss Rush Network. Each week, hosts Corey Dirrig, LeRon Dawkins, Stephanie Klimov, and Pat Klein, as well as their friends, fellow content creators, developers, and industry veterans come together to discuss their week in gaming, including what they’ve been playing, a randomly chosen rotating weekly segment, the Boss Rush Banter of the week, answer community write-ins, and more. New episodes are released every Thursday. Members of The Boss Rush Network’s Patreon will receive the exclusive Pre-Show at any tier along with other perks.

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SPOTLIGHT: Dark Machine Games, Developer Behind White Knuckle - Boss Rush Podcast - A Podcast about Video Games

Dark Machine Games White Knuckle on Steam here.How does a small indie team turn a prototype into one of the most talked-about climbing games of the year?In this Boss Rush Network Spotlight Series interview, host Stephanie Klimov sits down with the team at Dark Machine Games to explore the incredible journey behind White Knuckle. What started as a rapid prototype quickly evolved into a unique first-person speed climbing experience blending tension, horror elements, and flow-state gameplay. The team dives into their inspirations for the game’s striking art and sound design, how community feedback shaped development during early access, and the unexpected boost from creators like Markiplier. They also discuss their growing recognition, including being featured in Forbes 30 Under 30, and what that means for the studio’s future. With new updates on the horizon, including the upcoming region “The Nest,” this episode highlights the power of community-driven development and the passion fueling one of indie gaming’s rising success stories.Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush Network Community Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Follow the Boss Rush Network on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X/Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for your continued support of the Boss Rush Podcast and the Boss Rush Network! If you listen on podcast services, leave us a 5 star rating and a nice review or comment. If you're listening to this episode on YouTube, subscribe to the channel, like the video, leave a comment, and hit the bell so you don't miss an episode posting. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our website for more great content⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ from Boss Rush and our community.

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Email your ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠questions to the podcast here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Nintendo Switch 2's lineup continues to become a stacked one for 2026, showing now signs of slowing down. This week on Nintendo Pow Block, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edward Varnell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Corey Dirrig⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ discuss the wave of new release date announcements including Splatoon Raiders, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Final Fantasy XIV on Switch 2, and more.They also discuss how Nintendo continues to expand its ecosystem with spin-offs, expansions, and their major franchises hitting new milestones, including the Super Mario movie franchise passing $2 billion globally. Pokémon TCG is getting a new expansion featuring Lucario, Resident Evil Requiem’s continues to hit new sales records for the franchise, and even a remastered collection of Ecco the Dolphin is making a comeback. They end the podcast as always with community questions and topics. This and more on Nintendo Pow Block!Join our Communities:Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush Network Community Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush Network Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Follow Nintendo Pow Block on Social Media: Nintendo Pow Block Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X/Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitch.TV⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the Boss Rush Network: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X/Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitch.TV⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow our Hosts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edward Varnell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Cofounder of Boss Rush Media and host of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nintendo Pow Block⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X/Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Corey Dirrig⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Cofounder and CEO of Boss Rush Media and host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nintendo Pow Block⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Xbox Casuals⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tower Casuals: The Destiny Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X/Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mastodon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support Boss Rush Network:Support Boss Rush on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and buy merch on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Store.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website at BossRush.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more great content.Thanks for Your Continued Support!Thank you for supporting Nintendo Pow Block! If you’re listening on podcast platforms, leave us a five-star rating and a review. If you’re watching on YouTube, subscribe, like, comment, and hit the bell so you never miss an episode. Your support means the world—see you next time on Nintendo Pow Block!

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Life is Strange and PAX East Discussions - Boss Rush Gamescast - A Gameplay Discussion Podcast

In this episode of Boss Rush Gamescast, Pat Klein, Stephanie Klimov, and Stoy Jovic cover everything from standout moments at PAX East to the evolving world of arcade and indie games. The crew explores world building in Crimson Desert, storytelling in Life is Strange, and the continued evolution of Mario with newer experiences like Wonder. They also share personal insights on game collecting, the impact of missing major vendors at conventions, and why the arcade scene is finding new life. It’s a wide-ranging conversation packed with thoughtful takes and firsthand experiences from across the gaming space.Join the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush Network Community Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Boss Rush Network: Follow Boss Rush Network on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X/Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support Boss Rush Network:Support Boss Rush on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and buy merch on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Store.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Boss Rush on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and visit our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website at BossRush.net⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more great content.Thank you for your Support!

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