PAX Online 2020 is kicking off this Saturday, and it won’t be like other online conventions this year. While other conventions go for the weekend, PAX Online will last for nine straight days on PAX’s official Twitch channels. No matter when you’re awake, something will be going down at the convention. We take a look at 10 panels happening throughout this massive event that you should check out. More information on PAX Online can be found here.

Saturday, September 12

Sid Meier’s Memoir!: A Conversation with Sid Meier about His Life in Computer Games

7:30 p.m. EST/4:30 p.m. PST

Iconic programmer Sid Meier will take part in a pre-recorded panel about their new book Sid Meier’s Memoir!: A Life in Computer Games, which was released this week. Many people know him as the creator of the acclaimed Civilization video game series. For their accomplishments, Meier was inducted into The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in 1999. The stream can be viewed here.

Sunday, September 13

The Lyrical: From Games to Gigs

5:30 a.m. EST/2:30 a.m. PST

Australian musician The Lyrical will unveil a special pre-recorded performance for PAX Online. Inspired by their love of video games, The Lyrical have unveiled a slew of original material, including their 2018 studio album Remember The Roots. When they're not playing music, The Lyrical is streaming on their Twitch channel. You can watch the stream here.

Monday, September 14

Dungeons & Drag Queers

5:30 a.m. EST/2:30 a.m. PST

Dungeons & Drag Queers will invade the event with a special one-shot live show. This series follows three heroes and their adventures in the town of Xan'moxie. Peak Distapan, Candice Gallimore, Jack Gorman and AJ Lamarque will take part of this event. Previous episodes of Dungeons & Drag Queers can be heard here. The panel can be viewed here.

35 Years of Stomps: Ranking Mario’s Enemies

1:00 p.m. EST/10 a.m. PST

With Nintendo celebrating Mario's 35th anniversary, the folks at Nintendo World Report will come together to rank the plumber's foes in a pre-recorded panel. Where will enemies like Shy Guys and Boos land on this list? You can watch the panel here.

Tuesday, September 15

A Hero for All: A Chat on Diversity with the Cast of Overwatch

2:15 p.m. EST/11:15 a.m. PST

Overwatch features one of the most diverse roster of characters today. In this pre-recorded panel, several voice actors from the game will discuss their journey into voice acting and the joys of representing different cultures in Overwatch. Jen Cohn (Pharah), Anjali Bhimani (Symmetra), Paul Nakauchi (Hanzo), Crispin Freeman (Winston), Benz Antoine (Baptiste), Carolina Ravassa (Sombra), and Keith Silverstein (Torbjorn) will take part of this panel. You can watch the panel here.

Saturday, September 19

Next Gen Composers Arise!

3:30 p.m. EST/12:30 p.m. PST

Some of the brightest video game composers will come together in a pre-recorded panel about working in the industry. Sarah Schachner (Assasin's Creed: Valhalla), Gareth Coker (Halo Infinite), Wilbert Roget (Mortal Kombat 11), Ludvig Forssell (Death Stranding), and Mick Gordon (Doom) will be on hand for this event. You can watch the panel here.

How to Make the Worst Video Game Adaptations Possible

4 p.m. EST/1 p.m. PST

Over the decades, many video game adaptations left a bad taste in everyone's mouths. With this live event, a slew of panelists will talk about the worst video game adaptations ever and come up with their own horrible adaptations as well. Game designer Liam Edwards and video game writer Mike Drucker will host the panel with special guests Detective Pikachu writer Dan Hernandez, Honest Trailers writer Danielle Radford, and game designer Xalavier Nelson. You can watch the panel here.

Vampire: The Court of Cups

6 p.m. EST/ 9 p.m. PST

Vampire: The Court of Cups will hold a special live show at PAX Online. This series follows a group of vampires hanging out in coffee shops and drinking blood. The show features Jasmine Bhullar as The Storyteller, Tabitha Sheehan as Ulrika Draeger, Patrick Groome as Dogfood, Lidija Piper as Dr. Charlotte Lamb, and Holly Conrad as Elizabeth Wonder. Previous episodes of The Court of Cups can be heard here. The panel can be seen here.

Sunday, September 20

New Games, Old Consoles

6:15 p.m. EST/3:15 p.m. PST

Over the years, many developers have found success with developing games for retro consoles such as the original Nintendo and the Sega Genesis. This pre-recorded panel dives into the ins and outs of creating new titles with old school hardware. Mega Cat Studios' founder James Deighan and lead designer Andrew Marsh will be on hand for the discussion. Mega Cat Studios is best known for their titles Tanzer, Coffee Crisis, and Log Jammers. You can watch the panel here.

Tea with Grandma Gamers: Old Ladies Talk #$%@ about Games

6:30 p.m. EST/3:30 p.m. PST

Anyone who says old people can't play video games clearly haven't met Jessa, Shirley Curry, and Merrie. These three ladies have been dominating the Let’s Play world, and they'll be joining forces to talk about their experiences in a pre-recorded panel. You can watch the panel here.

Five panels to catch at C2E2 2020

February 23, 2020 by Terrance Pryor in Conventions

The 2020 installment of the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo arrives in a few days, and everyone is packing last minute things for the popular convention. If you’re looking for something to do in between autograph signings and show floor purchases, here are five panels worth checking out.

Tickets for C2E2 are still on sale here. You can save $10 by purchasing them before Thursday (February 27). The convention will take place at the South Building at McCormick Place from February 28 through March 1. More information about the convention can be found here.

Tabletop Streaming Secrets
Friday, February 28
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Room S403

Over the past few years, TTRPGs have seen growth thanks to Twitch and podcasts. Encounter Party podcast cast member Ned Donovan and Theatre of the Mind Players members Rob Wieland, Ethan Eichstadt-Anderson, Tony Cheek, Brad Davies, and Tawnie Thompson will discuss how to properly stream your next session for the world to see and hear.

15 years of Zenescope - Traveling Through the World of Fairy Tales
Saturday, February 29
11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Room S405a

Zenescope Entertainment co-founder Ralph Tedesco will be on hand to celebrate the company's 15 year-anniversary at C2E2. Founded in 2005, the company has released popular titles such as Grimm Fairy Tales and Monster Hunter's Survival Guide. They've also unveiled licensed series based on Charmed, Final Destination, and Se7en. Other people joining this special panel are Zenescope's social media marketing specialist Allison Ray and artists David Nakayama and Jason Metcalf.

Making Comics: For Women, By Women
Saturday, February 29
4:15 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.
Room S405a

Creators Lily Williams, Karen Schneemann, Kat Leyh, and Lucy Knisley talk about the process in making comics specifically for women. Last month, Williams and Schneemann released the graphic novel Go With The Flow, which follows a group of high school students learning about themselves and the world around them. Earlier this month, Kat Leyh unveiled the graphic novel Snapdragon, which follows a young girl befriending an old witch. On Tuesday, Knisley will release (I Miss You): Cartoons from the Fog of New Parenthood, which documents her life as a new mother.

C2E2 Crown Championships of Cosplay
Saturday, February 29
7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Main Stage - S406

The C2E2 Crown Championships of Cosplay will bring the best cosplayers from around the world for one final stop. The winner will walk away as the Global Champion of Cosplay and have $10,000 in cash prizes waiting for them. Ivy Doomkitty, Ginoza Costuming, and PepperMonster Cosplay will be judging the competition.

Women of Marvel
Sunday, March 1
12:15 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Room S401

The Women of Marvel panel, which is being moderated by Judy Stephens, returns to C2E2 with three of the best writers in the industry. Acclaimed writer Gail Simone is best known for her work on Birds of Prey, Batgirl, and Wonder Woman. Last year, she worked on Domino: Hotshots and Tony Stark: Iron Man. Leah Williams made her Marvel Comics debut in 2017 with Totally Awesome Hulk #1. She currently writes for the titles Gwenpool Strikes Back and Amazing Mary Jane, and she’ll be writing the forthcoming X-Factor series. Rainbow Rowell began writing young adults novels before jumping into comic books with the 2017 revival of Marvel's Runaways. Last summer, she unveiled the graphic novel Pumpkinheads.