The 2019 installment of PAX West is right around the corner, and it’s going to be packed with gaming at every turn. If you’re still wondering what to do there, we’ve rounded up 10 fantastic panels taking place during the event. PAX West will be held at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle from August 30 through September 2. There’s still a handful of tickets left for Monday (September 2) here.

Friday, August 30

Historical & Visual Transgender Representation in RPGs

Cat Theatre

12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

The tabletop industry has seen a rise in transgender representation, but there's still work to be done. This panel, which features voice actor Greyson Simon, journalist Kikka Delarose, Green Ronin Publishing game designer Crystal Frasier, and content creator Angela Lemus-Mogrovejo, will talk about what changes need to be made for more inclusion at the table.

Gaming while Other: accessibility, diversity, representation

Hippogriff Theatre

5 p.m. - 6 p.m.

When it comes to diversity in games, there's been a plethora of growth. Unfortunately, this kind of change doesn't happen overnight. A panel of industry personnel discuss how things can improve to broaden the level of diversity. Harebrained Schemes technical producer JC Lau, Ubisoft product marketing manager Andrien Gbinigie, I Need Diverse Games founder Tanya DePass, Take This clinical director Raffael Boccamazzo, and developer Cherry Thompson will be on hand for this panel.

The Best Damn Geek Bar Panel Ever

Sasquatch Theatre

6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

While they were far and few between back in the day, geek bars have been popping up all over the country. Bar owners Lynn Richter (Oak and Shield Gaming Pub), Dave Aceto (Arcadia National Bar), Jason Kapalka (Storm Crow), Edward Schmalz (Pawn and Pint), and John Morris (Mox Boarding House) talk about the ups and downs of running their businesses and give pointers for those looking to open their own in the future.

Saturday, August 31

VG247 Presents: So You Think You Can Act? Video Game Actors and a Casting Director will Rate Your Performance

Sphinx Theatre

1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Have you ever played a video game and thought you could do a better job than the voice actors? Well, this panel allows you to read lines in front of some popular video game actors in the field. Along with casting director Julia Bianco Schoeffling, actors Cissy Jones (Firewatch), Sarah Elmaleh (For Honor), Jennifer Hale (Mass Effect), and Sam Lake (Max Payne) will be on hand to give pointers. The panel will be moderated by VG247 assistant editor Alex Donaldson.

Sound Design Live: Watch Us Recreate Video Game Sounds

Sasquatch Theatre

5 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Over the decades, video games have graced us with some of the most iconic sound effects. Whether its Mario collecting coins or a roundhouse kick in Street Fighter II, some of these sounds still stick with us today. Blipsounds owner Ryan Stunkel will showcase how its done while recreating some popular sound effects during this panel.

Sunday, September 1

From Screen to Team: When Content Creators Make Video Games

Raven Theatre

12 p.m. - 1 p.m.

After playing video games online, these content creators decided to make games of their own. Rooster Teeth co-founder Geoff Ramsey, Hyper RPG CEO Malika Lim Eubank, Sandbox Strategies Influencer Relations Clara Sia, and youtuber JackSepticEye talk about what it's like to be on the other side of things.

Beats to Play Games to: The Art of Game Music Remixes

Cat Theatre

3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Video game remixes from outlets such as OC ReMix and Gamechops have often become more popular than their original compositions. Composers John “Slide20XX” Smith, Kyle Martin (Kylydian Music), Patrick Allred, and Mitchel Wong talk about what makes these remixes great while giving the crowd tips on crafting their own remixes.

Monday, September 2

USGamer Presents: The Twisted Timeline of Metal Gear Solid

Sphinx Theatre

10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Are you confused with the perplexing storylines in the Metal Gear Solid franchise? Well, USGamer will help sort things in an hour! Joining USGamer reviews editor Mike Williams in this panel are Gameranx producer Tom Johnson, former Game Informer news editor Imran Khan, and Greenlit Content senior creative director Jeremy Parish.

GamesIndustry.biz Presents: So You Said Something Stupid On Social Media

Sphinx Theatre

12 p.m. - 1 p.m.

There's nothing like social media drama to kickstart the day. Many folks in the gaming world have found themselves in the center of a PR nightmare. This panel deals with the proper way to take care of a social media crisis. Joining GamesIndustry.biz staff writer Rebekah Valentine in this discussion are Stride PR CEO Robert Brown, The Story Mob comms director Will Powers, and Minecraft head of player operations Aubrey Norris.

Pitch a Board Game in 60 Seconds!!

Hippogriff Theatre

3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Board games have been coming in hot over the years. If you have an idea for an exciting new game, this panel is for you. In a 60 second pitch, a group of industry personnel will determine if your game could be the next big thing. AEG chief operating officer Ryan Dancey, Catalyst Game Labs game designer Talon Coleman, Waitress Games game designer JR Honeycutt, Gold Nugget Games CEO Cody Thompson and Zephyr Workshop's Breeze Grigas (director) and Sarah Como (producer) will be on hand on hear your ideas.

This past weekend, hundreds of developers showcased their latest and future games at Play NYC. With thousands packing the Metropolitan Pavilion, many walked away with their new favorite game. We look at five games that stood out at NYC”s biggest gaming convention. Follow Play NYC on Facebook and Twitter for updates on next year’s event.

Hey Cutie

Developed by One Method Monkey, Hey Cutie combines the excitement of dating with the thrill of board games. Your goal is to date as many people as possible, and there's a wide variety of individuals for your choosing. In order to win their hearts, though, you must build stats and throw on some fancy attire. The Kickstarter for Hey Cutie is set to go live in September. You can sign up for their mailing list here.

Battle Royale For Your Heart

Mixing battle royales and romance, visual novel Battle Royale For Your Heart lets you find a partner both on and off the battlefield. Developed by LegendEx Games, you'll be able to choose from multiple partners. If you're only interested in battle, you can simply ignore the romance portion. You can download the demo here.

Tomato Smush Bois

Developed by Blake Andrews, Tomato Smush Bois is a great throwback to '80s gaming. In the game, your goal is to destroy as many tomatoes as possible. As you continue doing damage, the screen becomes drenched in red and green pixels. While there's no release date for this game, follow Andrews on Twitter for any updates.

Repertoire

Repertoire allows you to make beautiful music without any prior music experience. All you need is a smartphone and your fingers. Developed by Playful People, this game features a plethora of beloved piano classics such as Bach's "Little Prelude No. 939" and Chopin's "Grande Valse Brillante". You can pick up a free beta test version here.

The Last Hex

Developed by That Indie Studio, The Last Hex is a deckbuilding RPG in the vein of Slay the Spire and Dimensions of Dreams. After picking your class, you're off to battle numerous enemies in randomized worlds. With the correct cards in hand, you'll be able to fend them off. The game is currently in early access.