PAX West kicked off in grand form this year. Not only were attendees greeted with the usual fanfare – colorful signage, video game themed banners, live musicians playing “Gotta Catch ‘Em All” – they were also met with the news of PAX Unplugged Houston. Speaking with Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins, the co-creators of Penny Arcade, I was able garner some insight into what it takes to run a successful gaming expo. One of the things that caught my attention was the notion of security; While it wasn’t the main topic of our discussion, hearing their thoughts on the subject proved to be enlightening given the recent developments at Gamescom.
Both Mike and Jerry felt that it was important to safeguard everyone who attends PAX. And while they don’t directly handle security themselves, they were knowledgeable of the difficulties that’s associated with such a task. Jerry, for instance, mentioned how the size of Gamescom’s venue could potentially be an issue. “I believe that event center is actually quite large,” explained Jerry. “I don’t actually know how security works in a context where you can’t just shut the external doors”. The aspect that Jerry speaks of was in full effect at PAX West this year. Spread across multiple buildings, after a certain point, several entrances shifted to “exit only.” Security guards made sure to direct traffic as hundreds of people moved about downtown Seattle.
That’s not to say that Gamescom didn’t do the same. Or that this would’ve prevented the several instances of theft that plagued the show, considering some happened overnight. Mike and Jerry acknowledged that it’s a big task for any company. They both genuinely felt bad for everyone involved – from the developers that had their equipment stolen to the folks who ran the con. What really bothered them the most, however, was Gamescom’s response to the situation. “Listen, I had heard that it happened,” said Mike. “And as being someone who like, is affiliated with the convention. I was like ‘that sucks for them. That, really does suck. But then I saw their response.”
Mike goes on to say that their initial response – which Gamescom has since apologized for – felt like it came from ChatGPT. There was a certainly coldness to it, with the notion of individually booked security and the need to insure one’s equipment in case of theft. When speaking on the developers and general attendees, Mike said that he would feel horrible. “I would prostate myself in front of them”. Jerry, who felt the same, said he would respond by lean on Gamescom’s partners. “Gamescom is massive and it has so many exhibitors and so many hardware partners,” explained Jerry. “I know that it’s like a little greasy, but I would just activate the @$%^ partners. I would hook [the developers] up.” The idea being to do more than just say you’re sorry. Actually, help those in need after something like this goes down.
One of the things I admire about Mike and Jerry is how passionate they are about this sort of thing. They felt for Gamescom, given their experience with running similar events. But they also whole hardly agree with the criticism its getting right now. If something like this were to happen at one of the (now five) PAX events, they’d try their best to not only make things right, but also take responsibility for what went down. “We’re the mascots. We’re not the one writing the checks,” explained Mike. “[But] there are times when Mickey Mouse has to say what needs to be done.” Gamescom, after the backlash it received, seems to feel the same way.
