Get your dice bags ready and your minis secured for travel, PAX Unplugged 2025 returns to the Pennsylvania Convention Center from November 21–23. This fan-favorite tabletop celebration brings together gamers, storytellers, creators, and collectors for a weekend packed with analog adventures. Expect a massive vendor hall, non-stop gaming tables, insightful panels, and hands-on demos with your favorite publishers. Just like every PAX, Unplugged also delivers the full, amazing, nerdy community experience that makes the event feel like coming home. Whether it’s your first time attending or a yearly tradition, here’s a quick look at what to expect when the dice hit the table this November.
Location & Time
The Pennsylvania Convention Center is located at 1101 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA 19107, and is conveniently accessible by public transit, with nearby parking garages just a short walk away. For most attendees, however, the main entrance for general admission will be located at 1113 Market St. Although it is a bit farther from the convention center doors, this entrance offers more space for lines to form. With the chance for a cold November rain and lines potentially trailing down a few blocks, trust us that we’ll happily take the extra block walk for an easier entrance all the time.
Unplugged begins every day at 10:00 AM, but lines do form early. On Friday and Saturday, the event closes at 12:00 AM, and on Sunday, it closes at 6:00 PM. Expo Hall, the area for the vendors, will close at 6:00 PM each day. If you want to make the most of your time at Unplugged, arriving around 9:00 AM gives you a chance to queue up and hopefully get inside for the first few scheduled events. Be cautious of traffic, as the Philadelphia Marathon Weekend is taking place at the same time as Unplugged. Transportation and parking may be affected.
The Expo Hall
One of the biggest draws of PAX Unplugged is its massive Expo Hall, packed wall-to-wall with vendors, creators, and indie artisans showcasing their latest and greatest creations. From established tabletop publishers to up-and-coming designers and craft makers, there’s an incredible variety of booths to explore. You can easily spend hours browsing new releases, chatting with developers, and discovering hidden gems before even sitting down for a game. With the holiday season right around the corner, it’s also the perfect place to pick up a unique gift or a reward for yourself for walking through this massive space. We always make a point to spend plenty of time here, talking to designers and company reps who are eager to share stories, demo new titles, and offer a peek behind the curtain of tabletop creation.
Exhibitors
The exhibitors at PAX Unplugged represent the diverse range of businesses and crafts within the tabletop gaming community. You’ll see everything from major board game publishers unveiling new releases to small indie creators proudly showcasing passion projects that started around a kitchen table. Beyond the games themselves, many exhibitors specialize in accessories and gear that enhance the tabletop experience. From premium dice and playmats to storage solutions and custom terrain for role-playing adventures. You’ll also stumble across booths filled with handcrafted art, collectible minis, and the kind of delightful oddities that tabletop fans would want for their next game night. Each booth will showcase the creativity and craftsmanship that will keep attendees exploring the aisles throughout the entire weekend.
Here are only a few of the upcoming exhibitors and game titles to see at Unplugged:
Guest
This year’s lineup of guests spans the tabletop and gaming scene, as well as live-streaming events and TV shows. Expect to see familiar faces from popular podcasts and live play shows, including seasoned DMs, creative storytellers, and personalities who’ve helped make the tabletop community. Many have appeared on shows like Acquisitions Incorporated, PTI Fellow, Darrington Press, and Dungeons & Dragons Live. Whether you’re a long-time fan or discovering new creators to follow, checking one or all of these guests will offer great insights into the tabletop experience from a unique perspective.
Panels
Panels at Unplugged provide fans with a front-row seat to the creative minds shaping the tabletop gaming world. From game designers and developers to voice actors and content creators, these discussions dive deep into the craft of storytelling, world-building, and game design. Attendees can hear behind-the-scenes stories about how their favorite games are made, learn tips for running more engaging sessions, and explore the evolving culture of tabletop play. Whether it’s a design workshop, a live Q&A, or a fandom panel, these sessions capture the collaborative spirit and silly charm that attendees of all ages love.
Unpub
Unpub is one of the most engaging features of PAX Unplugged. In this space, raw tabletop creativity is truly on display. Here, attendees can playtest various prototype games. This provides direct feedback to designers and helps shape the next upcoming title. Some prototypes are nearly ready for publication, while others are still in the early stages of development, with handwritten notes and sketches. It’s a fascinating area to explore and a great way to support the creative process firsthand, as you never know which of these projects might be given a production release or turned into something new.
PAX Rising Showcase
The PAX Rising Showcase features a curated lineup of indie tabletop titles, each carefully selected by the PAX team. At these tables, you can meet the designers face-to-face, learn about their inspirations, and jump straight into a demo of their games. The selection offers a diverse lineup of titles, each with its own distinct mechanics and personality. Exploring these tables whenever possible is well worth the time to discover something new, and the creators are eager to engage in conversation with attendees.
First Look:
Want to check out the latest international games, but don’t want to take a plane? Then visit the First Look area, where international titles that haven’t yet hit American shelves made their debut. Each table features selected games from around the world, giving attendees a glimpse at global game designs. But gamers will have to be patient with a few of the games, as some have work-in-progress translations or no official translations, so you’ll have to rely on finding notes explaining the rules or a helpful enforcer. You can view the list of titles here.
Tournaments
PAX Unplugged hosts a wide range of daily and ranked tournaments each day. From classic card games and strategy favorites to modern board game showdowns, there’s something for every skill level and play style. For players who love a little friendly competition or are looking to watch an area move with high energy. Of course, if you are someone with an amazing set of minitatures and looking to test your tactical might, you will find challengers ready to battle. Many tournaments offer unique prizes, but almost everyone plays for the fun of the game. Many tournament games require registration; check out the scheduled games here.
Classic Board Game Room
The Classic Board Game room is a staple for us and many gamers to visit. Games from the past decades are brought together in one amazing collection, where you can spend time digging and playing fan-favorite titles or forgotten gems. The vibe in this room is often very casual, unless there is a tournament scheduled, and everyone will be standing around cheering for rising retro tabletop champions. This is a great place for those looking to escape the crowds while still enjoying a quick game.
After hours
When you need a break from the convention center, but still want to continue partying or gaming, there are plenty of off-site locations to visit. The city of Philadelphia offers a wide range of great food options in the surrounding area. From Chinatown, mere minutes from the convention center, to unique late-night eateries in the Midtown Village and Gayborhood. The only decision is what you want to eat. The best advice for dinner time is to, of course, make a reservation ahead of time, or arrive earlier than you want, in case there is a wait. Plenty of people will be staying in hotels in the nearby area, and if you happen to be lodging nearby, you can always strike up a conversation and join a late-night session with fellow geeks.
Last reminders:
As PAX Unplugged 2025 approaches, remember to plan ahead so you can make the most of every moment. Grab your badge early, check the official schedule for panels and tournaments, and wear comfy shoes. There’s a lot of ground to cover! Don’t be afraid to explore the Expo Hall, try out games in Unpub, or join a Free Play table; some of the most memorable experiences happen when you discover something unexpected. Most importantly, take the time to meet fellow gamers, connect with creators, and celebrate the vibrant, creative community that makes PAX Unplugged so special. Whether you’re here for the latest releases, the indie gems, or just the chance to roll some dice with friends, this November promises a weekend full of tabletop adventure you won’t want to miss.
