Penny Arcade, creators of the popular gaming comic strip of the same name, has revealed plans for a "bigger and badder" celebration of video games and game culture at the 4th annual Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) scheduled to take place August 24-26th in Seattle, USA. Pre-registration for is now open at pennyarcadeexpo.com.

The new PAX location at the Washington State Trade and Convention Centre more than doubles the floor space to over 200,000 square feet of soon-to-be-released game products, tournaments, concerts, contests and lots more. Previously held in nearby Bellevue, PAX had outgrown its earlier space due to rapidly increased interest from both fans and exhibitors.

“We conservatively expect 30,000 hardcore gamers in Seattle this summer, making us the fastest-growing and largest gamer festival in North America,” says Robert Khoo of Penny Arcade. “Exhibitors and attendees keep spreading the word about PAX; it's amazing, but attendance doubles each year.”

The new Seattle location is a major metropolitan city with world class dining, entertainment and accommodations as well as easy access to a major airport hub. Dozens of game companies call the area home, including Microsoft, Nintendo, Privateer Press, ArenaNet, Wizards of the Coast, and Flying Lab Software.

PAX is unique in that it "gives equal love to all games, whether they're played on a television, computer monitor, or tabletop". Highlights include a large new exhibit floor, nerdcore concerts and the Omegathon three-day tournament. Pre-registered attendees gain early entrance to PAX and are eligible to compete for major gaming prizes in the Omegathon.