SEATTLE – June 25, 2026 – Show organizers ReedPop and Penny Arcade reveal Marc Merril, the Co-Founder, Co-Chairman, and Chief Product Officer at Riot Games, will kick off PAX West 2026 as the storytime speaker. The West Coast’s most-attended gaming event returns to the Seattle Convention Center this Labor Day weekend from Friday, Sept. 4, through Monday, Sept. 7, 2026.
Merrill will be the first to take the Main Stage on Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, for a fun and personal retrospective celebrating his career. Marc is renowned for leading the developer and publisher behind beloved classics cumulatively played by hundreds of millions, including League of Legends, VALORANT, Team Fight Tactics, and more.
After founding Riot Games in 2006, Marc became their first Chief Product Officer and expanded their portfolio with titles such as Riftbound and Legends of Runeterra. Merrill also serves as Executive Producer on the 2021 award-winning animated Netflix series Arcane, as well as on the Board of Directors of several non-profit organizations, including City Year Los Angeles, Unite America, and Seal Family Foundation.
PAX West 2026 will host gaming and pop culture fans from around the world over Labor Day weekend. Attendees can check out hands-on demos of hotly anticipated games and panels with legendary game developers, journalists, and creators. Fans of AAA, indie, and tabletop gaming can round out the weekend with concerts, competitive gaming tournaments, community meetups, and more to be announced over the coming months.
“Marc Merril’s Storytime is going to be like getting in a time machine for the industry’s past, present, and future. His experience spans two decades, toiling behind the scenes of a global phenomenon,” said Jerry Holkins, co-founder of Penny Arcade, Child’s Play, and PAX. “Of course, attendee badges give people at the show access to the entire seat – but they’ll only need the edge.”
PAX West 2026 badges are available now. Four-day badges are priced at $252.00, while Saturday-only badges are available for $84.00, Friday or Sunday-only badges for $77.70, Monday-only and BYOC (Bring Your Own Computer) for $56.70, and the new Kids 4-Day badges for $56.70 for children up to 12 years old.
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