Huge Crowds Attending Major Gaming Event At Trade Center

Hoards of gamers are attending the wildly popular PAX Prime gaming convention at the Washington State Convention Center Friday and over the weekend.

Local gaming companies including Wizards of the Coast, Microsoft and NCSoft, as well as companies from around the world, are part of the event where gamers to gather and experience the latest in tabletop and video gaming.

The line just to get in stretched over the freeway at the Seattle convention center for gamers clamoring to see what’s new in gaming.

Once inside, gamers got free T-shirts, watched games and new graphics and got hands-on time with new games.

“It makes you happy, and you know even when things are really bad, everybody has to have something that makes them happy, right?” said Skyla Grimes.

Grimes came over from Sequim for the convention and told KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reporter Michelle Millman that even in a tough economy gamers will find a way to do this.

After a few minutes at PAX, Millman could see that the attendees are passionate about gaming.

“Those who play games and come to conventions, they like (games) so they’ll save up their money. I know I’ve been saving for a while to come here,” said Avi Silver of Seattle.

Renton-based Wizards of the Coast is showing off its newest game at the convention. Even during the recession, they said games “are 'recession proof.'

Other game designers said business has never been better.

“If people can’t go on trips or buy a new car, they still can buy a game. Entertainment is core to people’s well-being,” said Tim Willits with id Software.

Over the course of the three-day convention, organizers expect more than 75,000 gamers to attend. It runs until 6 p.m. on Sunday.