It’s hard to believe that PAX Aus has already been and gone for 2026. The weekend of the 9th to the 11th of October hosted Australia’s largest celebration of games and gaming culture.
As I got off the train at Southern Cross (Melbourne’s major train station), I spotted my first Cosplayer. Now this isn’t an unfamiliar sight in Melbourne, but then there was another and another, and as I walked the 10-ish minutes to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, you could feel the magic in the air.
Now if you know anything about me, you know I love people, and nothing makes me happier than seeing people being happy. PAX AUS is not just about video games. It brings together all aspects of gaming culture. Tabletop, card, role-playing, indie games, retro games, the latest in AAA titles, panels and guest speakers, community events and cosplay. You name it, and it is represented at PAXAUS.
The first thing I did was scare myself senseless at the Sega booth with a session of Alien Isolation 2. And I must say, I was impressed. The demo was 20-ish minutes long and introduced you to some of the mechanics and the alien itself. I was playing in a dark room with 9 others. The person beside me let out a scream and jumped out of their seat, scaring everyone in the room. We all had a good chuckle. Loved every second of it! And I got given an awesome hat.
Bandai Namco was there with Ace Combat 8: Wings of Thieves
What expo isn’t complete without a visit to Games Workshop and the Total War Booth?
I played some board games and bought a cairn-building stone stacking puzzle game called Gravitas. Each game is made up of real stones from nature (gross, right), so no two versions are the same.
You roll a die and must stack the associated piece; if they fall, you add them to your hand. First to stack all their pieces wins.
And I drove a digger. I told them I was forklift certified, but no one seemed to care.
All of the gaming tech and gadget companies were there; I forbade myself to purchase anything, but I came close to leaving with this 50 series that looks like a Space Marine drop pod
PAX Rising
One of the highlights of PAXAUS for me this year was PAX Rising.
PAX Rising is a place for independent developers to show off their games. The showcase highlights diverse genres ranging from cozy simulation games and dark mysteries to action roguelites and platformers.
We here at the Gamer Social Club absolutely love indie games. However, this time was a little special, because a publishing company called CODE bought out some fantastic developers from New Zealand to showcase what they had been working on.
Code is a government-backed economic development agency that supports the video game development and interactive media industry in Aotearoa.
So let’s crack into some of the highlights of my PAXAUS 2026
Burger Bois
- Developer & Publisher: Mischief Makers Studio
- Release Date: TBC
- Platforms: PC
Become Patty, the accidental owner of a failing food business. Craft tasty (or nasty) burgers, discover new ingredients, and work hard(ish) to redeem your reputation on the way to the best parking spot of all time. Play with your food in this cozy food truck simulator!
There is a playable Burger Bois demo on Steam
Middle Management
- Developer & Publisher: Headplug Games
- Release Date: TBC
- Platforms: PC
Middle Management is a satirical office building and management game. Design an office. Hire the right talent. Spread your tentacles. Keep your rebellious workers productive. Delve into brains to design the perfect employees. DON’T YOU DARE cross your boss or his INFLUENTIAL clients.
Box Knight
- Developer & Publisher: We Made A Thing Studios
- Release Date: Out Now
- Platforms: PC
The office has fallen into darkness. A ‘toxic’ workplace has transformed the once happy employees into dark and dangerous creatures. The office waits for a hero.
Box Knight is a 2D/3D co-op roguelike beat ’em up. Get together with your friends and beat the toxic work culture from your coworkers as you fight your way through different departments, collecting unique power-ups along the way to confront the boss, and make those Friday night beers all the sweeter.
There is a playable Box Knight demo on Steam
The Isle of Lost Bees
- Developer & Publisher: Triple Bee Games
- Release Date: TBC
- Platforms: PC
The Isle of Lost Bees is a cozy creature collection game full of cute Australian bees.
Plant your flowers to attract bees, collect pollen, and use it to upgrade your equipment to research new flowers to attract different bees.
With a full upgrade and perk tree, use your science points to synergise your bees into the ultimate pollen-producing empire in search of the ultimate visitor, the Grand Bee.
Just make sure you bring your EpiPen.
There is a playable The Isle of Lost Bees demo on Steam
Night Plane
- Developer & Publisher: Liquid Static Studio
- Release Date: 26 Oct, 2026
- Platforms: PC
Night Plane is a job-sim horror game where you work as a flight attendant on a doomed plane. Check tickets, serve passengers, and decide who stays onboard as demons hide among innocent souls. Naturally, management says it’s your problem.
There is a playable Night Plane demo on Steam
Killing Things With Your Friends
- Developer: Flightless
- Publisher: Vendetta
- Release Date: TBC 2027
- Platforms: PC
Rip limbs off mutants and use them as weapons in this chaotic co-op survival game about dark humour and dismemberment. Hack through mutant hordes, work as a team, and survive lethal challenges for profit!
Cozy Game Restoration
- Developer & Publisher: Parasol Corp
- Release Date: 5 Nov, 2026
- Platforms: PC
Cozy Game Restoration is a soothing simulator where you gently bring forgotten video game cartridges back to life. Tear wrapping paper, peel old stickers, lift away grime, and transform dusty relics into cherished collectibles. No pressure or failure, just the quiet joy of restoring memories.
Cozy Game Restoration has a playable demo on Steam
Dungeon Pizza
- Developer & Publisher: Blab Labs
- Release Date: TBC
- Platforms: PC
A cooking game with a fantasy twist! Knead the dough, spread the sauce, and prepare… the rat chunks?! Open your own pizzeria deep inside a dungeon, serving weary adventurers who come to rest and refuel between their quests and bounties.
Penguin Colony
- Developer & Publisher: ORIGAME DIGITAL
- Release Date: Available Now
- Platforms: PC
Cosmic horror, through the eyes of a penguin. Rival human factions have come to your home in the Antarctic, seeking an ancient and inconceivable being. Observe their descent into insanity in this faithful reimagining of H.P. Lovecraft’s At the Mountains of Madness and other stories.
Penguin Colony has a playable demo on Steam
No Humanity – Internship
- Developer & Publisher: SweatyChair
- Release Date: December 2026
- Platforms: PC
No Humanity – InternShip is a chaotic physics-based space survival game where interns swing, smash, and build their way to survival. Use rope mechanics to collect resources, battle enemies, and expand your space colony. Explore humorous cave biomes and survive absurd corporate tasks in deep space.
No Humanity – InternShip has a playable demo on Steam
The Troll and the Witch’s House
- Developer & Publisher: Little Bandit
- Release Date: TBC
- Platforms: PC
The Troll & The Witch’s House is a point-and-click adventure game set in a strange house filled with mysteries. Piece together fragments of the past, uncover secrets and find the key to your escape.
Beyond These Stars
- Developer & Publisher: Balancing Monkey Games
- Release Date: Available now
- Platforms: PC
Build a city on the back of a Space Whale and learn to coexist as you journey through the stars. Manage intricate supply chains and the needs of your people as you build outposts, meet aliens, and uncover the mysteries of the universe.
Beyond These Stars has a playable demo on Steam
Apothecurse
- Developer & Publisher: Lesser Key Studios
- Release Date: TBC
- Platforms: PC
Faced with expulsion from his order, fledgling alchemist Leon must brave the seas and travel to Port Gelour, a plague-ridden city on the brink of revolution. Craft potent potions, befriend quirky locals, and uncover the dark secrets lurking beneath the waves in a quest for alchemy and discovery!
Apothecurse has a playable demo on Steam
Cyber Paradise
- Developer & Publisher: DDmeow Games
- Release Date: TBC
- Platforms: PC
Revive Mini-the-dog digitally in an atmospheric, neon-drenched cyberpunk world of roguelite action and cafe stories
Cyber Paradise has a playable demo on Steam
This is not even half the games I played at PAXAUS 2026. I have some interviews and deep dives planned for the coming months, so keep an eye out for those.
And remember, if you like the look of any of these demos, please follow their socials and wishlist. You would not believe how much it helps.
The Gamer Social Club runs a Monthly “Book Club” for gamers. Where we play games from our backlog or the latest Indie gem everyone is talking about. So, join The Gamer Social Club Discord to become involved in this month’s Game of the Month.
We also have several weekly shows on The Gamer Social Club Network YouTube channel to keep up to date with news, reviews, interviews, and all sorts of fun.
