Digital Extremes COO, World of Warcraft Design Manager Headline PAX Dev 2019

PAX Dev 2019 will kick off with an opening keynote from Sheldon Carter, Chief Operating Officer at Warframe studio Digital Extremes. The developer-only event returns to Seattle Aug. 27 – Aug. 28, giving creators valuable time to learn and interact with their peers before the gaming community descends upon the city for PAX West. The conference will also feature Blizzard Entertainment’s Craig Morrison to close the show by sharing his experience and insights as Design Manager of World of Warcraft. 

Prior to leading Digital Extremes and setting the world ablaze with the studio’s hit multiplayer shooter Warframe, Sheldon Carter got his start in the industry as an Associate Producer on BioWare’s beloved action RPG Jade Empire. He then went on to produce Dark Sector and serve as Creative Director on The Darkness 2 before guiding Digital Extremes as Studio GM. In addition to continuing to oversee development on a title enjoyed by more than 50 million players and various other projects, Carter co-hosts a weekly podcast, War with Art, where he chats about creative challenges and shares advice for fellow writers, game designers, and artists. 

Craig Morrison produced and directed MMORPGs, including Funcom’s The Secret World and Age of Conan, before leaving the Norwegian studio in 2013 to serve as Blizzard Entertainment’s Design Department Manager on World of Warcraft. Since then Morrison has taught game design as a lecturer at the nearby University of California Irvine and founded educational site StartMakingGames.com, a resource for aspiring game designers. 

Sheldon Carter and Craig Morrison are the tip of the spear for PAX Dev’s 2019 invigorated focus on mentorship and education. The event will include an expanded Mentor Lounge for students and professionals to meet one-on-one with veteran advisors along with a bevy of panels to educate, inspire, broaden understanding, and introduce new concepts and solutions. 

“PAX Dev is a great way for creators to concentrate on craft prior to the kickoff of PAX West,” said Jerry Holkins, co-founder, Penny Arcade and PAX. “Sheldon and Craig will be a significant part of that, passing down wisdom and lessons from their careers to catalyze a great professional conference.” 

PAX Dev takes place Aug. 27 – Aug. 28 at the Seattle Westin Hotel in Seattle. Registration for game makers and students is now open. Those interested in speaking at PAX Dev can submit panels here. Speakers receive a complimentary badge and PAX West 2019 attendee badge. 

The event will co-locate with the GamesIndustry.biz Investment Summit, where developers can connect with investors, take advantage of networking opportunities, and participate in talks designed around funding and publishing games. 

About PAX :

PAX,or Penny Arcade Expo, is a festival for gamers to celebrate gaming culture. First held in Seattle in 2004, PAX has nearly doubled in size each successive year, with PAX Prime 2014 selling out of tickets in a matter of minutes. Connecting the world’s leading game publishers with their most avid and influential fans, PAX expanded with a second show in Boston in 2010, and a third in San Antonio in 2015, making it the three largest gaming shows in North America. The first international PAX was held in Melbourne, Australia in 2013. In 2017, Penny Arcade established PAX Unplugged, its first tabletop focused show, held in Philadelphia.