Thousands expected in Boston for popular gaming festival

PAX East, an annual celebration of gaming culture, is expected to draw tens of thousands of visitors to the Boston Convention and Expo Center.

In addition to the Seattle event, the festival has grown to include annual shows in Boston, San Antonio and Melbourne, Australia, drawing crowds clamoring to explore the latest games and technology.

The event's name is short for Penny Arcade Expo, a reference to the online comic strip whose makers founded the Seattle event.

Most visitors drawn to the event see gaming as a "lifestyle choice," he added, not a hobby.

Everywhere, fans dress up as their favorite characters from video games, movies and comics.