Jerry Holkins & Mike Krahulik PAX West 2026 Interview – Penny Arcade Founders Talk Unplugged & More!

Known for their Penny Arcade webcomic, the global Child’s Play Charity, and the PAX gaming festival over 20 years strong, Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik have made – and continue to make! – a tremendous impact.

We recently spoke with Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik at PAX West 2026 about their many accomplishments – learn more with our interview…

Jerry Holkins & Mike Krahulik PAX West 2026 Interview – Penny Arcade Founders Talk Unplugged & More!

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Gamers Heroes 

I really appreciate the time!

I grew with Penny Arcade, along with On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode One – I was there for that!

Mike Krahulik 

Last time I was talking to Zeboyd, I was like: “It’s been a while!” 

Jerry Holkins 

When Poker Night at the Inventory hit, all these kids went to check it out!

Gamers Heroes 

No time like the present, right?  

Jerry Holkins 

Yeah, exactly! The fourth one’s now available on Steam.

Gamers Heroes 

I look forward to it – I know what I’m doing when I get home! 

I just covered the news, and I saw the announcement with Matt Mercer for the new PAX Unplugged Houston – that’s incredible! 

What inspired its creation, and what made you choose Houston for its location?

Jerry Holkins 

We’ve described this process to a few people, as these decisions come to us from our partners.

They have a system for determining if a place is right! Just like the Philadelphia show, this is a place the show can live and grow at its own pace.

That venue, along with the adjoining hotels and the general social environment, is something we’re primed to do. 

You know the miracle in Philly we’ve done!

Gamers Heroes 

Yeah, there’s definitely a market for it!

With all these different PAX events, I love the great sense of community, with so many great cosplays and great people.

I’d like to ask: What are some of your favorite community stories across all these different PAX events? 

I saw a video at PAX East of the Michael Myers cosplayers for Halloween: The Game – that’s perfect!

Mike Krahulik 

Seeing people put together the Joust event, I thought was always really fun!

Gamers Heroes 

Oh yeah, that’s Andrew at Marooners’ Rock – he does good work! 

Mike Krahulik 

The Joust tournaments were fun, and I love seeing the folks doing the Pokémon bar crawl with their pins and everything.

Jerry Holkins 

For me, I think we’re getting to the point where the community for PAX has begun to reproduce.

Gamers Heroes 

That’s how it should be – definitely keep it going!

One thing I love too are the indies – we actually got on Metacritic from our indie coverage!

What have been some of your favorite parts working with them? 

Shout out to Super Cucumber!

Jerry Holkins 

I’ve actually learned a bunch of things at the show!

That being said, our schedule is sort of set, and a lot of time is spoken for – but I do have a window after this!

Mike Krahulik 

Jerry and I were indie!

When we started in ’98, it was just the two of us in an apartment with a handmade website.

Mike Krahulik 

I have nothing but love for people who have that kind of passion, and I want to support them as much as I possibly can. 

Jerry Holkins 

A predecessor of Indie Megabooth was PAX 10.

We’re sort of sharing the iconography and other elements with the other shows, especially the one in Melbourne.

Jerry Holkins 

PAX10 – or PAX Rising – essentially provides free booths where you can show us a glimpse of your game.

That indie heart has always been really, really fundamental! 

That’s always going to be the sort of seed crystal of the show.

Gamers Heroes 

And that’s how it should be!

Talking about the community too, I love the PAX Enforcer program. 

I’ve met so many great people, and they’ve helped me out so many times – they found this meeting room for me! 

What are some of your favorite moments throughout the PAX Enforcer program?

Jerry Holkins 

Well, you have to understand, the Enforcers love to abuse us! [laughs]

Gamers Heroes 

It’s tough love! [laughs]

Jerry Holkins 

They will also routinely bar us from our own panels – it never ceases to entertain me! 

Mike Krahulik 

Personally, I think they set PAX apart from other conventions! 

Having a group of people so dedicated to just making sure that everyone has a good time and gets the help that they need at the show.

That doesn’t happen anywhere else!

Jerry Holkins 

It’s a calling – it really is special!

Gamers Heroes 

About to say, there are just so many great vibes – they bring the energy! 

Even on day two, they’re still bringing the energy, and I’m sure they’ll bring the energy come Monday [they did!] – respect to that! 

And then you crash! [laughs] 

Since starting PAX in 2004, what are some of your key learnings? 

Mike Krahulik 

24 hours – that was a key learning!

I remember walking through the Meydenbauer Center and seeing kids sleeping in the hall with BAWLS around!

That’s when I knew that 24 hours was going to be a thing of the past. 

You would see them sleeping over! It was like a bunch of drunkards in every way – except it was just BAWLS Energy. 

They had the root beer flavor of BAWLS, and they were just had a nest of these glass bottles. 

Jerry Holkins 

Good soda, but it does bring on dark dreams.

Mike Krahulik 

Other than that, I think that was the big takeaway from that first show. 

Just a lot of the magic of it to a certain extent; some of the things were just right.  

Jerry Holkins 

Yeah, some of the things were just right in the jump, and so we’re still doing it. 

One of the newest innovations would be Acquisitions Incorporated, live role playing.

That’s one of the durable additions that’s popped in.

Gamers Heroes 

Absolutely, and I can’t wait to see everything for the rest of the weekend!

So for people who want to either be an Enforcer, part of the Penny Arcade crew, ReedPop, or anything else –  what advice would you give to them? 

Mike Krahulik 

Spite – spite has helped a lot!

Jerry Holkins 

Sometimes that’s the food source that you need!

Mike Krahulik 

Yeah, you have to be passionate about what you’re doing – and you have to be too stupid to quit. 

Gamers Heroes

I like that!

Jerry Holkins 

My fear is a lot of the people looking for that come up, the ones trying to get on the vector….they may be too smart.

Mike Krahulik 

There are going to be many times it’s very obvious that you have failed, and you need to stop immediately – and not stopping.

That’s that’s the hard part.

Jerry Holkins 

And the other thing, because somebody mentioned this to me…

Someone had asked me this question on Twitter. 

It said:

“Do you ever get bored and stop working on projects and ideas you know are good? 

Do you chase whatever is fun at the time, or do you have a way to force progress?” 

I think some ideas are just wrong. 

I think the best way to encapsulate and sort of contain that type of energy is one of the things we say to each other:

“There isn’t any wasted work.”

I think it’s really hard to get your head around that. 

If you’re investigating yourself, and you’re trying to figure out what you want to do next…

Or you’re exploring your interests and doing these things…

It’s not going to be a problem if you explore your interests and do work. In our experience, any type of work that you’re doing is making you better at it! 

Eventually you might just need the skill points from that thing!

Maybe it didn’t turn out the way that you expected, or maybe that didn’t end up being the thing that was really the target to invest all of your energy in, right?

That being said, old ideas from things that didn’t work out can bubble up in these other new ways. 

None of it was wasted work!

Gamers Heroes 

I hear you loud and clear!

When I interviewed Z from Serenity Forge in July, he said something similar. You start by pinpointing your target and find what works, and then you fire the cannonballs!

Finally, keeping it light and poppy…what’s been your favorite part of PAX West so far?

Mike Krahulik 

My favorite part so far…

I’m here with my youngest – who’s 16 – and he’s got four of his buddies. Amazing guys! 

What are they doing? Magic the Gathering! They are just having the time of their lives. They go out to the food trucks, and then they come back in.

Seeing the show through a 16-year-old’s eyes is pretty cool!

Jerry Holkins 

Most of the time I’ve had to explore the show hasn’t been over at the other venue yet; it’s all been sort of locked in here.

What that means is that I’ve spent time mostly around tabletop type stuff! 

Jerry Holkins 

Some friends of ours made a game called Good Night, which is really cool on floor two. 

The truck delivered their booth to San Francisco – which is not Seattle.

He was pained to tell me, this, so they made a version of their logo out of cardboard they had found.

They then hung it on some empty draping, and then they went to Mox Boarding House to purchase copies of their own game. Not to sell them – but to play on the show for them. 

Just that unkillable spirit!

I was also really excited to see the new Gundam stuff in flesh!

Gamers Heroes 

I was just hearing about that! Great taste. 

Jerry Holkins 

Oh my gosh, Gundam Assemble! 

It was super hard to get the card game for a while, so we weren’t really able to catalyze our affection for it – because it’s really good!

Just in the other part of the booth, they have a ton of tables ready for Gundam Assemble, which is essentially their riposte into the world of Wargaming.

Jerry Holkins 

It has the most gruesome attack on the hobby I can imagine!

Stardust Trails is $35, and it includes six models, a board and terrain, dice chips, and cars.

That’s a good deal!

Gamers Heroes 

 A stupid good deal! 

That is a great closer – thank you so much. 

I really appreciate the time!

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For those feeling social, be sure to follow the official PAX Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, Bluesky, YouTube, and Twitch social media channels.

Be sure to follow Jerry “Tycho” Holkins on Bluesky!

Be sure to also follow Mike “Gabe” Krahulik on Bluesky as well!

Finally, an official PAX Discord server is also available for those looking to join the conversation.

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