PAX Prime 2011: David Jaffe to keynote, Halo Fest will be huge, Minibosses and more to rock

PAX Prime, the west coast Penny Arcade Expo is coming soon – and God of War and Twisted Metal creator David Jaffe will be taking stage to kickoff the three-day gaming convention as keynote speaker. Jaffe, who previously blasted the games media for fawning over ‘art’ games, calling it “smoke-and-mirrors-bullshit,” has never been known for mincing words, so we’re looking forward to hearing what he has to say at this year’s show.

In addition to the usual panels and game demos from well known companies, like BioWare, Capcom, and Activision, PAX Prime will also host Microsoft’s Halo Fest. PAX Prime representatives promise that the Halo fest will be “largest and most expensive Halo experience anyone has ever seen,” and will take over the third floor annex at the Washington State Convention Center. Theofficial siteteases tournaments, exclusive panels, and exclusive Halo merchandise for fans as a way to commemorate ten years of Halo.

But PAX Prime isn’t just about checking out booths and panels. It’s also about the music. This year Jonathan Coulton, MC Frontalot, Metroid Metal, the Minibosses, and Paul and Storm will be playing during the event’s nightly concerts. Supercommuter and The Video Game Orchestra will also be making their first appearance at this year’s PAX Prime.

If you haven’t already gotten a ticket to this year’s PAX Prime in Seattle, Washington, we’re sorry as tickets are sold out. But if you’ve got your badge, keep an eye out for GamesRadar. We’ll be covering the show and podcasting at the event. Also, be sure to look for PC Gamer’s panel, tentatively scheduled for August 26. We’ll keep you updated on the exact dates and times when the official PAX Prime schedule is finalized.