PAX Aus 2026 Announces Holly Longdale as Storytime Speaker

PAX Aus today announced that globally renowned game developer and MMORPG leader Holly Longdale will headline PAX Aus 2026 as this year’s Storytime speaker, sharing stories about shaping some of the world’s most defining games.

A veteran of the games industry with more than 20 years’ experience in massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) with the likes of Blizzard Entertainment, Disney, and Sony Online Entertainment, Longdale has been instrumental in building, evolving and sustaining some of gaming’s most iconic franchises.

Across her career, Longdale has played a key role in some of the industry’s most recognisable franchise-based titles, contributing to major properties including Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, and the long-running EverQuest series. Her work has consistently focused on building and maintaining large-scale game universes that engage millions of players over decades.

Currently serving as Executive Producer of World of Warcraft at Blizzard Entertainment, Longdale oversees one of the most successful and influential MMORPG franchises of all time. Her leadership spans World of Warcraft Classic and Modern (including the recently released World of Warcraft: Midnight expansion), helping guide the franchise and keep it fun and rewarding for millions of players around the world.

Longdale’s career began at Sony Online Entertainment, where she worked across multiple EverQuest expansions, rising to Assistant Lead Designer before later returning as Executive Producer overseeing the entire franchise. During her tenure, she led the development of expansions, live content strategies and the evolution of business models that helped define how persistent online worlds operate today.

Between her tenures at Sony Online Entertainment, Longdale joined Disney Interactive Studios as a Senior Producer, where she provided creative direction and design leadership across a slate of licensed titles, including Cars Mater-National, Disney Fairies: Tinker Bell, Up! and The Princess and the Frog.

Later she stepped into a Lead Producer role at the Walt Disney Internet Group, where she led the development of online experiences connected to major franchises such as TRON, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Hannah Montana.

“I’m honoured to be joining PAX Aus to celebrate the power of games and the communities that grow around them: places where people come together through play, creativity and connection,” said Holly Longdale, Executive Producer for World of Warcraft. “From World of Warcraft to gaming more broadly, it’s those communities that shape what we build and I’m looking forward to sharing how we’re thinking about the future of Warcraft with the same focus on listening, creativity and deep respect for the players who make Azeroth feel like home.”

“PAX Aus is thrilled to have Holly Longdale as our 2026 Storytime speaker. Holly Longdale represents the very best of what PAX Aus celebrates; creativity, community and the power of games to bring people together,” said Lauren Luciani, PAX Aus Event Director. “Her experience in shaping MMORPGs and globally recognised franchises makes her uniquely positioned to speak to the future of interactive worlds.”

Longdale’s Storytime will explore her career highlights and the many lessons learned leading teams that have brought player communities together through game experiences, particularly in the MMO space.

PAX Aus takes place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from 9th-11th October.

For more information, updates and to purchase badges, please visit PAX Aus website or follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Discord and Tiktok.

For further information, please contact:

Rachel Robertson
rachel@rocketcomms.com.au
0419 881 791

About Blizzard Entertainment

Best known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), which was acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed and genre‑defining games over the last 35 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via Battle.net®, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.

About PAX

PAX is a festival for gamers to celebrate gaming culture. First held in Seattle in 2004, PAX connects 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 them the three largest gaming shows in North America. The first international PAX was held in Melbourne in 2013, and has since become Australia’s largest gaming festival. The brand also expanded to include a dedicated tabletop expo, PAX Unplugged in Philadelphia, US.
Website: http://www.paxsite.com

RX is a global leader in events and exhibitions, leveraging industry expertise, data, and technology to build businesses for individuals, communities, and organisations. With a presence in 25 countries across 41 industry sectors, RX hosts approximately 350 events annually. RX is committed to creating an inclusive work environment for all our people. RX empowers businesses to thrive by leveraging data-driven insights and digital solutions. RX is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. For more information, visit www.rxglobal.com.

RELX

RELX is a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. RELX serves customers in more than 180 countries and territories and has offices in about 40 countries. It employs more than 37,000 people, around 40% of whom are in North America. The shares of RELX PLC, the parent company, are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX.

*Note: Current market capitalisation can be found at http://www.relx.com/investors

About Melbourne International Games Week:

Melbourne International Games Week (MIGW) is Australia’s foremost games festival, encompassing a range of public activities, showcases, business development events, conferences, and education opportunities. Established in 2014 by the Victorian Government, MIGW was held for the first time in 2015 and delivered by Creative Victoria for just over a decade. Now delivered by ACMI, Australia’s national museum of screen culture, MIGW connects Australia’s games sector with general audiences and international peers to celebrate the potential of games and the people who make them.