E3 really took the wind out of our sails. Publishers, developers, and other industry insiders may be disappointed with its direction, but we media types still have tons to do during such events. So as the Xs on our calendars marched forward to PAX, we all uttered a sigh over our shattered nerves; we weren’t sure we could handle another "Final Fantasy 13 on 360" announcement without a minor stroke.

A rough-and-ready group of us have decided to chance their health on yet another game convention, all for the chance to see games like Dead Space, Need for Speed: Undercover, Dragon Age: Origins, Gears of War 2, Mirror’s Edge, and Warhammer Online. They’ve already landed in Seattle, audio recorders and thumbs at the ready, so you can expect news, previews, and interviews all weekend and into the coming week.