BOSTON – Jan. 31, 2011 – Jane McGonigal’s inspiring keynote on how games and gamers will make the world a better place will kick off PAX East.

One part developer, one part visionary and all optimist; Jane McGonigal is one of the leading champions challenging the conventional wisdom that gaming is a destructive, violent and anti-social influence on society.  Her work seeks to unlock ways gaming can create positive effects in individuals as well as how our collectively gaming can be used to create epic wins over huge real life problems.

“We can bring our love of games to our real lives... unlocking our natural ability to be more motivated, more optimistic, more curious, more collaborative, more determined, more resilient and more ambitious,” said Jane McGonigal.  “We can play games to practice being the best version of ourselves.  We should celebrate that and find ways to be a gamer in our real lives.”

McGonigal launched her mission to change the world at GDC in 2008 when she challenged developers to use gaming to tackle real world problems.  Since then she has worked at the Institute for the Future, collaborate on games that address everything from a world after peak oil to doomsday scenarios that threaten human extinction.

“Every gamer knows the kind of passion and dedication we bring to the games we love,” said Robert Khoo of Penny Arcade.  “The idea that we can take this and direct it outward to the real world is something we’ve always believed in.  Jane’s message is something that will inspire and hopefully provoke us all toward greater action.”

The PAX East festival will bring gamers together from across the globe for three days of celebration of gaming culture.  The Boston show will be jammed with panel discussions, concerts, tournaments and an exhibitor hall filled with the latest new games for pen-and-paper, tabletop, CCG, PC and console video game fans.  The event runs from Friday, March 11 – Sunday, March 13 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.