PAX Aus has 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.
With more than 20 years of experience, she’s an absolute veteran in the field and has had a hand in various massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), working with Blizzard Entertainment, Disney, and Sony Online Entertainment. As a result, Longdale has been an incredibly important figure in helping to build, evolve and bolster some of gaming’s most iconic and beloved franchises.
Longdale has also played a key role in many iconic franchises, with her work contributing to games from the 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.
She currently serves as Executive Producer of World of Warcraft at Blizzard Entertainment, overseeing one of the most successful and influential MMORPG franchises of all time. Her leadership also spans across 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 initially 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 on, she served as Lead Producer 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.
She commented on the news, stating, “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 various career highlights and 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 to 11th October.
For more information, updates, and to purchase badges, please visit the PAX Aus website or follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Discord and TikTok.
