On May 18, YGG Pilipinas hosted the YGG Pilipinas Roadtrip Cebu at Ayala Malls Central Bloc, a groundbreaking event that brought together the local Web3 community to explore the future of crypto, blockchain, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and Web3 gaming. This event featured the latest in Web3 games, Filipino Web3 influencers, content creators, and local e-sports stars, highlighting the Philippines’ emerging role in the Web3 gaming landscape.
The event saw the participation of international game developers and industry leaders who traveled to Cebu to share their insights and experiences. Notable attendees included Simon Davis, CEO and founder of Mighty Bear Games, the developer behind Mighty Action Heroes in Singapore; Jill Keshyap, executive producer, and Martha Schoppa, game product manager from Immutable Games Studio in Australia, known for games like Metalcore and Guild of Guardians; and Ganesh Hande, director of product, and Ratul Sathish, community game manager of SuperChamps, developed by Joyride Games in California.
Simon Davis expressed his optimism about the potential of the Filipino Web3 gaming community. “In 2021, many of my friends were discussing Web3 gaming and crypto, and honestly, I did not get it. Then I saw what YGG was doing with this amazing community in the Philippines, and that changed everything. You guys might not see it yet, but you guys are the future of gaming. The way that all of us approach game design and game development is changing around Web3, and it’s all thanks to the Philippines,” said Mr. Davis.
Mighty Action Heroes plans to further engage with the Filipino gaming community by organizing tournaments in the Philippines and India, with champions from both countries set to compete in the finals.
The event also featured the YGG Esports Team, with Team Captain Ian Dela Cruz, known as Disi, sharing his journey from traditional trading card games (TCGs) like Magic: The Gathering, Hearthstone, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Pokémon to playing competitively in the Web3 TCG Parallel. Parallel is currently available on PC through its website, Parallel.life, where new players can start with a free Starter Deck in Rookie Mode.
Frederick Dela Casa Amores, Regional Director of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Region 7, highlighted the significant potential of Web3 technologies in the Philippines. “We are very grateful to YGG for bringing this event here to Cebu. We are in full support of YGG Pilipinas’ efforts in bringing Web3 and this emerging technology to the city of Cebu. This initiative aims to strengthen local community experiences and provide opportunities to the youth and the young at heart in Cebu by bringing these games closer to our shores. The YGG Pilipinas Roadtrip is not just a series of events—it is a movement. A movement that champions accessibility, transparency, and community in the digital realm,” said Mr. Amores.
The event attracted over 600 attendees, including hundreds of students from Sisters of Mary School, who participated in giveaways and played Web3 games during the show matches. Featured games included Sipher Odyssey, Mighty Action Heroes, Zeeverse, Mines of Dalarnia, Everseed, Parallel, Guild of Guardians, Rumble Racing Star, Arena of Faith, Petopia, and Superchamps Bullet League. Additionally, a vibrant Cosplay Fiesta with ARCHcon Cebu showcased a variety of anime, comics, and role-playing game cosplayers.
The YGG Pilipinas Roadtrip will continue its journey with upcoming stops at Ayala Malls Abreeza in Davao on June 1, Ayala Malls Capitol Central in Bacolod on June 22, and Ayala Malls TriNoma in Quezon City on July 14. This initiative is set to further solidify the Philippines’ position as a key player in the evolving Web3 gaming arena.
