Web3 gamers, developers, and blockchain experts, cosplayers, and content creators gather at the YGG Play Summit from November 19 to 23 in Taguig City. On its third year, the summit brings together the latest in web3 games, along with panel talks and thousand-dollar pool tournaments. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News MANILA -- Yield Guild Games Play Summit 2024, the biggest and annual celebration of Web3 gaming, concluded its week-long event where it was joined by the largest community of gamers, guilds, developers, renowned content creators, and industry leaders at the Samsung Hall of SM Aura Premiere, Taguig City from November 19 to 23. 

The event featured a one-day conference, a series of game demos and tournaments, the first-ever IRL GAM3 Awards ceremony, and a cosplay competition, allowing the attendees to learn more about the future of gaming, emphasizing blockchain integration, and providing a thriving market for upcoming Web3 games. 

For three years in a row, the Philippines has been primed for onchain adoption, ranked by Coingecko as the world’s most interested in web3 gaming.

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For YGG Pilipinas Country Head Mench Dizon, the summit continues to be an avenue to touch the hearts of the Filipino gaming community, paving the way for a more inclusive and technology-driven environment. 

“It warms my heart knowing you flew from all over just to visit Manila, perhaps curious why our nation lies at the heart of Web3 and what adoption truly looks like through gaming and play,” said Dizon during her closing address for Industry Day.  

This, Dizon believes that play remains at the center of YGG. 

“Despite the tides that have beset our industry, our community remains strong and steadfast,” she added.

BROADER VISION FOR WEB3 GAMING 

In an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN News, YGG Pilipinas' Campaign Director John Sedano expressed his optimism in redefining the boundaries between work and gaming in the Web3 arena.

“You can expect the next biggest games that will be on the market, so if you like playing Valorant, DOTA, Mobile Legends, Call of Duty, and PUBG, all of those but even better in Web3,” Sedano said.

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According to him, there are several games available on YGG that are similar to Valorant or Call of Duty wherein the monetary aspects of these games are already on blockchain. 

“For example, if you earn 10 tokens or 10 free spins, those are recorded on blockchain and can’t be fake. You know how gambling [works], there are tester or trial accounts, but on blockchain, the games we play in YGG are true and everything is open to the public. You are already in blockchain and crypto without even knowing it," he explained. 

Sedano further detailed the broader vision of web3 gaming compared to traditional games. 

“I always like to tell people the difference between gaming today and web3 games—gaming of the future. In games of the future, the tokens and the coins you earned in games, you can consider that to be your own money... so the time and effort you put in the games, you can monetize it, and you can be rewarded for playing,” he added. 

"Nagkakatotoo ‘yong sinasabi ng parents natin na ‘kakacomputer mo ‘yan,’ so there’s a future in gaming. We’re helping to bridge that gap between education and the technological aspects of it," he continued.

PROVIDING JOBS, OPPORTUNITIES 

As the web3 gaming industry continues to grow, Sedano also shared how YGG proved a valuable opportunity to reinforce the viability of pursuing a career at a macroeconomic level.  

“It's really just providing jobs in this new gaming space. Filipinos, as an English-speaking community, are very talented and most primed for the web3, cryptocurrency, and blockchain industries. Adoption for technology is way faster than other Asian countries; that is also the reason why the Philippines, I’d say, is a melting pot for talent,” YGG campaign director shared.  

Hence, Sedano urged Filipinos that it’s time to branch out and connect with the global community. 

“Instead of them visiting us in the Philippines, I think we are ready to compete globally, and we really have good esports players," he said. 

Beyond the lined-up tournaments and Industry Day, the summit also highlighted the exclusive red carpet premiere of “Metaverse Filipino Worker,” a five-part series exploring how Filipinos are embracing web3 as a new frontier for work.

Meanwhile, YGG also held the first in-person GAM3 Awards Night, where over US$5 million in prizes were awarded to the year’s best web3 games, culminating in the crowning of the 2024 Game of the Year.  

More than 60 innovative web3 games were showcased at this year's summit, and over 100 creators and cosplayers participated, fostering an enjoyable and community-driven gaming experience.