The YGG Play Summit, scheduled for 19-23 November 2024 at the SMX Convention Center Aura in Taguig City is set to be a landmark event, redefining the realms of gaming and work in the Web3 era. During a recent press conference, Yield Guild Games (YGG) provided a sneak peek into the summit’s highlights, which will include an array of innovations in Web3 gaming, interactive sessions, and insights into the future of digital work.
A central theme of the summit is the evolution of digital play, as Web3 technology reshapes player ownership, engagement, and in-game economies. The summit will spotlight how classic strategy games like chess and trading card games (TCGs) are being reimagined for the Web3 space. Through blockchain integration, these games now offer players new ways to strategize, trade digital assets, and immerse themselves in complex gameplay.
An engaging discussion during the conference featured Brian Chan, Head of Anichess, and Carlo Ople, CEO of Unbox Digital Media Group, moderated by Jayvee Fernandez, Technology Editor for the Philippine Star. They discussed Anichess’s unique integration of “spells” and NFT assets within the classic chess format, enhancing the experience with fantasy elements and player-controlled assets. Ople highlighted how Web3 TCGs such as Parallel empower players by allowing them to truly own and trade their digital collections, mirroring the dynamics of physical card games and fostering a fairer environment for competitive gaming.
The YGG Play Summit will also explore the future of work in Web3, with YGG co-founder Beryl Li unveiling the “Future of Work” program aimed at equipping community members with valuable skills for the digital economy. This program reaches beyond gaming, enabling skill-building in fields like AI data labeling and decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN), thus expanding economic opportunities for skilled individuals worldwide. Fellow panelist and Coins.ph CEO Wei Zhou highlighted how cryptocurrency exchanges can facilitate seamless conversions, enabling digital workers to easily access their earnings in Philippine pesos.
Mench Dizon, Country Head of YGG Philippines, expressed optimism about how Web3 gaming is bridging the gap between play and work, “We’re excited about how the future of play connects with the future of work because digital skills learned in web3 games are becoming relevant across industries. The convergence of web3 and AI is going to redefine the way we work and play together, and we’re seeing the early signs of this today.”
The summit will feature a main Industry Day conference with over 50 Web3 experts and innovators, including YGG co-founders Gabby Dizon and Beryl Li, Jesse Pollak from Base, and Paul Bettner, co-founder of Wildcard. Invite-only Leaders Roundtables will also be held, aimed at generating insights on Web3 gaming trends for 2025. Leading companies like HyperPlay and Mantle are backing the summit, alongside sponsors such as Aptos, Ubisoft, and OpenSea.
Beyond discussions, the YGG Play Summit will offer interactive events, including the Gamer Expo with demos and tournaments for top Web3 games such as Star Atlas and Blade of God X. Esports tournaments will add competitive excitement, featuring a US$100,000 Parallel TCG event and prize pools for games like Arena of Faith and Anichess. The event will also include a Game Jam with a PHP500,000 prize pool and a cosplay contest with a PHP130,000 prize pool.
Highlighting the celebration of digital innovation, the summit will host the first in-person GAM3 Awards with a performance by the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as an exclusive premiere of the Metaverse Filipino Worker video series at SM Aura Premier Cinema.
With tickets available on the official YGG Play Summit website, this five-day event promises to offer a comprehensive look into the transformative power of Web3 in gaming and work, connecting enthusiasts, developers, and thought leaders to shape the future of digital play and productivity.