After officially launching its fifth market in the Philippines, leading esports and Web3 company Ampverse secures the nation’s largest gaming creator Edgar “ChooxTV” Dumali, with nearly 30 million social followers, to become an investor and brand ambassador for its Filipino esports team and lifestyle brand Minana.

This major deal comes as part of Ampverse’s growth strategy, following its commitment to invest more than P100 million to drive and accelerate the local gaming industry.

Streamer and content creator ChooxTV is known for his ingenious off-meta picks and wacky antics on his livestream and was named MVP of the Year in the 2021 Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Awards Gala.

“Excited akong mag-invest sa Minana dahil sa pagbibigay daan nito na magkaroon ng isang panibagong  ‘youth lifestyle brand’ na magpapakita ng galing ng mga Pinoy,” Dumali said.

(I’m excited to invest in Minana as I really share their vision of creating a next generation youth lifestyle brand that celebrates the very best of Filipino talent.)

Alongside him, other notable gaming talents such as Eric Eruption, Hypebits, Lhea Bernadino, King Jasro, and Elanorm will also become brand ambassadors for Minana – totaling up to 55 million followers for all combined creators.

The newly formed Minana Esports are the current champions of the Philippine National Esports League in Mobile Legends. Prior to that, the team has won 11 straight championships and aims to be the most successful esports team.

In line with becoming the fastest-growing esports and Web3 company in Asia, Ampverse aims to build Minana into a leading Filipino youth lifestyle brand that spans entertainment, fashion, music, and lifestyle.

“We are incredibly proud to kick off Minana with a successful run and an official championship title under our belt. We will continue to build our success in competition, but at the same time create inspiration for the Filipino youth,” Minana Team Lead and Ampverse’s Regional Expansion Manager Julius “Banoobs” Mariano said.

A streamer with over 100,000 followers and named the “godfather of esports and gaming in the Philippines,” Mr. Mariano previously worked as country manager for Twitch, an Amazon-owned video live streaming service platform.

“Our vision is bigger than just competitive gaming, it’s about igniting the passion in every generation and building Minana as the leading youth culture hub for all gamers, creators, and anybody to fulfill their dreams,” Mariano added.

The Game Developers Association of the Philippines (GDAP) is delighted to announce GDAP BizCon 2022 : the association’s first official conference and business matchmaking event dedicated to both local game development industry players and international companies interested in the Philippine market. Conference talks will include sessions from Valve, Google Play, Niko Partners, and Razer Gold.

GDAP BizCon 2022, an online B2B event, has been organised with the aim of bridging the gap between local studios and international game industry players in order to boost business development and investment opportunities. The virtual event is scheduled for September 28-30, 2022 and will take place on the MeetToMatch platform. Tickets are free for students and priced at £4-£8 for industry professionals.

The event will provide an excellent platform for Philippine-based video game developers and service providers to connect with game publishers, investors, and solutions providers. It will also offer an opportunity for all participants to learn about the Philippine game industry and learn from industry experts from around the globe.

BARELY two days after super typhoon Karding barreled through several cities and provinces in Luzon, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) wasted no time in delivering relief aid to thousands of affected families in three towns in Bulacan.

PAGCOR distributed 1,500 food relief items to the typhoon victims in the municipalities of Malolos, San Miguel and Calumpit, which were severely flooded after hours of incessant rains inundated the towns’ low-lying areas and prompted local officials to implement emergency evacuation.

The state-run gaming firm immediately conducted relief activities in Bulacan following reports that the province was among the areas that suffered the brunt of the destruction brought by the typhoon. The flash-flooding in San Miguel, in particular, resulted to the death of five rescue workers when a wall collapsed on them at the height of the storm’s onslaught.

According to Bulacan Provincial Social Welfare Officer Rowena Tiongson, they performed preemptive evacuation procedures in communities that were in constant danger of heavy flooding to ensure the safety of the residents.

“Ang bayan ng San Miguel ang pinakaapektado nitong nagdaang bagyo, at sa ngayon ay mayroon kaming 88 evacuation centers kung saan pansamantalang nanunuluyan ang mahigit isang libong pamilya matapos kaming magsagawa ng preemptive evacuation,” Tiongson said.

In Calumpit, a town that is perennially facing the problem of severe flooding during the rainy season and in events of water spills from nearby reservation dams, Barangay Sapang Bayan village chief Roberto Lucas was thankful that their community only suffered minimal damage from the typhoon.

PAGCOR is set to deliver relief aid to more areas in Luzon severely affected by the typhoon in the coming days. #