
GDS2026 Concludes with Record-Breaking International Participation, Strategic Partnerships, and a Shared Vision to Create More
Clark, Pampanga, Philippines | February 6, 2026
The GameDev Summit (GDS) 2026 officially concluded after three days of meaningful conversations, international collaboration, and new opportunities that reinforced the Philippines’ growing role in the global games industry.
Held from February 3–5, 2026 at the Hilton Clark Sun Valley Resort, this year’s summit welcomed over 350 delegates representing more than 30 countries, bringing together game developers, publishers, investors, service providers, educators, government leaders, and ecosystem builders under one shared purpose—to strengthen the future of game development in Asia and beyond.
Centered around the theme “Create More,” GDS2026 challenged the industry to look beyond growth and focus on creating more opportunities, more innovation, more collaboration, and more globally competitive game studios.
Building Connections That Matter
Unlike traditional conferences focused solely on presentations, GameDev Summit continues to prioritize meaningful business relationships.
Throughout the event, delegates participated in hundreds of curated business meetings through the official MeetToMatch platform, resulting in 413 confirmed meetings across publishers, developers, external development partners, investors, middleware providers, and government representatives.
Whether discussing publishing opportunities, co-development partnerships, outsourcing collaborations, investment, or regional expansion, GDS once again served as a trusted platform where conversations translated into tangible business opportunities.


A Global Stage for Asia’s Growing Games Industry
The summit featured over 40 distinguished speakers from some of the world’s leading game companies and organizations, including:
- Bandai Namco
- Arrowhead Game Studios
- Blizzard Entertainment
- Electronic Arts
- Epic Games Store
- Guerrilla Games
- Deck13 Interactive
- DigixArt
- Agora Gaming Partners
- and many more.
Key discussions explored topics shaping the industry’s future, including:
- The evolving global games market
- External development and co-development
- Investment trends and funding opportunities
- AI and emerging technologies
- Building original intellectual property
- Live service operations
- Publishing strategies
- Talent development
- Regional collaboration across Asia
The diversity of perspectives highlighted one common message: Asia continues to play an increasingly important role in shaping the future of the global games industry.
Spotlight on the Philippines
A major focus of GDS2026 was showcasing the Philippines as an emerging hub for game development talent and services.
The Philippine Indie Showcase highlighted fifteen local studios developing original games, providing direct exposure to international publishers, investors, media, and potential partners.


Meanwhile, Project Butterfly, presented in partnership with Electronic Arts’ External Development & Innovation team, gave selected studios the opportunity to receive direct portfolio feedback from experienced industry professionals—offering valuable guidance to help prepare projects for international markets.

These initiatives reflect GameDev Summit’s long-term commitment to helping Filipino studios compete globally through access, education, and meaningful industry connections.
Industry, Government, and Academia Working Together
One of the defining strengths of GameDev Summit continues to be its ability to bring together stakeholders from across the entire ecosystem.
Government agencies, academic institutions, industry associations, and private sector leaders participated in discussions around talent development, investment attraction, export growth, and strengthening the Philippines’ digital creative economy.
The summit reinforced the importance of long-term collaboration between industry and government in creating sustainable growth for the local games sector.


More Than a Conference
GameDev Summit has always been designed as more than an annual event.
It serves as a platform where conversations become partnerships, introductions become collaborations, and ideas evolve into real business opportunities.
From networking receptions and roundtable discussions to workshops and curated meetings, every aspect of the summit was built around fostering genuine relationships across the global games ecosystem.
Looking Ahead
As the global games industry continues to evolve, collaboration across regions has never been more important.
GameDev Summit remains committed to helping connect Asia with the rest of the world while providing a platform that empowers studios of every size—from independent developers to established international companies.
Planning is already underway for GameDev Summit 2027, where the community will once again gather to explore new ideas, create new partnerships, and continue strengthening Asia’s position in the global games industry.
To everyone who attended, spoke, sponsored, partnered with, volunteered, and supported this year’s summit—
Thank you for helping us Create More.
We look forward to welcoming you back in 2027.
About GameDev Summit
GameDev Summit (GDS) is the flagship international B2B conference created, produced, and presented by GameOps, Inc., a Philippine-based game services company dedicated to advancing collaboration and sustainable growth across the global games industry. Held annually in the Philippines, GDS brings together game developers, publishers, external development studios, investors, technology companies, educators, government agencies, and industry leaders to connect, collaborate, and build the future of game development.
As the company behind GameDev Summit, GameOps created GDS to serve as more than just an annual conference—it is a platform for fostering strategic partnerships, sharing knowledge, showcasing innovation, and strengthening connections between Asia and the global games ecosystem. Since its launch, GDS has grown into one of Asia-Pacific’s fastest-growing video game industry events, helping position the Philippines as an emerging hub for game development, external development, and original IP while creating opportunities that extend far beyond the summit itself.
