Create More Collaborations: Strobetano’s GameDev Summit Story

When GameDev Summit (GDS) was founded by GameOps, its mission was clear — to create meaningful connections and collaborations across borders, empowering developers from emerging regions to find their voice on the global stage.

Today, that mission continues to shine through stories like Strobetano, an indie studio founded by Roberto Bendinelli, an Italian-Filipino developer based in Switzerland whose journey perfectly captures what both GDS and GameOps stand for: building bridges through creativity, collaboration, and community.

A Story That Begins With Passion

For Roberto, games have always been more than just entertainment — they’re a language that unites his love for art, music, programming, and storytelling.

“Minecraft was probably the spark,” he recalls. “At school, instead of studying, I was making games — school didn’t love me back for that, but I got something better out of it.”

Born in Italy to a Filipino mother and Italian father, Roberto grew up with two perspectives that shaped his resilience and imagination. “From my Filipino side, I learned to make the most of what I have and to persevere no matter how hard things get,” he shares. That spirit led him to create his first mobile game, Spord, in 2019 — the seed that would grow into Strobetano, now based in Switzerland.

How GameDev Summit Became the Catalyst

The turning point came when Roberto attended GameDev Summit 2025 in Boracay, produced by GameOps. Introduced by Andrea Catania to Alexis Geronga, Co-Founder and Executive Producer of GDS and GameOps Business Development Director, Roberto found the event to be the ideal gateway to reconnect with his Filipino heritage and unlock new global collaboration opportunities in game development.

“The Filipino game dev community has so much untapped talent, and I wanted to be part of that energy,” he says. “GDS was the perfect platform to do that.”

From the moment he arrived, he knew GDS was unlike any other event. “At huge expos like Gamescom or Nordic, you’re often just another face in the crowd. But GDS felt different — intimate, friendly, and inspiring. The setup made it easy to just talk, share stories, and connect. It wasn’t about selling; it was about belonging.”

This approachable format — something GameOps intentionally designed into GDS’s DNA — allowed organic conversations to turn into real-world collaborations.

Turning Conversations Into Collaborations

That openness led to Strobetano’s breakthrough — a co-development partnership with Jamal Studios, a rising Filipino indie team Roberto met during GDS.

“Meeting Jamal Studios was like spotting a younger version of myself — hungry, talented, and ready to push forward,” Roberto says. “I had an idea for a project with big potential but no time to bring it to life. I pitched it to them, and now we’re co-developing a game called Crowfish, which we plan to showcase at GDS 2026.”

What started as a casual conversation during a networking session quickly turned into a long-term cross-border collaboration — proof of how GDS’s environment of trust, diversity, and accessibility can turn shared passions into successful partnerships.

A Ripple Effect Beyond the Summit
The impact didn’t stop there. Roberto began planning to expand Strobetano into the Philippines, establishing a studio in Batangas City — his family’s hometown — with the goal of nurturing local talent and connecting Filipino developers with the global industry.

“I bought land in Batangas thinking I’d just build a house,” he shares. “But that idea evolved into building a studio too — something that could serve both as a professional base and a personal anchor.”

He’s also exploring a partnership with Batangas State University to create an accelerator program for students — providing mentorship, resources, and access to publishers. “I want to use my European connections as a bridge — to give Filipino developers a platform to reach global audiences,” Roberto adds.

This aligns perfectly with GameOps and GDS’s shared vision of developing talent pipelines and creating sustainable co-development ecosystems across Asia and beyond.

Proof That GameDev Summit Works

For the GameDev Summit team, Strobetano’s story is one of the clearest proofs of impact — demonstrating how the summit continues to create cross-border collaborations and empower emerging developers worldwide.

What began as an indie showcase slot in Boracay became a multi-country co-development project, the establishment of a new Philippine studio, and the foundation of an educational accelerator for the next generation of creators.

GDS didn’t just connect people — it helped transform those connections into opportunities that strengthen the entire ecosystem.

Looking Toward GameDev Summit 2026

As Crowfish prepares for its debut at GameDev Summit 2026, Roberto remains deeply grateful for what the event — and the team behind it — set in motion.

“Go for it,” he tells other indie developers. “But don’t stress yourself out trying to ‘network.’ Relax, enjoy, and make friends. Your best self comes out when you’re comfortable — and that’s exactly what GDS makes possible.”

For GameDev Summit, powered by GameOps, stories like Strobetano’s reaffirm the event’s purpose — creating a space where borders fade, creativity thrives, and partnerships flourish.

From Boracay to Batangas and beyond, GDS continues to prove that when developers come together, they can truly create more.

When GameDev Summit (GDS) was founded by GameOps, its mission was clear — to create meaningful connections and collaborations across borders, empowering developers from emerging regions to find their voice on the global stage.

Today, that mission continues to shine through stories like Strobetano, an indie studio founded by Roberto Bendinelli, an Italian-Filipino developer based in Switzerland whose journey perfectly captures what both GDS and GameOps stand for: building bridges through creativity, collaboration, and community.

A Story That Begins With Passion

For Roberto, games have always been more than just entertainment — they’re a language that unites his love for art, music, programming, and storytelling.

“Minecraft was probably the spark,” he recalls. “At school, instead of studying, I was making games — school didn’t love me back for that, but I got something better out of it.”

Born in Italy to a Filipino mother and Italian father, Roberto grew up with two perspectives that shaped his resilience and imagination. “From my Filipino side, I learned to make the most of what I have and to persevere no matter how hard things get,” he shares. That spirit led him to create his first mobile game, Spord, in 2019 — the seed that would grow into Strobetano, now based in Switzerland.

How GameDev Summit Became the Catalyst

The turning point came when Roberto attended GameDev Summit 2025 in Boracay, produced by GameOps. Introduced by Andrea Catania to Alexis Geronga, Co-Founder and Executive Producer of GDS and GameOps Business Development Director, Roberto found the event to be the ideal gateway to reconnect with his Filipino heritage and unlock new global collaboration opportunities in game development.

“The Filipino game dev community has so much untapped talent, and I wanted to be part of that energy,” he says. “GDS was the perfect platform to do that.”

From the moment he arrived, he knew GDS was unlike any other event. “At huge expos like Gamescom or Nordic, you’re often just another face in the crowd. But GDS felt different — intimate, friendly, and inspiring. The setup made it easy to just talk, share stories, and connect. It wasn’t about selling; it was about belonging.”

This approachable format — something GameOps intentionally designed into GDS’s DNA — allowed organic conversations to turn into real-world collaborations.

Turning Conversations Into Collaborations

That openness led to Strobetano’s breakthrough — a co-development partnership with Jamal Studios, a rising Filipino indie team Roberto met during GDS.

“Meeting Jamal Studios was like spotting a younger version of myself — hungry, talented, and ready to push forward,” Roberto says. “I had an idea for a project with big potential but no time to bring it to life. I pitched it to them, and now we’re co-developing a game called Crowfish, which we plan to showcase at GDS 2026.”

What started as a casual conversation during a networking session quickly turned into a long-term cross-border collaboration — proof of how GDS’s environment of trust, diversity, and accessibility can turn shared passions into successful partnerships.

A Ripple Effect Beyond the Summit
The impact didn’t stop there. Roberto began planning to expand Strobetano into the Philippines, establishing a studio in Batangas City — his family’s hometown — with the goal of nurturing local talent and connecting Filipino developers with the global industry.

“I bought land in Batangas thinking I’d just build a house,” he shares. “But that idea evolved into building a studio too — something that could serve both as a professional base and a personal anchor.”

He’s also exploring a partnership with Batangas State University to create an accelerator program for students — providing mentorship, resources, and access to publishers. “I want to use my European connections as a bridge — to give Filipino developers a platform to reach global audiences,” Roberto adds.

This aligns perfectly with GameOps and GDS’s shared vision of developing talent pipelines and creating sustainable co-development ecosystems across Asia and beyond.

Proof That GameDev Summit Works

For the GameDev Summit team, Strobetano’s story is one of the clearest proofs of impact — demonstrating how the summit continues to create cross-border collaborations and empower emerging developers worldwide.

What began as an indie showcase slot in Boracay became a multi-country co-development project, the establishment of a new Philippine studio, and the foundation of an educational accelerator for the next generation of creators.

GDS didn’t just connect people — it helped transform those connections into opportunities that strengthen the entire ecosystem.

Looking Toward GameDev Summit 2026

As Crowfish prepares for its debut at GameDev Summit 2026, Roberto remains deeply grateful for what the event — and the team behind it — set in motion.

“Go for it,” he tells other indie developers. “But don’t stress yourself out trying to ‘network.’ Relax, enjoy, and make friends. Your best self comes out when you’re comfortable — and that’s exactly what GDS makes possible.”

For GameDev Summit, powered by GameOps, stories like Strobetano’s reaffirm the event’s purpose — creating a space where borders fade, creativity thrives, and partnerships flourish.

From Boracay to Batangas and beyond, GDS continues to prove that when developers come together, they can truly create more.