GDS2025 Was One for the Books — Here’s What You Missed

The second edition of the GameDev Summit (GDS) concluded last February 5–7, 2025, marking its most impactful year yet. Held at The Lind Boracay and Sea Wind Resort, this international B2B gathering brought together developers, publishers, service providers, investors, educators, and government representatives from around the globe in a setting designed to foster meaningful dialogue and long-term collaboration.

Continuing the Summit’s commitment to a laid-back yet high-value experience, this year’s edition featured a tighter, more intentional format — emphasizing depth, access, and authentic industry engagement.

Shaping Conversations That Define the Future

Guided by the themes “Global Trends Shaping the Games Industry,” “Asia as a Go-to-Market Hub,” and “Original IP Creation and Investment,” GDS 2025 curated strategic conversations around the future of game development and publishing.

Keynotes and mainstage sessions featured leaders from Amazon Games, Riot Games, EA, Ubisoft, CD Projekt Red, and Sony Entertainment, delivering insights on everything from industry shifts and market expansion strategies to AI, live services, and the growing importance of IP ownership.

Complementing these sessions were practical workshops and small-group table discussions that explored pitching techniques, scaling external development, building global partnerships, and navigating publishing across the Asia-Pacific region.

A Community-Centered Experience

Beyond content, GDS 2025 doubled down on curated networking and peer exchange. This year’s engagement-driven activities included:

  • All-day Human Bingo
  • Business Speed Matching
  • Indie Mixer
  • Murder Mystery Game
  • Sand Sculpting
  • Welcome Reception & Farewell Party
  • Boodle Fight + Magic: The Gathering

The summit’s format encouraged organic interaction, helping participants move beyond surface-level exchanges to build deeper, more strategic relationships.

Spotlight on Indie Innovation

The Indie Developers Showcase returned with even greater visibility, offering a platform for emerging Southeast Asian and international studios to demo their in-progress and published titles. GDS remains committed to helping indie creators gain traction, connect with publishers, and access funding and mentorship opportunities.

Government Partnership and Industry Growth

The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through its Foreign Trade Service Corps (FTSC), Competitiveness and Innovation Group (CIG), and Export Marketing Bureau (EMB), played an active role in this year’s Summit. Their participation reinforced the government’s strategic priority to position the Philippines as a regional hub for digital creative services and to scale the country’s game development ecosystem through international collaboration.

Looking Ahead

GameDev Summit 2025 proved that community, collaboration, and creativity are more than buzzwords — they’re the foundation of sustainable growth in the games industry. With its uniquely Southeast Asian lens, GDS continues to champion cross-border partnerships and empower a new generation of creators and service providers.

For updates on future editions and partnership opportunities, visit www.gamedevsummit.co or follow the conversation online using #GDS2025 and #CreateMore.

The second edition of the GameDev Summit (GDS) concluded last February 5–7, 2025, marking its most impactful year yet. Held at The Lind Boracay and Sea Wind Resort, this international B2B gathering brought together developers, publishers, service providers, investors, educators, and government representatives from around the globe in a setting designed to foster meaningful dialogue and long-term collaboration.

Continuing the Summit’s commitment to a laid-back yet high-value experience, this year’s edition featured a tighter, more intentional format — emphasizing depth, access, and authentic industry engagement.

Shaping Conversations That Define the Future

Guided by the themes “Global Trends Shaping the Games Industry,” “Asia as a Go-to-Market Hub,” and “Original IP Creation and Investment,” GDS 2025 curated strategic conversations around the future of game development and publishing.

Keynotes and mainstage sessions featured leaders from Amazon Games, Riot Games, EA, Ubisoft, CD Projekt Red, and Sony Entertainment, delivering insights on everything from industry shifts and market expansion strategies to AI, live services, and the growing importance of IP ownership.

Complementing these sessions were practical workshops and small-group table discussions that explored pitching techniques, scaling external development, building global partnerships, and navigating publishing across the Asia-Pacific region.

A Community-Centered Experience

Beyond content, GDS 2025 doubled down on curated networking and peer exchange. This year’s engagement-driven activities included:

  • All-day Human Bingo
  • Business Speed Matching
  • Indie Mixer
  • Murder Mystery Game
  • Sand Sculpting
  • Welcome Reception & Farewell Party
  • Boodle Fight + Magic: The Gathering

The summit’s format encouraged organic interaction, helping participants move beyond surface-level exchanges to build deeper, more strategic relationships.

Spotlight on Indie Innovation

The Indie Developers Showcase returned with even greater visibility, offering a platform for emerging Southeast Asian and international studios to demo their in-progress and published titles. GDS remains committed to helping indie creators gain traction, connect with publishers, and access funding and mentorship opportunities.

Government Partnership and Industry Growth

The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through its Foreign Trade Service Corps (FTSC), Competitiveness and Innovation Group (CIG), and Export Marketing Bureau (EMB), played an active role in this year’s Summit. Their participation reinforced the government’s strategic priority to position the Philippines as a regional hub for digital creative services and to scale the country’s game development ecosystem through international collaboration.

Looking Ahead

GameDev Summit 2025 proved that community, collaboration, and creativity are more than buzzwords — they’re the foundation of sustainable growth in the games industry. With its uniquely Southeast Asian lens, GDS continues to champion cross-border partnerships and empower a new generation of creators and service providers.

For updates on future editions and partnership opportunities, visit www.gamedevsummit.co or follow the conversation online using #GDS2025 and #CreateMore.