UP Gaming Guild, Vinzons Tambayan Complex, University of the Philippines Diliman, Roxas Avenue, Diliman (2026)

Q: What is the address?

Vinzons Tambayan Complex, University Of The Philippines Diliman, Roxas Avenue

29/08/2026

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦.

UP Gaming Guild would like to give a huge thank you to our 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐞 ‘𝟐𝟓 - ‘𝟐𝟔 for all the time, effort, and dedication you’ve poured into the organization. From the big wins to the stressful moments behind the scenes, you showed up, put in the work, and helped make this year one to remember.

⭐️ 𝐆𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐅𝐚𝐣𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐨 “𝑮𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒐” 𝐑𝐨𝐪𝐮𝐞 - UP Gaming Guild President
⭐️ 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨 “𝑹𝒐𝒌𝒂𝒌𝒖” 𝐁𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚 - Finance Committee Head
⭐️ 𝐀𝐛𝐛𝐲 “𝑳𝒂𝒛𝒚𝒓𝒂” 𝐂𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐧- Oblation Esports Head
⭐️ 𝐗𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐈𝐯𝐞𝐫 “𝑿𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒆𝒅” 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞 - Externals Committee Head
⭐️ 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐆𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐥 “𝑩𝒓𝒌” 𝐀𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐨 - Creatives Committee Head

More than just fulfilling your roles, you helped shape the gaming guild we have today. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬.

As you pass the torch to the next Execom, we hope you know that Gaming Guild will always be rooting for you and cheering you on in whatever comes next.

𝐆𝐆𝐖𝐏, 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦 ‘𝟐𝟓 - ‘𝟐𝟔! 𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐖’𝐬. 🌟

𝑴𝒂𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒙𝒕 𝒈𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖.💛🖤

22/08/2026

Come visit UPGG's booth at !
Let's game on Dissidia Duodecim👀

01/08/2026

📸 SMASH AT UP DILIMAN – EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

The homies were GAMING while the others were hooting and hollering last July 25 at Student Union Building, UP Diliman.

Thanks to everyone who came through — competitors, casuals, and spectators alike.

Join the Discord servers of the communities to find games and for more events just like this:
SSBM PH: https://discord.gg/rSpPepD
Neo Fight Club: https://discord.gg/u9JhWJxsSf
Rivals of Asia: https://discord.gg/BVcAVYT8n7

This event is powered by AcadArena, Mountain Dew Philippines, and Manila Madness!

25/07/2026

SMASH OR PASS⁉️⁉️

Catch us at Smash at UPD until 6PM (SUB Room 415)‼️‼️ Watch and play against the best players the Philippines has to offer in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Ultimate and Rivals of Aether II. See you there!

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AcadArena
Mountain Dew Philippines

23/07/2026

𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊: Last , we got to ask our fave cosplayer, Een, for her advice for student gamers. Plus, she got to sign our Oblation Esports jersey!

With happening this weekend, we're excited to see what the expo has in store. Who will we get to meet this time? 👀🤩

Caption and edited by: Alessandria Corral

23/07/2026

𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊: 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 #𝐏𝐆𝐃𝐗𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫'𝐬 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐃𝐞𝐯 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐨.

A Weekend at PGDX 2025: Discovering the PH Gaming Scene

I never really considered myself a gamer. Sure, I have been playing first-person shooters like Call of Duty Mobile and PUBG Mobile even before the pandemic, and just this year, I have been grinding hard on Valorant, trying to climb out of Iron II. But outside of those titles, I barely know anything about gaming culture or hardware, which is why I never imagined I would enjoy an event like a game developer expo, let alone feel the belongingness in a space built for the wider gaming community.

When I received a media pass to the Philippine GameDev Expo (PGDX) 2025, I came with zero expectations. In my mind, my only task was to film my friends from UP Gaming Guild and edit their videos. No research, no checklist of booths to visit—I honestly went there because I was bored since it was a three-day weekend event and just wanted to support my UPGG friends.

But stepping inside the venue felt like stumbling into Disneyland—if Disneyland was built for gamers.

Being Immersed in Gaming Culture

The halls inside the SMX Convention Center Manila were packed with booths and brands encouraging attendees to try out the latest peripherals—from high-performance PCs to mechanical keyboards in every imaginable switch type. Before this event, I thought my dream setup was just a minimalist white PC with a keyboard soft enough to press for long hours and headphones quiet enough to block out noise whenever I play Valorant and edit videos. But as I hopped from one booth to another, I found myself learning about specs I had never paid attention to details before—how some monitors made movements look incredibly smooth, how certain keyboards felt both quicker and softer to press, and how even the smallest design choices could affect gameplay until I felt it firsthand.

Among all the installations, the highlight for me was the F1 racing simulators. Multiple booths had setups where you could sit in a cockpit, grip the steering wheel, and race as if you were in the “EDSA Grand Prix”. For someone who only watched Formula 1, it was surreal to “drive” the cars of Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri, even if I spent most of my laps spinning off into the grass and gravel, and bumping into the barriers. All that crashing gave me a new level of respect for my favorite drivers and how they manage their own struggles on track. Watching them is one thing, but trying it myself made me realize how hard it really is—but I still had so much fun!

By Day 3, one of the simulator booths had drawn a huge crowd as it turned into a real competition. Participants lined up, each trying to clock the fastest speed record and win the prize—a Bezel monitor. You could feel the mix of excitement and tension in the air, especially since everyone wanted to push the car to its limit, but one wrong move or a single damage could end their drive entirely.

But racing was not the only attraction. Scattered across the halls were other setups where you could casually compete with friends: Tekken 8 stations for one-on-one battles, nostalgic Tetris matches at the Tito Gaming corner, Valorant and other popular PC titles where players queued up to win prizes, and even a Beyblade area that felt like a throwback for anyone who grew up spinning tops with their schoolmates.

Vibes Inside the Expo

The energy of PGDX 2025 was unlike anything I expected. Live matches featuring NCAA Esports teams drew loud cheers from the crowd, with parents and friends rooting for the players. The atmosphere never dipped—every corner of the venue had something happening, from product demos, interactive activities, and workshops. Cosplay brought an extra layer of excitement. I caught sight of Myrtle Sarrosa as Rumi from Kpop Demon Hunters. She literally showed how it’s done done done! The hall was a parade of fandom: Deadpool weaving through the crowd, Hinata Shoyo from Haikyuu!! posing for photos, and even characters from Genshin Impact I loved seeing brought to life.

It was also nice to see gaming organizations from different universities sharing the space. Aside from UPGG’s amazing booth, there were neighboring setups like Loyola Gaming (ADMU), Kyusi Esports (QCU), JRU Sports (JRU), and more. Each of them proudly shares the happenings in their school’s gaming scene, from their events to upcoming tournaments. Some even sold their own merch, team jerseys and lanyards, which made the booths feel even more connected to their school pride.

Discovering Indie Games

For someone who does not consider herself a gamer, one of the most memorable parts of my expo experience was discovering indie games—many developed by Filipino creators, some even by university students from the De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde. What stood out was how these games drew from Filipino life and culture. Langit Lupa evoked childhood play, Lola’s Lutong-Bahay paid homage to Filipino home cooking, and Laro Tayo featured traditional street games. Seeing these titles showcased on such a big platform felt important. Indeed, Filipino stories can thrive in global gaming spaces, especially knowing these games are already available on platforms like Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

Freebies and Takeaways

No gaming convention is complete without freebies! I walked in with one bag and walked out juggling two more, filled with stickers, cup noodles, energy drinks, t-shirts, and other merch I had not planned to collect but could not resist. But more than the physical loot, I left with something much more important: an appreciation for what expos like PGDX represent. Despite the heavy rain that lasted throughout the three-day expo, the event was still packed—proof of just how strong the attendees’ interest was. It is not just a gathering for hardcore gamers; rather, it is a space where culture, technology, and community all intersect, where even someone outside the gaming scene can find themself drawn into its energy, excitement, and passion.

Article by Alessandria Corral

15/07/2026

𝗦𝗠𝗔𝗦𝗛 𝗔𝗧 𝗨𝗣 𝗗𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗠𝗔𝗡 (𝗙𝗧. 𝗥𝗜𝗩𝗔𝗟𝗦 𝗜𝗜)‼️‼️
July 25 | 10AM–6PM | Student Union Building

Compete against the best the Philippines has to offer in Rivals of Aether II, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate!

With prize pools in the thousands all across the board and the winner of the Ultimate bracket winning a Challenger's Pass to Manila Madness V this September, Smash at UPD is where legends are going to be made!

Whether you’re a nasty Zetterburn🔥, a technical Fox🦊, a stylish (lol) Steve⛏️, or just here to hit a few Up-Smashes💨, join in!

Everyone’s welcome — competitors, casuals, and spectators alike! 👊

⭐ Venue Fee: 200PHP
⭐ Bracket Fee: 100PHP for Each Game
⭐ FEES WAIVED for UPD students (Bring your ID!)
⭐ Open to ALL — bring your friends and your mains!

And again, no johns...

Register Here: https://www.start.gg/tournament/smash-at-up-diliman

Presented to you by:
UP Gaming Guild
Rivals of Asia
Neo Fight Club
Super Smash Bros. Melee Philippines

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Manila Madness

08/07/2026

𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗞 𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗗: 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗗𝗨𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗‼️

Congratulations to our graduates! We reached the endgame of college life and the postgame that is sure to come that is a game in of itself. UPGG is proud of you and will always be rooting for you! GGWP.

Padayon, GGamers🌻

02/07/2026

𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗩𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀

A school shooting occurred on Monday, June 22, 2026, at San Jose National High School, Tacloban, injuring 20 students and claiming the lives of three students after shooting 34 rounds of gunfire. The perpetrators of this incident were identified as 14- and 15-year-old students of the school. As authorities continue the investigation, 𝘄𝗲, 𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗻. 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲. As such, it is within this tragedy that we look closer to the details. On Tuesday, the PNP officials leading the investigation, in coordination with the Tacloban City Police Office, said in a Palace briefing that the children may have planned the crime for a month (Barreiro, 2026). Experiences of bullying are unconfirmed, while evidence points to the teenagers’ real-life exposure to fi****ms and gun handling rather than video games alone (Mantaring & Yubal Jr., 2026; Peralta-Malonzo, 2026). Due to this incident, the 𝗗𝗜𝗟𝗚 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗴𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 (Department of Interior and Local Government, 2026). This coincides with Senator Risa Hontiveros’ recent decisions in resolving the issue by 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗯𝗼𝘅 (Pechay, 2026), a sandbox game connected to what video games the suspects played.

𝗪𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱, 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗪𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲. 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿, 𝗶𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘂𝗺.

This is not the first time that video games experienced this kind of issue, as this has also happened back in the 90s where first person shooter arcade games became popular while school shooting incidents occurred at the same time (Anderson et al., 2007) . This created moral panic and social unrest within people and quickly pointed the blame to video games as it became an easy avenue to identify causes of violence within individuals. However, this incident would be seen as an opportunity for those in power and in research to create a narrative to push the anti-video game sentiment, and secure funding to create researches that are designed to inflate the panic of the public (Markey & Ferguson, 2017).

While video games CAN be a correlation, it is not necessarily the CAUSE of violence. Existing studies, as well as academic organizations, recognize that there are correlations of violent video games to violent behavior (Przybylski & Weinstein, 2019; American Psychological Association, 2020), but it is not causal to the phenomenon.

The problem is that the sentiment on video games being the cause of violent behavior falls short because it does not take into account the tragic reality that Filipinos experience inside our own country. Violence does not emerge from a single source. Existing studies continue to show that there are multiple interacting factors that come into play: an individual’s environment (Woolf & Aron, 2013), their life experiences (Travers et al., 2022), material and economic conditions (Thomas et al., 2024; Shao & Wang, 2019), lack of support systems needed to assist them (Lincoln, 2000), as well as fostering a culture that normalizes violence (Buvinic & Morrison, 1999). The Philippines has gone through an administration that promoted the rhetoric of violence being a justified act without looking into the deeper social realities that these victims of violence from the state experienced. The war on drugs; the extra judicial killings; the killing of activists; red-tagging; and now, putting the blame on individuals who have been left behind by the state. This issue did not teach us that video games cause violence; it only showed that we are not looking at the bigger picture: 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗼 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆. It has helped countless people from all over the world in more ways than one. Implementing bans or heavy regulation would only cause short-term solutions to already existing systemic issues before video games even became popular.

𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴: provide more budget allocations to the education sector; institutionalize mental health services within schools; create policies and programs to better support children’s stages of development; create spaces and support systems for minors; fund research that would provide better avenues for mental health. We also ask the media to probe questions that don’t just create a narrative solely within the individual perpetrators, but to also ponder on questions that reveal the truth within the confines of our social contexts, as creating this narrative only hinders the common people from seeing the wider issues that are playing out.

𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘁. The real question now is not what games should be banned or heavily regulated, but rather, how can our current systems ensure that individuals, not just minors, are able to be supported by our social welfare services to prevent violence from occurring.

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References:
American Psychological Association. (2020). APA RESOLUTION on Violent Video Games. American Psychological Association.https://www.apa.org/about/policy/resolution-violent-video-games.pdf
Anderson, C., Gentile, D., & Buckley, K. (2007). Violent video games: Background and overview. In Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents (pp. 3–11). Oxford University PressNew York. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195309836.003.0001
Barreiro, V., Jr. (2026, June 23). Minor tagged in Tacloban school shooting played violent videogame “GoreBox” — police. RAPPLER. https://www.rappler.com/technology/minor-tagged-tacloban-school-shooting-played-gorebox/
Buvinic, M., & Morrison, A. (1999). Causes of violence.
Department of Interior and Local Government. (2026, June 25). DILG Flags Violent Video Games, Urges Congress to Study Possible Ban. Department of the Interior and Local Government. https://www.dilg.gov.ph/news/DILG-Flags-Violent-Video-Games-Urges-Congress-to-Study-Possible-Ban/NC-2026-1182
Lincoln, K. D. (2000). Social support, negative social interactions, and psychological well‐being. Social Service Review, 74(2), 231–252. https://doi.org/10.1086/514478
Mantaring J.R., & Yubal Jr., J. (2026, June 22). School shooting in Tacloban: What we know so far. RAPPLER. https://www.rappler.com/people/crimes/things-to-know-tacloban-school-shooting-june-2026/?fbclid=IwY2xjawSvOodleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF0QnQ2NFgzUmJPcDlKMWlLc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHoicskGrz0h6KF0t10hEAeMYMrJR_SuQQNnjwe-9MvnojSzXG0E9DBnz9qOW_aem_mMQLBSJ_NutzD0umubm88g
Markey, P. M., & Ferguson, C. J. (2017). Teaching us to fear: The violent video game moral panic and the politics of game research. American journal of play, 10(1), 99-115.
Pechay, I. (2026, June 26). GoreBox declines Senate invite on Tacloban shooting probe. INQUIRER.Net. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2253182/gorebox-developer-declines-senate-invite-on-tacloban-shooting-probe
Peralta-Malonzo, T. A. (2026, June 23). Tacloban school shooting suspect obsessed with violent online game. SunStar Publishing Inc. https://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/tacloban-school-shooting-suspect-obsessed-with-violent-online-game
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Travers, Á., McDonagh, T., McLafferty, M., Armour, C., Cunningham, T., & Hansen, M. (2022). Adverse experiences and mental health problems in perpetrators of intimate partner violence in Northern Ireland: A latent class analysis. Child Abuse & Neglect, 125, 105455. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105455
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27/06/2026

“𝑨𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆’𝒔 𝒎𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒄, 𝑰’𝒍𝒍 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒐𝒏 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈!” — 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐁𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐚 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐈𝐜𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐆𝐁𝐓𝐐𝐈𝐀+ 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬

Whether you’ve played the game, watched other streamers play it, or even seen videos of its “iconic” moments pop up on your feed, there’s no denying that Bayonetta herself is a force to be reckoned with, and q***r gamers like me love that.

The first time you play the game, you don’t have any idea of what is to come. All you know is that she is the lead character and it’s a hack and slash game. Simple, right? But then the moment she appears in the game… a sudden whiplash hits you, wondering why her transformation sequence is something that would get you grounded by your parents if they entered your room in the middle of this scene playing. That’s the point of Bayonetta and her character. She is a subversion to existing tropes and standards to the games that are published. Because to subvert a game from the existing mold produced isn’t just situated with the character, but rather, it is tied into the entirety of the game itself.

You’d expect from a hack and slash game to play heavy rock or metal music to keep you pumped up, but for Bayonetta, she gets to decide what music plays for her stage. The first time I got to beat those angels up, I didn’t expect Fly Me to the Moon would play, and it’s not even from the Frank Sinatra rendition; it was a whole new reimagination of it. A mix of Jazz and Pop music isn’t something that I would hear from a hack and slash game, but then again, Bayonetta owns the stage she steps on. She practically gets to do anything she wants with style; and this is what Bayonetta’s music does: reimagine the existing format of music with theatrical flair. Consequently, the game’s music has that ethereal feeling of empowerment when you’re beating those angels up. You don’t just fight to survive and move on to the next stage, you enjoy the fight until it ends.

Music isn’t just the only aspect of the game that Bayonetta subverts, the combat itself also tells a story of liberation. When we look at Bayonetta’s combo sets, there’s one overarching theme: she LOVES to dance. Fluid movesets, combo chains and skills that’s perfect for an opening number, you can’t get enough of it! Imagine stomping your enemies using your stilettos followed by a string of kicks that finishes off with a heel stomp to seal the deal. When we look at her combo strings, you don’t just see her beating angels up with her fist, guns, or heels, she dances around the enemy to defeat them– reimagining how fighting styles in games are presented. I remember the times back in my childhood where I played hack and slash games. I was always visually presented with rough, brute, bare hands, and masculine ways of punching, kicking, and slicing through your enemies. So imagine the amazement I had on my face when I saw a giant demon foot with heels teleported mid-combo to kick the enemy to the other side of the stage.

Lastly, we won’t be talking about Bayonetta if we can’t talk about how the public views her. Let’s address the elephant in the room. Believe me when I told you that the first time I played Bayonetta 1, I was also shocked with her transformation scene, but it didn’t feel embarrassing to see it all play out, rather, it felt much more different; it felt empowering. For the average person, you might feel that if someone saw you watch her transformation, you’d get weird stares– heck you might even feel embarrassed yourself, but for us q***r gamers, it’s a different experience. The reactions of the general public that see her in a negative light are the very same reactions that us q***r people face because we don’t fit inside the mold of society.

What was originally just a hack and slash game that features a sexy female character as its main selling point, now becomes an inspiration and iconic figure for us members in the LGBTQIA+ gaming community. Q***r people like me have experienced ostracization and discrimination for years now, and seeing how the majority of games present themselves within a heteronormative gaze, we often feel alienated and are forced to go along with what the dominant structures of society dictates, but seeing Bayonetta be her own self, doing what she wants with her having full agency of her choices gave us q***r gamers a glimmer of hope.

Bayonetta’s subversion to the standard format of games today became the reason why LGBTQIA+ gamers love her and her “shenanigans”. While, although she isn’t exactly identified to be part of the community, the way she presents herself in the game is the imagined reality that we q***r people wish to see for ourselves: a society where we are not afraid to present ourselves however we wish. It is through this mirror that we see that impact that she gave to the q***r community.

Q***r theorist Jose Esteban Muñoz coins this as q***r being ‘not-yet–here’ ,where under heteronormative systems and cultures, we are not yet truly q***r in a liberated sense. However, this does not mean that there is no hope; it is still found in the dreams of having a better society, much like how the entire battlefield of Bayonetta becomes a fight for a utopia. If the story of Bayonetta follows her being hunted down by angels, and transforming the world around her to be a battlefield where she can do whatever she pleases, then it is the same for us q***r people who continue to find, and create spaces and meanings within a society that discriminates us for being different. In q***r theory, to perform is to resist and fight. Much like how Bayonetta loves to dance, it is done in elegance and not just in brutality. This is why us q***r gamers see Bayonetta as an icon for the community. Our ways of life don't have to be just locked in a certain way. Her indirect representation of the LGBTQIA+ community tells us q***r gamers that the future is bright and that there is abundant life out there; full of possibilities than the one being dictated by dominant structures.

To be q***r is to not just identify with one's self, but rather, it is the act of believing and seeing that there are better days ahead for us.

-
By Albert Ajido
𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲, 𝗚𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀! 🏳️‍🌈

UP Gaming Guild

29/08/2026

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