Philippine game developers secure USD 1.45 million potential sales

Philippine game development companies generated USD 1.45 million in potential sales during an outbound business mission to Shanghai, China, from July 29 to Aug. 4, 2026, strengthening their push into Chinese and other international markets.

If converted into contracts, the sales leads could support export earnings, skilled digital employment, and opportunities for Filipino studios to move beyond outsourced production into higher-value game development and intellectual property ownership.

The opportunity comes as the Philippine creative economy continues to expand. The Philippine Statistics Authority said the sector reached PHP 2.12 trillion in 2025, up 6.9% from PHP 1.98 trillion in 2024, and accounted for 7.6% of the country’s gross domestic product.

Creative industries employed 8.71 million people in 2025, or 17.8% of total employment, while digital interactive goods and service activities — a category that includes video games — accounted for 19.7% of the creative economy’s gross value added.

During the Shanghai mission, the Philippine delegation held targeted business meetings, joined networking activities, and conducted industry visits aimed at connecting local developers with international publishers, distributors, and service providers.

Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said Philippine studios offer a distinct blend of technical expertise and creative talent needed to compete in the global market.

The mission began with a courtesy visit to Consul General Myca Magnolia Fischer at the Philippine Consulate General in Shanghai, underscoring government support for Philippine studios seeking to expand overseas.

From July 31 to Aug. 2, the delegation participated in ChinaJoy 2026, where Philippine companies showcased capabilities in full-cycle game development, art and animation outsourcing, and original intellectual property.

ChinaJoy itself ran from July 31 to Aug. 3 at the Shanghai New International Expo Center. Organizers said nearly 900 companies had signed up for the 2026 edition, including 275 foreign companies from 39 countries and regions, highlighting the size of the international market Philippine developers were seeking to tap.

More than 500 game companies and teams were expected to showcase over 1,000 game titles at the event, according to ChinaJoy organizers.

A dedicated Philippine GameDev Networking Night also brought Filipino studios together with international industry stakeholders to explore potential co-development and distribution agreements.

The delegation concluded its itinerary with visits to leading Chinese art outsourcing providers and game distribution platforms, giving participating companies firsthand exposure to China’s gaming ecosystem and business practices.

The seven participating companies were GameOps Inc., HPL Game Design Corp., Monstronauts Inc., Buko Studios, Strobetano, Neun Farben, and Cadre Creative Labs.

The mission was jointly organized by the Department of Trade and Industry’s Export Marketing Bureau and the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Shanghai as part of broader government efforts to place Philippine creative and digital businesses in higher-value global supply chains.

Those efforts are supported by Republic Act No. 11904, or the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act, which identifies digital interactive media — including video games, computer games, mobile games, and related digital content — as part of the country’s creative industries and mandates programs supporting jobs, skills, financing, and industry development.

Philippine game developers and other creative enterprises seeking international market opportunities may coordinate with DTI-EMB and participate in upcoming export promotion programs and business missions through exports@dti.gov.ph.

Sources: Department of Trade and Industry press release provided for this report; Philippine Statistics Authority; ChinaJoy; Republic Act No. 11904.