Project PIGI (Philippine Indie Games Initiative) is a collaboration of three established independent game studios in the Philippines: Ranida Games, Squeaky Wheel, and Yangyang Mobile. We're united in the belief that owning and propagating Philippine-made IP will cement the status of the Philippines as a player in the game development industry. Our goal is to bridge the divide between Filipino game developers and publishers in order to stimulate the creation of new IPs.
Developers around the Philippines are invited to submit their game prototypes to be reviewed by a panel of experts. Up to 10 teams (finalists) will be selected and will receive intensive mentoring to take their games to the next level. The culminating event will be a pitch day wherein the developers will showcase their games to local and international viewers.
2021 - 2022 TIMELINE
STAGE 1: CALL FOR ENTRIES & GAME DEV PANELS
(AUGUST 2021 - FEBRUARY 2022)
Stage 1 will take 6 months and features monthly game dev panels that talk about the process of making games from conceptualization to pitching. At the end of this stage, we will ask developers to submit their game prototypes to be reviewed by a panel of experts.
STAGE 2: FINALIST SELECTION & MENTORING
(MARCH 2022 - OCTOBER 2022)
Up to 10 teams (finalists) will be selected to receive additional support from Mentors. Mentors will advise these finalists so they can polish their prototypes and create their pitch decks over a period of 6 months.
STAGE 3: PITCH DAY
(NOVEMBER 2022)
The Pitch Day is a one day event wherein the selected finalists will pitch their games to local and international viewers, as well as platforms and publishers that may seek to fund their games.
MEET THE ORGANIZERS & VOLUNTEERS
DANNI TAYLAN
Yangyang Mobile
Co-founder of Yangyang Mobile, an award-winning indie game development studio that focuses on the creation of original IPs. Also a board member of the Game Developers Association of the Philippines (GDAP).
JOHN PINEDA
Yangyang Mobile
Founder of Yangyang Mobile, an award-winning indie game development studio that focuses on the creation of original IPs. Also a graduate of the Google Play Indie Class Accelerator, Batch of 2019.
RYAN SUMO
Paradox Interactive
Co-founder of Squeaky Wheel, now at Paradox Interactive. Worked 10 years in the industry starting from J2me mobile games before going freelance and creating artwork for cult classic indie games Spacechem and Prison Architect. IGDA Manila chairperson circa 2010 and cofounder of Urban Sketchers Philippines.
WALTER MANALO
Ranida Games
Co-founder & managing partner of Ranida Games. Handles business development, contract negotiations, fundraising, and sponsorships. Board member of Game Developers Association of the Philippines (GDAP) from 2019 – 2023.
MARICA UCHIDA
Squeaky Wheel Studio
Chief Operating Officer of Squeaky Wheel Studio Inc. and Co Founder of DEVCON PH. An experienced Community Development Consultant with a demonstrated history of working in the information technologyindustry.
KENZIE DU
Virtual SEA
Games reviewer and journalist at VirtualSEA.
MEET THE MENTORS
SOLON CHEN
Managed multiple companies ever since he was a student. Took up a bachelor's degree in Software Engineering and pursued a career in the same field after co-founding Kooapps, a game development studio. Currently fulfilling his duties in Kooapps while actively participating as a Board Member of the Game Developers Association of the Philippines.
ALLEN TAN
Allen is the Chief Executive Officer of Monstronauts, and have been in the game industry for at least a decade. His company is very famous for their mobile games like Potion Punch & Sproutle.
BEN BANTA
Ben is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner of Ranida Games, and have been in the game industry for more than a decade. He has a very technical background, have helped the company launch games, one of is Bayani & PBA Baseketball Slam.
LUNA JAVIER
Luna Javier is the Creative Director and Co-Founder of Altitude Games, the Manila-based studio behind the mobile games Kung Fu Clicker, Dream Defense, and Run Run Super V. She started as a game writer in 2002 as part of the pioneer team that released the first Filipino-made game. Before Altitude, she previously worked at Boomzap Entertainment, creating best-selling casual adventure franchises such as Awakening and Dana Knightstone.
DERRICK MAPAGU
Derrick is the founder and Creative Director of Most Played Games, and brings with him a decade of experience in Game Development/Programming, Game Project Management & Game Design. He graduated Computer Science from De La Salle University in 2008, and have worked in the game industry since then.