Known as Asia’s biggest play-to-earn expo, Play-2-Earn Hybrid Expo Asia finally took place from Aug. 10 to 13 at the W Bangkok and in the Metaverse. The four-day event was the first of its kind to focus specifically on the play-to-earn industry.
The event’s guest list comprised over 260 physical and 300 virtual C-suite attendees. This included Jason Brink from Gala Games, Rich Robinson from Animoca, Andy Koh from the Gems esports 3.0 platform, Tatsuya Kohrogi from Digital Entertainment Asset (PlayMining), Irene Umar from YGG SEA and Cholo Maputol from Play It Forward DAO.
Day one: Welcome drinks and snacks at The House on Sathorn
Welcoming Play-2-Earn’s biggest names from all over the world, the first day of Play-2-Earn Hybrid Expo Asia kicked off with welcome drinks and snacks in the House on Sathorn, a multi-entertainment venue adjacent to W Bangkok.
The driveway leading up to the entrance had rows of banners with P2E’s valued sponsors, including Gala Games, ByBit, Ethlas and Playgroundzero.io. By the DJ booth, there were also light-up cubes with P2E sponsor logos.
All guests had access to a wide spread of food and an open bar, which quickly livened up the evening. A short program featured the official launch of the event and a special performance from traditional Thailand dancers.
The night was also a chance for guests to start building their bridges within the industry. Many networked and made friends, some of whom were meeting for the first time.
Day two and three: Keynotes, panels, networking, game pitches and afterparties
The next two days for Play-2-Earn Hybrid Expo Asia had a packed schedule, beginning with special keynotes from Jason Brink of Gala Games (“The Web3 future of play-and-earn gaming”) and Andy Koh of Gems (“Riding on the wave of blockchain and Web3”) for days two and three, respectively.
The event also featured back-to-back panel discussions that featured names such as Corey Wilton of Pegaxy, Paul Kim of Com2Us, Adrian Ho of Binance, Anastasia Drinevskaya of Cointelegraph and Charles Huh of WeMade.
On the hybrid side, business matching portals were set up for all attendees. Through the official P2E app, guests could schedule meetings with each other, meeting up physically through P2E’s meeting rooms or online. Virtual booths were also live during the expo, ensuring that attendees around the world can not only watch, but also participate in Play-2-Earn Hybrid Expo Asia.
Game pitch competition
Another highlight of the expo was its game pitch competition, where eight nominees shortlisted from hundreds of applicants were given a chance to pitch to an impressive lineup of judges from DFG/Jsquare, Faculty Group, Openspace ventures, SeaX Ventures and YGG SEA.
Each game project was given 15 minutes to present its pitch, including Q&As. This was easily one of the most sought-out parts of the expo, showcasing the up-and-coming talent of the P2E industry.
Osbiome took home the trophy for its Omeverse pitch, which is the first health-to-earn metaverse for personalized health. Omeverse users will have their own Web3 digital pet that will guide them on their future health journeys.
Play hard, party harder
Back-to-back afterparties were scheduled for days two and three, with the GameFi community gathering at Woo Bar and the Wet Deck respectively. DJs Nicole Chen, Celeste Chen and Amy Kao led the night to a state of pure hype and energy, invigorating the P2E Expo spirit in Bangkok.
Both parties had an open bar, served a mix of international and local cuisines, and were conducive to networking. The third day’s afterparty at the Wet Deck was top notch, with special drumming and dancing performances as well as appearances from mermaids.
Day four: Gems mobile gaming tournament
Thirty-two teams and a total of 120 PubG players competed for a $1,370 (50,000 THB) prize pool on the last day of Play-2-Earn Hybrid Expo Asia. Known as the Gems Thailand PubG Mobile Tournament, the event’s platinum sponsor and strategic partner Gems took over operations for the fourth day, which were held in the main expo hall.
Team ChaPoKit was hailed as the champion of the nine-hour tournament. Bacon Times and E29 Esports Gaming placed second and third place, respectively.
What’s next for Asia’s largest play-to-earn expo?
Play-2-Earn Hybrid Expo Asia, the first business-to-business play-to-earn event in Asia, is looking to host a subsequent expo in Bali, Indonesia during the first quarter of 2023. Like Bangkok, Bali is known worldwide as a hotspot of talent for the Web3 and blockchain industry.
