Video games in the Philippines

The majority of the game development industry is focused on outsourcing to foreign companies rather than creation of local content.

[6][7] In 2016 the French video game development company Ubisoft announced plans to establish a subsidiary in the country, which opened on March 28, 2016, in Santa Rosa, Laguna in partnership with De La Salle University.

[8][9][10] The University of The Visayas New School (UVNS) offers esports and game development through their Senior High Arts and Design track.

[11] After the return qualification of two Filipino teams for the world DOTA 2 tournament in 2017, esports backers like Sen. Bam Aquino see the potential of the online gaming industry to bring honor to the country while creating jobs and ushering in investments.

[12] Due to the popularity of video gaming in the Philippines, various outlets have conducted tournaments from local to international levels.

[20] On November 19, 1981, President Ferdinand Marcos banned video games in the country through a combination of Presidential Decree 519[21] and later Letter of Instruction No.

The inability of many Filipino families to afford video game software and hardware at legitimate prices leads them to turn to unlicensed goods.