Recommended Video
There were some real blasts from the past on display at the SMX show floor.
If you ever yearned for the times of yesteryear, then the Philippine GameDev Expo (PGDX) 2025 would have scratched that nostalgic itch for you over the weekend. Running from July 25-27 at the SMX convention center, the PGDX once again showcased the best and brightest in the local gaming community.
PGDX normally doesn’t theme their event, but the stars seemed to align this year. Whether by coincidence or intention, a good number of retro titles made an appearance in PGDX 2025. Beloved classics such as Ragnarok, MU, and even Cabal all had a presence this year and attracted the eyes of both the young and old alike.
Adding to the retro vibes was the Tito and Tita Gaming and Geekpop activity area. It was an open station area where people could sit down and enjoy some compshop classics, such as Counter Strike 1.3, or play a few rounds of their fighting game of choice.
It’s funny that we’ve hit a point where we can start considering these titles as retro. These games are decades old, but there’s still a large enough player base that longs for them. It might be the nostalgia talking, but these games carried a certain charm that only existed in their era. It’s fun reminiscing on those times and seeing that these games can still hold their own weight.
Refreshed and Reinvigorated
Of course, it’s not like these games were completely gone in the years since their heyday. They’ve transitioned to mobile platforms, and you can usually see several versions of them on your app store of choice. So the question has to be asked: why add another version of an old classic?
PlayPark and Gravity Games gave similar answers during their media press conferences in PGDX 2025. Their goal is to build and engage a community of gamers who very much still love these old titles. And they’re also not expecting you to play the same old game from 20 years ago.
MU New Dawn is PlayPark’s take on the online dungeon crawler classic. They’re offering a host of quality of life improvements, but ultimately, they want to focus on keeping their community strong. Whether it be through live or in-game events, they know that what keeps an online game going are the people you play and interact with.
Gravity is going for a much broader approach, releasing a number of different Ragnarok games to serve different gaming tastes. It’s an ambitious plan as they want to introduce the IP to those not necessarily interested in MMORPGs. There’s even a Ragnarok 3 (yes, there was a Ragnarok 2 at some point) in the works, and it promises to bring a modern spin on the old classic. Ragnarok has been a surprisingly resilient title despite being over 20 years old, so we’ll see just how well Gravity’s plans pan out.
Local Gamers at the Heart
In the end, PGDX 2025 was still about putting a spotlight on the creativity of Filipino gamers and developers. The Indie Game Stars area was bigger than ever, giving event goers a good look at our local talent.
Workshops and panels featuring industry leaders and experts were also going around the clock for all three days, providing valuable insight to all those interested in taking part in the local gaming scene. There were competitions of the gaming and cosplay variety, and there was something exciting to see around every corner.
PGDX 2025 continues its trend of letting Filipino gamers show off what they’re all about. Whether you’re an older or newer gamer, PGDX highlights that we’ve always been a community driven by passion and creativity.
Banner photo from Philippine GameDev Expo.