Avalanche Team1 Philippines just gave Davao a taste of the future of gaming, and players are asking for seconds.
On April 12, Off The Grid: Game Day – Mindanao brought Web3 gaming out of the metaverse and into the real world, gathering gamers, streamers, and blockchain-curious attendees at Flynn Online Gaming at Juan Luna.
It wasn’t just about shooting your way to the top of the leaderboard. It was about introducing a new kind of game, one where the player also participates in the ecosystem.
Organized by Avalanche Team1 Philippines and powered by the Davao DeFi Community (DDC), The BLOKC, and Kadiliman Esports, the free-to-play event featured hands-on onboarding, a high-energy match challenge, and a solid turnout from the local Web3 community.
DDC Founder Ruben Lacumba Jr., known as Rubz Comms, shared the nostalgia of the event, taking him back to an early gaming phase:
"Watching first-timers step into this new digital world reminded me of my own early gaming days... It was nostalgic, exciting, and a little nerve-wracking, exactly what gaming should feel like."
Off The Grid, On the Ground
The event kicked off with guided onboarding, as participants created Epic Games accounts and set up their Off The Grid characters. For many, this was their first experience with a blockchain-based game.
After warm-ups, the matches began. For nearly two hours, players battled across digital maps in a test of aim, strategy, and speed. The Kills/Deaths/Assists (KDA) Match Challenge rewarded the top five players in each round with limited-edition Avalanche merchandise.
Even outside the competition, the vibe was electric. Gamers swapped tips, shared first impressions of the mechanics, and cracked jokes over lunch.
"It took me and the DDC staff back to our old gamer days... The fast pace reminded us of Counter Strike, Farlight, and CODM. That nostalgia? It hit hard."
Web3 Gaming Without the Jargon
While Off The Grid runs on blockchain, most attendees were focused on gameplay. That’s by design. For Avalanche, creating smooth and accessible games is the key to onboarding the next generation of users.
There were no lectures about NFTs, wallets, or decentralization. Instead, there was fun, competition, and community, all making gamers fall in love with a title.
This matters. Because Web3 won’t scale through token charts, it will scale when players have a reason to care and something worth returning to.
This Won’t Be the Last
As the event wrapped, organizers gathered feedback and shared teasers for future plans. The energy in the room suggested this won’t be a one-off.
"With this success, I believe we’ll see more regular tournaments... Whether it’s Off The Grid or something new, it’s clear there’s a strong appetite for Web3 gaming here in Davao."
Participants left with merch, memories, and in many cases, a game installed on their own PCs. For a blockchain-powered shooter, that’s a win.
Why This Matters for Builders
Davao is already becoming a hub for blockchain education and developer training. But Off The Grid: Game Day added a new layer—engagement through entertainment. It showed that blockchain can be more than back-end infrastructure. It can be fun, competitive, and culturally relevant.
It also showed that you don’t need a big convention hall or a major esports budget to build community. Sometimes, all it takes is a well-run local gaming event and a few rounds of digital combat.
Avalanche found its players. Now the game is on.
