Students vie for C. Visayas’ best e-sports game dev challenge centering on local culture, flavors, sustainability

From the DOST public archive. Original source publication date: 2026-07-17. Captured 2026-09-04. Read the original DOST source.

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Students compete as this year's best e-sports at the Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (RSTW) in Central Visayas, centered on Filipino-themed food, resiliency, and cultural heritage. 

Displaying both their technical skills and creativity, the finalists of the Next Level: Esports Game Dev Challenge, all coming from various universities and colleges in the region, designed games, purposely intertwined on current national and social issues.

“We wanted to show na even though ‘yung game na pinang-develop namin is creative, we can show awareness on the [topics and issues the Philippines is currently facing, such as sustainability, resilience, food security, and cultural preservation],” Kenechi Lubostro, Next Level head from DOST-Central Visayas Region said. 

Takyan X

A game of rhythm, childhood nostalgia, and friendly rivalry, Cebu Institute of Technology - University (CIT-U)'s The Interns programmed Takyan X, which is hailed as the best developed e-sports game among the 10 competing groups this year. 

The game features the local Visayan traditional street game called takyan, or also known as “sipa,” revolves around kicking a small metal object garnished with straws as its skirt, individually or in combat with another. 

Takyan X comes in a three-dimensional control and perspective that features both single and multiplayer mode, with the goal of earning higher points in every hit and charged kick, locally known as burak. 

“[It is designed] to capture the simple joy of “takyan” which brings the fast-paced, high-spirited energy of the traditional childhood game straight to the screen,” the game’s synopsis stated. 

Sarap!

Securing the first runner-up spot of the challenge, <blank> Studios of the University of the Philippines-Cebu aimed on preserving heritage recipes of the Philippines through their interactive and competitive game, Sarap!. 

Leveraging accuracy and shorter time to complete the meal, Sarap! put spotlight on a  Laguna-Quezon recipe called Kulawang Talong, a coconut-based eggplant stew tinged with smokey texture brought by direct charcoal. 

“We are looking at integrating other now-rare local recipes, particularly in the Visayas, in the upgrade of the game,” the <blank> Studios said as they shared how extensive their research was made for the development of the game. 

When asked whether the game recipe can be cooked in real life, they replied: “once the gameplay’s followed  it can be an actual meal, as we have also tried it.” 

AeroSpire

BasangSisiw Studios of CIT-U, on the other hand, clinched the third spot, with their game AeroSpire, a city-building game with the goal of outlasting the opponent using wit and resource management. 

The team classified their game as a “competitive, endurance game” that allows players to control the supply, manage resources, address crises faced, and decide the fate of their growing community. 

The gameplay simulates contesting on sustainable consumption of food, water, and electricity with technological and innovative interventions, especially in times of higher likelihoods of disasters as the game goes on.

“As a leader you need to commit to decisions for your community, so you need to determine whether to prioritize the happiness of your citizens or your resources (in the game),” one of its developers shared. 

Meanwhile, another team from CIT-U, Limitless, took the fourth place after developing Infinitus—a game enabling disaster awareness by using disasters as a destructive power over individuals in a combative gameplay. 

Salamin at Bakal of CIT-U’s The Monchadas, settled at the fifth spot, which is a turn-based combat system game that brings a story of reclaiming voice to influence change through casting skills to defeat the game’s antagonists. 

Other than the competition, DOST-Central Visayas plans to expand such an event through spearheading bootcamps in the future, eyeing partnership with the Cebu game development community to enhance skills and talents of the student-developers. 

“We wanted them to, even though they already know how to develop the game. But at the end of the day, iba po ‘yung parang professional na perspective kung ma-enhance sa current na talents nila,” Lubostro emphasized. 

The Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (RSTW) is one of the flagship programs of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) aimed at providing science-based, innovative, and inclusive solutions across four strategic pillars: human well-being, wealth creation, wealth protection, and sustainability. These pillars embody the mantra OneDOST4U: Solutions and Opportunities for All. For more information, visit www.dost.gov.ph or the National Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (NSTW) Facebook page. (By Karl Jerome M. del Mundo, DOST-STII)