PH hosts Asian Board Game Festival for 1st time this May

Filipino tabletop gamers of all ages are invited to “play your way through Asia” with the Asian Board Game Festival (AGBF) this weekend in Pasig City.

The two-day event gathers game developers and publishers from 10 countries. This year's lineup includes over 200 games ranging from strategic to family-friendly party games. 

Participants are invited to try all the showcased games. For those who wish to track their gaming journey, visitors can purchase an ABGF passport to collect stamps from publishers whose games they play or purchase during the event, which gives them a chance to win prizes and event merchandise.

Freddie Tan of Larong Atin, one of the event’s organizers, said ABGF is intended to support small and independent publishers and creators who have poured out their hearts and souls into their games.

“The tabletop industry is hugely competitive and very crowded, and is mostly dominated by big publishers and established creators, mostly from the West. To be recognized is incredibly tough. That is why the ABGF was created– to become a platform, an incubator for these Asian boardgames creators and publishers,” Tan said.

PHOTO: LARONG ATIN

AGBF will be held on May 2 and 3, 2026 at the Bayanihan Center in Pasig City. Entrance is free to the public.

Established in 2019 and has expanded to include more countries since its inception, ABGF said it ”was envisioned to foster a deeper appreciation of the diverse, vibrant, creative and unique Asian board game culture.”

“At it's core, ABGF is driven by a mission to build connections through the joy of tabletop gaming, and to foster a community of tabletop gamers that support Asian creators and talent,” it added.

"ABGF is not just your usual boardgame event. It is a platform to showcase the creativity and diversity of Asian talent and culture. It is an event for both seasoned and new gamers to get a taste of all the different flavors of Asian board gaming." —RF, GMA News