Last night I sat down to reread some small reports about the number of Web3 players from Southeast Asia, and I accidentally came across a chart that surprised me: the percentage of players from the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand...
still accounts for a huge part of the entire market, even after the GameFi crash. This made me think for a long time about the role of $YGG – a guild that seemed to have completed its mission in 2021, but in fact is becoming the foundation for the entire Web3 gaming ecosystem in this region.
I remember the time Axie exploded, Southeast Asians flooded into Web3 not just for income but because they were accustomed to the culture of 'playing games as a community'. YGG is one of the first organizations to understand that.
Instead of building a guild in a cold financial way, they build playgroups, study houses, mentor teams, and content groups.
This may seem small, but it helps them root themselves in the region's culture. And when GameFi plummets, those roots help YGG survive the storm.
One evening I remember sitting down to watch the video of YGG Philippines organizing an offline tournament after the downtrend season. I see something that many Web3 projects never understand: Southeast Asians play games for the joy of community.
Not just to earn. Not just for tokens. The spirit of the net cafes from before still remains, just transitioned to onchain.
And YGG is the bridge between that culture and the Web3 world. They do not turn players into 'workers', but into 'members of a living community'.
The interesting thing is that from 2023 onwards, when Web3 Gaming shifts away from the play-to-earn model, YGG has already started building mission systems, onchain identities, and skill badges.
I looked at the YGG Vietnam rankings and laughed because it reminded me of the vibe during the League of Legends rank grind. Some climb the top because they complete missions, some because they excel at PvP, and others because they create content. The YGG system allows every type of player to find their place. And that is how a natural ecosystem expands.
When I look at Indonesia, the story is even more interesting. Many indie studios in Indonesia are experimenting with onchain games and they choose YGG not because YGG is rich, but because YGG has 'real players'.
One studio once said, 'We don't need 10,000 virtual users. We need 500 real people who know how to play games.' YGG provides exactly that group. And unironically, this is also what Web3 lacks the most.
In Vietnam, I see YGG has a slightly different vibe – more serious, more technical. Vietnam is strong in e-sports, strong in grinding games, strong in information processing skills.
Many Vietnamese participating in YGG are not looking to earn 2–3 USD a day like during Axie, but to find new games, try new mechanics, and build communities in new games.
I once watched discussions from YGG Vietnam and saw them talking about onchain mechanics even deeper than developers.
That is a very good sign: when players become 'game understanders', the ecosystem will be sustainable.
Another aspect that makes YGG the center of Southeast Asian Web3 Gaming is the ability to 'translate' the Web3 world into the language of the local community.
In the Philippines, they talk to gamers in a rustic, close manner. In Vietnam, it leans more towards the technical side.
In Indonesia, it fits the culture of teamwork. This flexibility makes YGG never seen as an 'alien organization'. They become a part of the local community. Only by becoming a part of life can a guild be sustainable.
I also see it is important that YGG does not stand still. They collaborate with Base, Ronin, and Polygon, build cross-chain mission systems, and connect new studios.
Each such connection opens another door for Southeast Asian players to step into new games. YGG acts like a transit station for the entire region.
Want to release a game in SEA? Look for YGG. Want quality testers? Look for YGG. Want to run onchain events? Look for YGG. Thus, the Web3 game ecosystem in SEA revolves around YGG like an anchor point.
Once I reread a small study about SEA gamers' behavior. SEA people are extremely good at adapting.
They can jump into new games very quickly, learn new mechanics quickly, and join communities quickly.
When Web3 Game is difficult, the world struggles, but SEA gamers see it as a challenge.
And YGG is where that adaptive energy is gathered into a force. It's not that other guilds don't want to do that, but they don't understand SEA players and don't know how to operate according to local culture.
Another factor I think is important: the SEA region's economy naturally aligns with Web3 Gaming.
Many developing countries have low average income, but high smartphone access. SEA players are used to the free-to-play model, familiar with skins, and accustomed to community involvement.
In addition, they have a huge online energy. When Web3 adds ownership of assets, the SEA community responds quickly. YGG only needs to do one thing right: organize that natural traffic. And they do it very well.
One evening I reflected on YGG's journey from 2021 to now, and I see they are no longer just a guild. They are a social network for Web3 gamers.
They are the birthplace of new roles, new professions, and new ways to play. In SEA, many people found their first opportunities thanks to the YGG community: new streamers, new content creators, new guides for newcomers.
Conversely, studios find a loyal testing market. And this two-way exchange makes the Web3 Gaming ecosystem in SEA special compared to other regions.
When I look at the big picture, I realize this: YGG is the social structure standing between studios and players – something that Web3 cannot lack if it wants to enter daily life. And because SEA is the region with the largest potential number of Web3 gamers in the world, YGG naturally becomes the central factor of the entire region.
I hope this article helps you see more clearly the role of YGG in the Southeast Asian Web3 game ecosystem. Not because they are the largest guild, but because they are the only organization that deeply understands two things: a strong community can withstand any cycle, and SEA players are always ready to be pioneers if there is a right guide.
@Yield Guild Games #YGGPlay $YGG
