The annual fightfest for Filipino gamers nationwide brings the hype yet again as REV Major 2023 opens its doors at the SMX Convention Center. Previously taking up a larger space, they’ve decided to zero in on one solitary hall, delivering a more jampacked, punchy experience to both fans and players alike. No one gets lost, everyone gets a taste of the action. From gamer merch and gamer gear to gamer spectacles courtesy of larger-than-life personalities, one would be remiss in skipping this weekend–especially as a proud FGC aficionado. We dropped by for yesterday’s festivities, and it’s safe to say that we came, we saw, and we got conquered. REV Major kicks off with a bang, and we’re all here for it.
Road to REV Major Champions
Everyone came out to play as the various REV Major tournament pools opened their gates for their respective games. From Tekken to Smash Bros, the northwest side of the venue was filled to the brim with fighting game passion. Namely, the Tekken World Tour 2023 (TWT 2023) was going strong, and everyone brought out their big guns. Throughout the day, matches were set and scores were settled for the finals happening on Day 2. Spectacles weren’t limited to the pools, though. Both the Rev Major VIP lounge and Tito Steef’s had their fair share of bouts. This is, after all, a gaming spectacle.
An exhibitor exhibition bout
Surely, I exaggerate, as our top brands didn’t actually duke it out on the REV Major floor. While it would’ve been nice, we do appreciate the contests and mini-games they facilitated. SVGA, Datablitz, and MSI all had their respective wares to flaunt and events to offer the crowd–the latter collaborating with Ranida Games for some nice indie fighting game flavor.
Rumble Royale had their own toilet-themed photo booth which also hosted the Melty Blood Boss Rush. ASUS Republic of Gamers and Samsung OLED both held intense Tekken tournaments with cool prizes up for grabs. Globe’s G-Fighter Zone was thing you’d see upon entrance, boasting a side quest-like mini event that was both fun and engaging. Seeing all the huge brands get together in celebration of such a huge event only brought more hype to the REV Major atmosphere.
Oh, did we mention there was merch? There’s a lot of merch.
Some unlikely-yet-welcome hype
Of course, we can’t forget the personalities that graced the action-packed hall of Rev Major 2023. We scored a quick chat with Rae Lil Black, whom of which was enjoying her first time in the Philippines amongst the hardcore FGC. If there’s one quotable from our conversation, it’s that she enjoys the local cuisine–fishballs in particular, and looks forward to sampling more. Later in the day, Vivamax talents Yen Durano and Azi Acosta paired up with pro players Benedict and Lance respectively in a Dead or Alive tag team match.
One wouldn’t expect the G-Fighter Zone showmatch to garner as much fanfare, but the crowd indeed went wild with all the heavy hits both Vivamax talents were landing on each other. Well, each other’s characters, of course. It was one hype show, indeed.
REV Major 2023 definitely did it again and more! Truly, an awesome celebration of the spirit of fighting games and the love of video games. Check us out on Facebook and Instagram for our other updates and stories on REV Major 2023.