CONQuest Festival 2023: A Gaming and Pop Culture Extravaganza in Manila

The gaming and pop culture convention CONQuest Festival 2023, which won an award last year from AcadArena, is preparing to surpass its previous editions in every aspect. The event, presented by Globe, will take place from June 2 to June 4 in multiple venues around Manila, including the SMX Convention Center, the Seashell Lane, the Conrad Manila hotel, the Mall of Asia and the National University Mall of Asia.

The festival will feature more than 70 guests from local and international scenes, covering topics such as gaming, technology, music and pop culture. Among the headliners are Valkyrae and Pokimane, two popular streamers on Twitch; Sykkuno, a YouTube personality; The Rose, a South Korean indie rock band; and James Reid, a Filipino singer and actor. Other guests include Fuslie, Michael Reeves and LilyPichu from OfflineTV; JoeyTheAnimeMan and AkiDearest, who create anime-related content; and Anne Yatco and Ratana, who voice characters in the video game Genshin Impact.

The festival will also introduce Music Night for the first time, featuring performances by local artists Carousel Casualties, Oh Flamingo! and Autotelic, as well as international DJs James Landino and Hyper Potions.

Justin Banusing, the founder of CONQuest and the chief growth officer of AcadArena, said that he had always dreamed of expanding the convention from its origins in Iloilo to Manila and inviting international guests. “We even had OfflineTV as an April Fools’ joke,” he said. “But thanks to the community’s undying passion, our dreams are coming true.”

The convention has also attracted the support of some of the biggest brands in the industry, such as Riot Games, Predator Gaming and Block.