Team Astral pulls off FWC three-peat
MANILA, Philippines — The Flyff Universe World Championship (FWC) 2026 came to a close with Team Astral securing their third consecutive title.
The grand finals, held on October 24 at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall in Manila, Philippines, drew 7,000 on-site attendees, while cumulative streaming viewers reached 50,000.
FWC is the global esports tournament for “Flyff Universe”, an HTML5 MMORPG developed by Gala Lab and published by Wemade Connect. Originally launched as an online tournament in 2023, the event marked its fourth edition this year. In these finals, eight teams composed of players from seven countries — including the Philippines, the United States, France, and Chile — competed for a total prize pool of $110,000 (approximately P6.9 million).
This year's journey began on April 23 on dedicated FWC servers. Participants leveled up new characters from Level 1, preparing equipment and strategies before earning their spots on the Manila stage through qualifiers. The main tournament was conducted in a 4-player party PvP, double-elimination format. Introducing a selection ceremony for the first time, where top qualifier teams directly chose their initial opponents, teams engaged in strategic rivalry right from match selection.
Defending champion Astral defeated GrindSky and Glory in turn before sweeping SUPAHOTCREWXD 2-0 in the winners' bracket final. Starting the grand final with a one-game advantage, the squad defeated the same opponent 3-1 in the final round to claim the top spot for three consecutive years since 2024. SUPAHOTCREWXD finished as runner-up, with GrindSky taking second place.
Astral's McVP, who is retiring following this tournament, was awarded Final MVP.
On winning both the championship and the individual award on his final stage, he stated, “I don't think it could be any more perfect”. Having maintained their throne alongside the same teammates, Astral cited training adapted to shifting metas and mutual trust without assigning blame as the driving forces behind their three-peat.
On-site and surrounding programs entertained visitors throughout the venue. The event featured a performance by Filipino girl group KAIA, cosplay stage shows, mini-games, and souvenir photo booths, while game-themed merchandise such as keychains, stickers, and acrylic stands welcomed fans. Prior to the tournament, a session was also arranged for direct communication between the developers and players. Fans unable to attend in person watched the tournament via official YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch broadcasts.
The tournament season centered around dedicated servers also contributed to the game's growth. According to Wemade Connect, revenue for the 30 days following the launch of this year's FWC server increased nearly fourfold compared to the previous 30 days, and grew by approximately 18% compared to the same period last year. By drawing new and returning players alongside competitors to a server supporting accelerated character progression, the tournament established a structure where the event and the game service grew together.
Both companies also outlined plans to build upon FWC's success for long-term service. Gala Lab CEO Kim Hyun-su stated that they are reviewing ways to incorporate tournament match data and player feedback into content and PvP balance improvements. Wemade Connect CEO Lee Ho-dae shared plans to develop the tournament's foundation and content to allow broader participation across more regions and players. (Contributed story)
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