In Brief
- John Fitzgerald “Oxtraxex” Poculan clinched victory at the inaugural Vibes Asian Championship in Manila, outshining fellow 8888 guild member Asamax in the finals.
- The tournament featured 77 competitors vying for a slice of the $20,000 prize pool, with Oxtraxex taking home the top prize of $4,000.
- The top eight finalists secured their spots for the 2025 Vibes World Championship set to take place in Portland.
Event Overview
The YGG Play Summit in Manila concluded on a high note with the first Vibes Asian Championship. Occurring over two days, this pivotal event in the trading card game community crowned John Fitzgerald “Oxtraxex” Poculan as the champion. He triumphed over Jerald Jay “Asamax” Pamiloza in an intense final round, showcasing the strategic depth of Vibes, a game developed by Orange Cap Games and inspired by the Pudgy Penguins IP.
Tournament Highlights
Asamax had an impressive run with ten consecutive wins leading up to the final, where his streak was halted by Oxtraxex’s strategic gameplay. This was Oxtraxex’s first physical tournament experience though he had been an active player online since the game’s debut. The finals were broadcast live, featuring commentary from Feno, a player from YGG Esports, and Elliot Kahn, co-founder of Orange Cap Games.
Notably, the tournament attracted seasoned players from across the region, including Hearthstone veterans CaraCute and Staz, and Magic: The Gathering players such as Eton Delmoro, Moises Ong, and Cholo Pascual, who all made it to the top eight.
Format and Prize Distribution
The competition employed a Swiss+1 format, permitting up to twelve proxies to ensure deck balance. After the initial rounds on the first day, the top eight competitors moved on to a knockout stage. Prizes were distributed as follows:
- First place: $4,000
- Second place: $2,000
- Third to Fourth place: $1,400
- Fifth to Eighth place: $800
- Ninth to Sixteenth place: $500
- Seventeenth to Thirty-second place: $250
The event was officiated by Sashi Balakrishnan, a premier judge from Malaysia experienced in Magic: The Gathering.
About Vibes
Vibes challenges players to build “huddles” using various cards, including penguin characters, action cards, and relics. Designed to be easy for beginners but deep enough for seasoned TCG players, Vibes stands alongside well-known titles like Magic: The Gathering. Following the tournament, Orange Cap Games confirmed that the top eight finishers would advance to the World Championship in Portland.
Industry Presence at YGG Play Summit
The YGG Play Summit was more than just competition; it was a gathering of industry giants discussing the future of gaming and Web3. Notables included Jihoz from Sky Mavis, Oliver Maroney from OpenSea, Luke Barwikowski from Pixels, and Theodore Agranat from Gunzilla Games. Additionally, two major esports events rounded off the summit: the YGG Parallel Showdown and the debut tournament for Ubisoft’s Might & Magic: Fates.
Elliot Kahn from Orange Cap Games lauded the overwhelming support from the Manila community, particularly impressive for a newcomer game which initially had just 15,000 boxes in its first run. This inaugural championship set the stage not only for future competitions but also underscored the vibrant potential of the growing TCG community and esports in Asia.