Team Astral claimed its third consecutive title at the Flyff Universe World Championship (FWC) 2026, which was held in Manila on Oct. 24, after defeating fellow finalist SUPAHOTCREWXD in the grand finals.
Astral secured the championship with a 3-1 victory in the final round at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall, where it entered with a one-game advantage after winning the upper bracket. The team had earlier defeated GrindSky and Glory before sweeping SUPAHOTCREWXD, 2-0, in the winners’ bracket final.
The victory extended Astral’s championship streak to three years, having also won the tournament in 2024 and 2025. SUPAHOTCREWXD finished as runner-up.
The tournament featured eight teams from seven countries, including the Philippines, the United States, France and Chile, competing for a total prize pool of $110,000.
The grand finals drew around 7,000 on-site attendees, while cumulative viewership from online streaming reached 50,000, according to the organizers.
Flyff Universe is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Gala Lab and published by Wemade Connect. The FWC, its international esports tournament, began in 2023 and held its fourth edition this year.
The competition used a four-player party player-versus-player format with a double-elimination bracket. Players began leveling up new characters on dedicated tournament servers on April 23, with teams advancing to the Manila finals through qualifying rounds.
Astral’s McVP was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) in what marked his final competition before retirement.
“I don’t think it could be any more perfect,” he said, following the team’s championship victory and his individual award.
The team attributed its three-peat to training strategies that adapted to changes in the game’s competitive meta, as well as mutual trust among teammates.
The event also featured performances by Filipino girl group KAIA, cosplay shows, mini-games and merchandise booths. Developers also held a session with players ahead of the tournament to discuss the game and its development.
Beyond the competition, Wemade Connect said the launch of this year’s dedicated FWC server contributed to the game’s revenue growth. Revenue in the 30 days following the server’s launch nearly quadrupled from the preceding 30-day period and increased by about 18% from the same period last year.
Gala Lab Chief Executive Officer Kim Hyun-su said the company is reviewing ways to use tournament match data and player feedback to improve game content and player-versus-player balance.
Meanwhile, Wemade Connect Chief Executive Officer Lee Ho-dae said the company plans to expand the tournament’s format and content to accommodate more players and regions. — Edg Adrian A. Eva
