LOS ANGELES, US - Media OutReach Newswire - 24 April 2026 - Xsolla, a global video game commerce company that helps developers launch, grow, and monetize their games, today announced a strategic partnership with De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), the pioneering institution behind the Philippines' first full degree program in Game Design and Development. Formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in Manila, the collaboration will provide Benilde students with direct access to Xsolla's global publishing infrastructure, giving the next generation of Filipino game developers a real, tangible pathway to reach players worldwide.

The MOU was signed in the presence of distinguished witnesses, signatories, and guests, underscoring the broad institutional support for the initiative. Ms. Bianca Pearl Sykimte, Director of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Export Marketing Bureau, and Mr. James Ronald Ho, President of the Game Developers Association of the Philippines (GDAP), served as witness signatories.

At the center of the partnership is the co-development of a dedicated, Benilde-branded game launcher and distribution platform, a curated space where student-developed games can be showcased, published, and made available to a global community for learning, portfolio development, and player feedback. Beyond the platform itself, Xsolla will provide students and faculty with technical training, platform support, and analytics tools to strengthen both curriculum development and commercial readiness.

The Philippines has rapidly emerged as one of Southeast Asia's most dynamic game development ecosystems, with Benilde at its academic core. Since launching the region's first dedicated GDD degree program in 2009, the institution has produced graduates who have gone on to build studios, ship titles, and carry a distinctly Filipino creative perspective onto the global stage. This partnership accelerates that momentum, connecting Benilde's creative pipeline directly to Xsolla's worldwide commerce and distribution network.

"Southeast Asia is one of the most exciting growth frontiers in global gaming right now, and the Philippines is leading that charge," said Chris Hewish, President at Xsolla. "What Benilde has built over the past decade is remarkable: a generation of developers with real craft, real ambition, and stories that deserve to be heard beyond their borders. This partnership is about making sure those stories reach the world. Xsolla exists to help developers at every stage go further, and that mission starts here, with the next generation."

"The talent is here. The creativity is here. What students need is the infrastructure and the global reach to turn their work into something the world can actually play," said Eric Lee, Head of Partnerships for APAC at Xsolla. "That's exactly what this partnership delivers. We're giving Benilde's developers not just a platform, but a launchpad and everything Xsolla has built to help them grow and win once they're on it."

The partnership also opens pathways for joint research initiatives and educational outreach that spotlight socially relevant student works, further positioning Philippine game development as a creative and commercial force in the global industry.