Flyffers We Met in Manila | On-the-Ground Coverage of FWC 2026

On October 24, I visited the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall in Manila, Philippines, to cover the Flyff World Championship (FWC) 2026, the global tournament for 〈Flyff Universe〉

As I entered the venue, the first thing that caught my eye was the crowd. Not only were the seats packed, but the upper-level railings were also filled with spectators. It was the moment I truly realized the scale of the event, which I had previously only seen on screen.

People who enjoy playing “Flyff Universe” are called “Flyffers.” On this day, the “ Flyffers” cheered on their friends from the stands, competed on stage, and provided commentary from the broadcast booth. We spoke with these fans—who all share a love for the same game—to hear the stories that brought them here.

The stage resembled Flarine, the starting town in the game. Experience zones were set up around the area, and cosplayers and streamers welcomed the audience with photo sessions and autograph signings.

The characters I was familiar with from the game were also available as merchandise. The thought of being able to carry around a keychain featuring a character I used to see on the screen has me paying more attention to my bag today than to my in-game inventory.

I Met my Longtime Friends for the “First” Time.

SCHWI, who is from Texas, used to stay up until 3 or 4 in the morning to watch his friends' games. That was the time difference he had to put up with to watch FWC broadcasts from the U.S.

This year, I flew all the way to Manila. But SCHWI recognized her friends in a rather unusual way—not by their faces, but by their voices.

This is the first time we've met in person. We've always talked on voice chat, so I was already familiar with his voice. It was really amazing to hear that voice here and finally put a face to it.

We’d already become close a long time ago, but it’s only now that we’ve gotten to see what each other looks like.

SCHWI was also a “Flyffer” who had leveled up a character on this FWC server. I asked him if he had ever considered competing himself.

My friends have been planning how to put this team together since last year. Plus, the character I've been leveling up this year is better suited for large-scale guild battles than small-scale 4v4 matches.

When asked if he would continue playing with his friends even after the tournament ended, he didn't hesitate.

Of course. My friends and I will transfer our characters to the main server and continue playing. We’ll work even harder so we can compete as players in next year’s FWC.

Just for today, we're temporary allies.

At the FWC, even longtime rivals end up on the same team. That was the case for FNST, which was making its debut this time around.

FNST was formed by members of Flyffer, who had originally competed against each other in different guilds on the server. When a spot opened up while the team was being formed, PONG, who had been competing in a different guild, also joined.

Since it was our first world championship, we were a little nervous, but the words we exchanged before the match were simple.

We used to be rivals on the main server. We're the leaders of different guilds, after all. Still, we agreed that no matter the outcome, we'd just enjoy the game today.

Once the tournament is over, they’ll return to their original servers. There, they may well face each other as competitors again. But while in Manila, they were teammates taking on the world championship together.

Guys, Please Look at the Camera!

At the event, we also met members of the " Flyffer" who were wearing T-shirts that read "PILIPINAS GUILD" and taking a group photo. Before we could even finish counting the people in the photo, the guild members had already gathered in a new spot.

I'm ICESTAH, a content creator. Over 70 members from our guild showed up today.

To think that over 70 people came from just one guild. I think I understood why they were taking so many group photos. But what surprised me even more wasn't the number of people—it was how long the guild had been around.

I first started the guild in 2008. It’s been almost 20 years now. During that time, I got married and had a child. We’ve become a family now.

Founded in 2008, the guild has long served as a gathering place for people who enjoy playing Flyff together. Over the years, guild members have gotten married, had children, and built their own lives. To ICESTAH, the guild members have become more than just fellow gamers—they’ve become family.

On that day, more than 70 people who have shared a long-standing bond gathered at the FWC. Between greeting guild members and taking group photos, it must have been a day just as busy as the matches themselves.

Today's Connection Location is Manila

A spectator dressed as a game character, waiting to enter, had come with her family to cheer on her older brother, who was competing in the tournament. She said that while the whole family used to enjoy 〈Flyff Universe〉, her brother is the only one who still plays it.

Coming here today made me want to try it again, too.

There was also a group that came to cheer on a friend competing in the tournament. Although they don't usually play games, they came to the FWC to watch their friend's match.

This is my first time at FWC, and I'm really having a great time. It's made me want to try playing a game myself.

Neither your character's current level nor the date of your last login mattered when enjoying FWC. Even if you'd never played the game before, you could still cheer along and enjoy the event.

They Picked up the Microphone Instead of the Mouse.

When I turned my attention to the field, I saw the “ Flyffers”—a familiar sight from the broadcast booth—enjoying the game from their respective seats.

MK4 is a player who competed in the FWC and even won the championship. This time, he took on the role of commentator. KIPS, who joined him behind the mic, was also a member of the " Flyffer." However, the story of how he got to this point was a little different.

Until just two years ago, KIPS was just an ordinary gamer, but through his active participation, he became a community moderator for 〈Flyff Universe〉and established a connection with the game developer. Then, he heard that they were looking for broadcasters for the FWC 2026 tournament.

I’m the kind of person who, once I start talking, can go on for a long time. (Laughs) When I heard they needed a commentator, I immediately said I’d do it. I’ve done game commentary on TV before, but this is my first time commentating live on-site like this.

I was used to talking about games, but this was my first time providing live commentary in front of such a large audience. I had to convey the game’s progress and the excitement of the venue not only to the audience right in front of me but also to the 50,000 viewers watching online.

A player who used to just enjoy the game has become involved in community management and is now the voice of the world championship. What was it like the first time he picked up the microphone?

The energy at the venue was truly amazing—much more than I had expected. From the audience to the performance, I had a really great time. It was clear that all the staff who prepared the venue had put in a tremendous amount of effort. It exceeded my expectations.

Come to Think of It, They Were All Flyffers

Before leaving the venue, I took one last look around the audience. Seeing the crowd packed in front of the stage, I felt like I understood what KIPS meant by “the energy of the event, which was far more incredible than I had expected.”

A shared love for a single game—Flyff Universe—brought so many people together in Manila. Seeing the Flyffer in person at the stadium, I could feel the excitement of the FWC in a way that was different from watching it on screen.

Among them, SCHWI’s story has stayed with me for a long time. I traveled all the way from Texas to Manila just to meet the friends I’d been cheering on during the early-morning broadcasts. It was the day I finally got to meet face-to-face the friends I’d only known by voice for so long.

When you get home and turn on voice chat again, your friends' voices will come through your headset just like before. Only now, their smiling faces will come to mind along with those voices.