Granado Espada Launch Weekend Events: Roundup and Recap

by PJ Punla a.k.a. NineMoons

The slogan in the Granado Espada PH community in the weeks leading up to the Commercial Launch was: The Time Is Now! These words were everywhere: plastered on many of the promotional graphics, written into some faction messages, and even broadcasted periodically throughout the game servers.

The times were 3pm onwards on a Saturday, 15 September; and 1pm onwards on a Sunday, 16 September.

The places were One Esplanade and the SM Mall of Asia on Saturday; and the atrium of the Block at SM North Edsa on Sunday.

The events were the Press Launch and Day/Night Raid Parties on Saturday to commemorate the Commercial Launch of Granado Espada in the Philippines; and the e-Games Evolution Roadshow kickoff event.

The One Esplanade sign on the morning of 15 September.

The stage at the Block, set up for the e-Games Evolution Roadshow.

***

15 September: Press Launch; Day Raid and Night Raid

A special launch for Granado Espada was scheduled at 11pm, graced by e-Games President and COO Steve Tsao; Victor Ngo of Cyberworld Corp. from Vietnam; and IAH Games Deputy CEO David Ng. Mr. Ng was further accompanied by Marketing Manager for Marketing and Strategy Wendy Lim, and Assistant Director for Product Management Jojo Velasco.

From left to right, Mr. Ngo, Mr. Tsao [standing, with mic], and Mr. Ng at the press launch.

A highlight of the launch was the special video message from game creator Hakkyu Kim. He expressed his regrets at not being able to make it to the Philippines launch, and thanked the local community for its support of the game.

After the video, IP e-Games’s Product Manager for Granado Espada, Ms. Ivee Feria, gave a brief presentation of Granado Espada’s features, as an introduction for the press. Included were some features of the current patch, v.2.1.18 [Forgotten Territories], as well as teasers for the next two patches [Tierra de Muertos, Tropical Island].

Back at One Esplanade, the Day Raid events were to begin at around 3pm, but because e-Games and the Granado Espada staff were going to be giving away pairs of Divine Angel Wings to the first 100 registrants at the venue, players began gathering, singly and in groups, as early as 7am. Eventually, so many people arrived that the staff gave the item to the first 150 registrants, and gave away more as prizes during theDay Raid itself.

[Divine Angel Wings are in-game items; they bestow +5% to both Movement Speed and Attack Speed. They cannot be bought or traded in-game, and can only be obtained through participation in community events.]

The Day Raid portion of the launch was held on the outdoor platform fronting the One Esplanade building. A stage was set up at one end. Immediately fronting the stage were a dozen computers, set up to access the IAH Internal Test Server and used during the National Championship of the Liberty’s Wrath 5v5 PvP Tournament. Around the perimeter of the event were a few booths: the merchandise tables, where the staff did a brisk trade with Granado Espada-themed jackets, T-shirts, pens, and mugs, as well as the rare, limited signed edition box; the Live Quest stations; an FHM station; and the Cosplay.ph booth.

Several GE cosplayers brought color to the Day Raid:

Akira, cosplaying Catherine the Summoner, along with two of her summoned puppets.

Caress, cosplaying a female Elementalist in Robes of Fire, with three sets of elemental bracelets.

Joy, cosplaying Brunie Etienne, with two large pistols.

On the left, Anne from IP e-Games as Idge Imbrulia; on the right, Granado Espada Philippines Community Manager Veya as Emilia the Sage.

The highlight of the Day Raid was the Liberty’s Wrath PvP tournament, in which eight teams from all over the country competed to determine the first National Champion. The contenders had been chosen during a series of national qualifying tournaments, and were now meeting face-to-face in PvP combat.

At the end of the day, the winners were:

Third place: Team Davao [Carracci: Cabagnaughty, CaBankai, Cabagnoot, Cabagnut, CabagnotA]

Second place: Team Baguio [Cervantes: HeavensFence, DeathGod, Saints, oGTo, DeathAngels]

National Champion: Team Cebu [Cervantes: Arcleaumont; Pachelbel: Gakitsu, Deathwolf, Encabo, Knightfall]

The Day Raid also featured a performance by the band Sinosikat; and appearances by FHM model Paloma and September cover girl Michelle Madrigal.

After the Day Raid, the Night Raid was held: a GodsKitchen dance party jointly thrown by BigFish and IP e-Games. World-renowned DJs John Askew and Johnboy Lee mixed the unique sounds of Granado Espada and their own tunes for the crowds’ delight.

***

16 September: e-Games Evolution Roadshow kickoff

In the first of the series of roadshows that would be touring malls, schools, and internet cafes, IP e-Games unveiled its new logo and brought together some of the most popular games in the Philippines for an all-out afternoon of fun and games. Granado Espada now joins e-Games titles Ran Online, Dance Battle Audition, O2 Jam, Supreme Destiny, Battle Position, and Dreamville as the country’s top online games publisher implements changes in its line-up.

In a brief interview, President and COO Steve Tsao hinted at new games to be acquired soon, and for announcements of such new games by October of this year.

The Evolution roadshow featured all of the e-Games titles in separate areas, where both new and old players were enticed to have fun. New gamers got the chance to sign up for their favored games; while seasoned players competed among themselves in mini-tournaments.

The Granado Espada booth featured a 3v3 version of the Liberty’s Wrath tournament, especially geared at new players.

The rules of the mini-tournament.

***

It was a weekend full of Granado Espada, fun, and prizes, and it is hoped that this will only serve as a precursor to many more types of these events for the local online games industry and player community.