The halls were jampacked. Indie and uprising bands blasting in the background, students waiting in queue, and communities came together. Nexus Academia became a center where music, gaming, arts, and community would collide into a new frontier.

For two days, students and young professionals came together to allow their passions to climb to new levels. There were moments of discovery and fun, brought to life by partners, community members, artists, hobbyists, gamers, and musicians.

OPM Serenades

OPM from indie to P-pop took center stage in the halls of Nexus Academia. The acts included artists Stella, Icy D, The Ridleys, PAHAM, Jerome Banaay, Cozyivy, Cleon, EYJI, AVI, As Far As We Know, Saintvvi, and many more.

There was never a moment without music filling the entire convention hall. Many found their new favorite artists as others danced through their favorite songs. SUD then capped off the event with a couple of their hits.

Community First

Attendees that entered Nexus Academia were greeted by community partner stalls that lined the venue on all sides. From tattoo artists to stalls from Gamer Girls Philippines, PIXEL by Eplayment, Combo Interactive,  ALTF4, Peculiar Eyewear. Aezer, Pocky, Gnarly, Vybe, Bezel, TT Racing and more.

In one corner were those lined up at the food and drink stalls, and in another, those competing in board game tournaments or battling it out in Tekken and Streetfighter. Elsewhere, teams formed to play in friendly 5v5 in Honor of Kings matches, as well as the Jollibee’s Chickenjoy Big Bucket Game. The event became a melting pot of various communities where anyone could find an interest sphere to interact with. 

The New Frontier

Produced by Tier One Entertainment, Nexus Academia became a step towards the new frontier that allows gaming, music, and arts to exist in one event. It was the first event that the organization mounted to further bring communities together in new and exciting ways. 

 “For years, Tier One Entertainment’s focus has been the gaming industry, from developing top tier talents to making a mark in the Esports world cup through Blacklist International, we’re more than proud of what we have achieved in almost a decade. However, we see that the future has to be beyond gaming. Today, gamers are not just playing anymore, they listen to music, they appreciate different forms of art, we have evolved and so has the vision of Tier One Entertainment. As we enter the next chapter, the next frontier is gaming music and arts.” – Tryke Gutierrez, CEO of Tier One Entertainment

If Nexus Academia was the start, next up is BLACKOUT Manila.

BLACKOUT Manila will be the culmination of Tier One Entertainment’s desire to be at the new frontier of gaming, music, and arts. BLACKOUT MANILA is not just a festival. It’s a declaration that gamers can be artists, that art can thrive digitally, and that music can be a movement. 

Follow Tier One’s pages for more updates.