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Neutral Grounds, the Philippines’ premier retailer of tabletop games, celebrated its 27th anniversary with the launch of the first Neutral Grounds Championship League (NGCL) 2025, held on September 14 at Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque City. The event brought together the top players from the store’s ten branches nationwide, each vying for the title of best team in their respective games.

Founded in September 1998, Neutral Grounds—often fondly called “NG” by its long-time patrons—has built a strong community around trading card games, board games, and miniature games. Its catalog includes world-renowned titles such as Magic: The Gathering, Flesh and Blood, Star Wars Unlimited, Dungeons & Dragons, Conquest, and Marvel Crisis Protocol.

The NGCL served as a special anniversary event, created as a way for the brand to give back to its loyal community of gamers who have supported the store for nearly three decades.

The competition officially kicked off last June, with players from each Neutral Grounds branch joining shop tournaments to earn points. Standings were tracked live on the official NGCL website at https://ngcl.neutralgrounds.online/. The highest-ranking players formed branch teams and represented their home stores in the Championship Finals.

Winners of NGCL 2025

Magic: The Gathering

• 🥇 Team Neutral Grounds GH Mall – Philip Christopher Rama III, Allan Fong, Daniel Lancion
• 🥈 Team Neutral Grounds Vertis North – Erick Natividad, Jose Catalan Jr., Neil Bucas
• 🥉 Team Neutral Grounds Centris – Franz Costales, Ferdie Melendres, Paolo Lorica

Flesh and Blood

• 🥇 Team Neutral Grounds GH Mall – Mikko Peña, Richard Tan, Angelito Eusebio Jr.
• 🥈 Team Neutral Grounds District Cavite – Michael Joseph Villano, Rod Waje, Trevis Martinez
• 🥉 Team Neutral Grounds Centris – Jaime Luigi Gonzaga, Jordan Charles Magsalin, Gabriel Angelo F. Del Rosario

Marvel Crisis Protocol

• 🥇 Team Neutral Grounds Centris – Raistilin Majere, Vicvic Villavicencio
• 🥈 Team Neutral Grounds Ali Mall – Germaine Ang, Bryan Kaye de Guzman
• 🥉 Team Neutral Grounds Manila Bay – Aldrine Alarcon, Nigel Lim

Alongside trophies and medals, winners received exclusive merchandise from NGCL’s co-presentor Ultimate Guard, as well as sealed products, promo cards, and store credits.

Community beyond competition

Neutral Grounds General Manager Paul Mendoza shared the company’s vision of creating safe spaces for players to unwind and recharge:

“We all have our own battles that we face every day. In Neutral Grounds, we hope to help our customers de-stress through our products and events. After a hard day at work, our customers can pass by our stores and play some games with friends and even strangers. After a couple of playthroughs, they will come out refreshed and ready to face the real world again.”

Mendoza also emphasized the significance of NGCL 2025 as a unifying event:

“NGCL 2025 is another, but a more exciting battle – a battle for glory to be the best in the country. Our players came from various fields – students, doctors, businessmen, and corporate professionals; but across the gaming tables, it doesn’t matter. They are all just passionate players enjoying a game they love, working with their teammates to become a better version of themselves and represent their home Neutral Grounds branches competently.”