Astral Wins Prief Universe FWC 2026 in Manila, Third Straight Title

Astral defeated SUPAHOTCREWXD 3:1 in the FWC 2026 grand final of Prief Universe on 24 October at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall in Manila, Philippines, winning the championship for a third consecutive year, according to Inven.

The final drew 7,000 on-site spectators and a cumulative streaming audience of 50,000. Eight teams from seven countries, including the Philippines, the US, France and Chile, competed for a total prize pool of 110,000 USD.

Astral's McVP, who is retiring after this tournament, was named finals MVP. SUPAHOTCREWXD finished second and Grindsky third.

The event introduced a pick phase in which top-seeded teams chose their first-round opponents. The 2026 season began on 23 April 2026 with a dedicated FWC server where players leveled new characters from level 1; FWC itself started as an online tournament in 2023 and this year's edition was the fourth.

Wemade Connect reported that revenue in the 30 days after the FWC server opened was about four times the previous 30 days and about 18% higher year-on-year. Gala Lab CEO Kim Hyun-soo said match data and user feedback are being considered for content and PvP balance improvements, while Wemade Connect CEO Lee Ho-dae said the company will develop the tournament's infrastructure and content so more regions and users can participate.