The Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee and RazerTM, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, on Friday announced that they have shortlisted five games to be considered for the inaugural esports tournament at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, namely Dota2 and StarCraft II (personal computer); Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Arena of Valor (smartphones) and Tekken on gaming consoles.
The sixth and final console game is undergoing evaluation and will be shortlisted in the coming weeks. The final medal count will include two medal events for PC games, two medal events for mobile games, and two medal events for console games. The games are gender inclusive and will be open to teams of both men and women to participate.
Upon confirmation, all six games will be featured as competition events at SEA Games 2019, where esports will be contested as a medal event for the first time in sporting history alongside traditional sports like athletics and aquatics.
“In the three weeks since we announced esports as a medal event at SEA Games 2019, we’ve seen a phenomenal level of interest from all segments of the industry, most of all game publishers. The shortlisting of six games in such a short time is evidence that the notion of esports as a legitimate sporting event is no longer a fad. We look forward to having more partners come on board and join us in defining a new generation of sporting heroes for the youth and millennials,” said Razer co-founder and CEO Min-Liang Tan.
A key selection criterion for the shortlisted games is the diversity of titles. A range of top publishers, genres, and gaming platforms were evaluated for inclusion to make sure the most popular and competitive games are represented. The strategy and teamwork demanded by the games were also considered, ensuring that competing teams deploy multifaceted tactics to clinch victory. Lastly, the shortlisted games take into account the physical and mental intensity needed to persevere through marathon matches.
On Nov. 27, Razer and PHISGOC announced that esports will be a medal event at SEA Games 2019, with Razer as the official esports partner. The event will be the first of its kind for an international sporting event of this scale.
“We are thrilled to see the momentum that our partnership with Razer has achieved in such a short period of time,” said PHISGOC Executive Director Ramon Suzara. “We are working with all involved publishers and partners to lock down the titles within the next few weeks, and look forward to watching the region’s best esports athletes face off in the arena next year.”
Abraham Tolentino, Director for Sports of Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee, said: “The Sports Department of PHISGOC has long been keen on including sports that will appeal to the young, tech-savvy spectators, including esports.”
Vincent “Chot” Reyes, President of TV5, added: “The Philippines is excited to welcome esports as one of the crowd-drawers in the coming SEA Games. Gamers will surely look forward to these six games as medal events.”
