| Esports in the Philippines | |
|---|---|
 Esports match during the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Governing body | Philippine Esports Organization |
| National team(s) | Philippines national esports team |
Club competitions | |
International competitions | |
Esports in the Philippines refers to competitive video gaming or esports in the Philippines. This article covers both amateurs and professional levels.
From the 2000s to the early 2010s, video game tournaments in the Philippines have been largely amateur often held in internet cafés in Metro Manila. Video gaming was widely seen as just for leisure or past-time and not seen as a credible means for a professional career. Among popular video game titles featured in tournaments around this period are Dota 2 and Counter-Strike . [1]
The Philippine Esports Organization (PeSO), which would govern esports in the country would be established in 2011. [2] Filipinos would eventually become esports athletes and professional esports teams would be organized to compete in international competitions. [3]
In 2017, the state agency Games and Amusements Board recognized esports as a legitimate sport. [4] [5]
The Philippines would introduce esports as a medal event in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games which it hosted. This would be the first time esports would feature in an event that also featured traditional sports. [6] PESO would also formally organize a national esports team for the occasion which was given the moniker "Sibol". [7] [8] [9] Esports would be subsequently featured in succeeding editions of the regional games.
The rise of the availability of smartphones and mobile internet would cause the increased popularity of mobile game titles for esports by the early 2020s such as Mobile Legends and PUBG Mobile . [10] [11]
The Philippine Esports Organization (PeSO) is an esports body that represents the country officially to the International eSports Federation (IeSF), which is one of the largest esports associations in the world. [12] The organization is a member of the Philippine Olympic Committee since 2020. [13] [14] [15]
Professional esports athletes in the Philippines are also required to secure a license from the Games and Amusements Board. [4] [5]
The following are professional esports tournaments and leagues that are organized in the Philippines.
The 2019 Southeast Asian Games, officially known as the 30th Southeast Asian Games, or the 30th SEA Games, and commonly known as Philippines 2019, was the 30th edition of the Southeast Asian Games, a biennial regional multi-sport event which was held in the Philippines from 30 November to 11 December 2019. However, due to a narrow calendar, some sports started before the opening ceremony as early as November 24.
Philippine Aquatics Incorporated is the national governing body of aquatic sports in the Philippines. It oversees swimming, diving, and water polo. The organization is accredited by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) since October 2023.
The Philippines competed at the 28th Southeast Asian Games from 5 to 16 June 2015. The Philippines contingent was composed of 472 athletes and 136 sporting officials participating in 35 out of the 36 sports.
Video gaming in the Philippines is an emerging industry and pastime that includes the production, sale, distribution, and playing of video games.
The Philippines competed at the 30th Southeast Asian Games which was hosted by them from 30 November to 11 December 2019. This was the fourth time that the country hosted the biennial meet.
Victorico "Ricky" P. Vargas is a Filipino executive who served as the 10th President of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) from March 5, 2018, after winning over Jose Cojuangco Jr. in a court-ordered elections held on February 23, 2018, until his resignation on June 18, 2019.
The Nationals is an electronic sports (Esports) league in the Philippines which had its inaugural season in 2019. It is the first franchise-based electronic sports in the Philippines. The tournaments are sanctioned by the Esports National Association of the Philippines (ESNAP).
Esports at the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines was held at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan, Metro Manila from 5 to 10 December 2019. It was the first esports contest as a medal event in a multi-sport competition sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee after the discipline featured as a demonstration sport at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Smart Omega Esports, formerly known as PLDT–Smart Omega, is a Philippine franchise-based professional esports team which competes in The Nationals, the top esports league in the Philippines sanctioned by the eSports National Association of the Philippines, and MPL Philippines. It was formed as a result of a partnership between esports team Sterling Global Dragons and corporate firms, PLDT Inc. and its mobile arm, Smart Communications.
The 2019 The Nationals was the inaugural season of The Nationals, an electronic sports (Esports) league in the Philippines. The season featured three titles, Dota 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and Tekken 7 with two conferences each.
Aces Pro Bren Esports, commonly known as AP Bren, is a Southeast Asian professional esports organization based in the Philippines. It has competitive teams in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, CS:GO, PUBG, League of Legends, Overwatch, Hearthstone, Clash Royale, Arena of Valor, Rules of Survival, Valorant, and Tekken 7. In the Philippine esports league The Nationals, the team competes as Bren EPro. The organization was founded on 16 August 2017 by Bernard "Bren" Chong who is part of the Chong clan that owns World Balance.
The Philippine Esports Organization is the national governing body for esports in the Philippines. It is a member of the International Esports Federation (IESF) since 2012 and is an associate member of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) since 2020.
The Philippines participated at the 31st Southeast Asian Games which was held from 12 to 23 May 2022 in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Esports at the 2021 SEA Games took place at National Convention Center in Hanoi, Vietnam from 13 to 22 May 2022. It will be the second esports contest as a medal event in a multi-sport competition sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee.
Galaxy Racer is an esports and gaming organization based in Dubai, UAE and founded in 2019 by Paul Roy. As of 2023, Galaxy Racer's competitive esports division, Nigma Galaxy, has a roster of 13 esports teams playing Battlegrounds Mobile India, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, Fortnite, Free Fire, League of Legends, League of Legends: Wild Rift, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and PUBG Mobile. It also has partnerships with various companies and organizations such as La Liga and Polaris Sports.
The Philippines participated at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games which was held from 5 to 16 May 2023 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
The Mobile Legends: Bang Bang World Championship is the annual professional Mobile Legends: Bang Bang world esports championship tournament for the game wherein teams worldwide would be facing off each other to become the world champion for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. The yearly tournament is presented by Moonton and has been held five times.
The Philippines national esports team represents the Philippines in international esports tournaments. It is organized under the Philippine Esports Organization.
The Philippines competed at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China from 23 September to 8 October 2023. Originally scheduled to take place in 2022, the Games were postponed and rescheduled to 2023, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jorrel Zachary Cayanan Aristorenas is a Filipino professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Philippines Football League club Loyola. Born in England, he has also played for the youth teams of the Philippines. He is also an esports player, having represented the country internationally in EA FC.