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Kevin Ortiz - LOOK: Netizens played through memes and...

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LOOK: Netizens played through memes and interactive posts the Vice President Sara Duterte's statement last October 4, 2023, on opposing the allocation of...

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I am Justin Kyle A. De Castro, a Second-Year Entertainment and Multimedia Computing (EMC) student from MMCM.

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From my course, it is obvious what I have my eyes on in our country's pop culture - Entertainment! As such, my gateway interest, at Rank 5, is Internet slang, because how can I understand what's fun, if I don't understand anything at all? Plus, such terms have bled over into daily communications, to the point where knowing them keeps everyone on the same page.

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A direct connection to this interest in Internet language and slang is my interest in memes, at Number 4! I believe this continually evolving form of media is not only a method to deliver laughs from its comedic/satirical content; they are also a record of Internet history and culture, as its forms and contents adapt to the world's (and country's) events. This makes memes both humorous and fascinating!

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It is also undeniable that foreign forces have a grip over Philippine Pop Culture, and one form I took a liking to is Japanese animation, anime at Number 3. The art is just crisp and inspiring, and the storylines are inventive - you almost always have a story to enjoy among its near-endless genres. Such a global phenomenon is a big factor of my general interest in art as well!

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Not formally watched, but I've read and seen a lot of things about this one!

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Not formally watched, but I've read and seen a lot of things about this one!

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My first runner-up for the most interesting part of Philippine Pop Culture is video games in general! I really enjoy not only playing them, but also appreciating the genius behind the game design, both in audiovisual art and mechanics, and especially, figuring out the experiences that their developers intend their playerbase to undergo. Such intricacies are what got me to pursue the EMC course.

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Genshin Impact. One of the mainstream games in the Philippines - its storytelling has recently gotten drastically better with Fontaine.

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Genshin Impact. One of the mainstream games in the Philippines - its storytelling has recently gotten drastically better with Fontaine.

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Game Jams amaze me with all the mechanics developers come up with.

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Game Jams amaze me with all the mechanics developers come up with.

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And finally, my top interest in Philippine Pop Culture is a sub-section of video games, esports! This interest is set further ablaze by my involvement in MMCM Azure Pantheons, the school's official Esports Club. Essentially, these are competitive, primarily team-based games, where players can test their game knowledge and skills either for honor and/or financial rewards. I am actually amazed by how the culture around esports has grown in the Philippines, and that is why I chose it as a topic.

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Empyreans.

𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐈𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭,... - MMCM Azure Pantheons

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Empyreans.

𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐈𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐅𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞.

Their wings have beaten relentlessly against both the blazing flames of war, and the splitting winds of change....

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DOTA 2. The first to ignite my love for esports.

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DOTA 2. The first to ignite my love for esports.

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Valorant. A popular esports game in the Philippines that I am currently enjoying, too!

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Valorant. A popular esports game in the Philippines that I am currently enjoying, too!

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Esports IS sports, just done through electronic devices.

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Esports IS sports, just done through electronic devices.

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Just like basketball, volleyball, and any other sport that boomed in the Philippines, esports has had its humble beginnings. Guevera (2023) notes that the early 2000s was the era that esports started sprouting its roots. Internet cafes were full of kids and kids at heart who poured their hearts out into learning and winning in Counter-Strike, Crossfire, and Dota 2.

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Both were shooter games.

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Still, despite cultivating hundreds of thousands of talented and competitive individuals, all of their prowess was only visible locally, within their computer shops. But then, the early 2010s came in clutch with the inventions of video-sharing and streaming platforms, such as YouTube and Twitch, allowing our aspiring and would-be prodigies to show to literally anyone just how good they are!

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From here, agencies could easily scout for talents, and form teams that they would then train and send to competitions, both to give them the thrill of having their skills and expertise clash with fellow masters, and to hopefully bring honor to their organizations' names. The earliest example is said to be 2011's Mineski Pro-Gaming League, an enormously successful event that attracted multitudes of people, and pushed them into the esports industry.

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M2.0 Communications Inc. - Public Relations Firm

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Esports, or electronic sports, has been on the rise globally for the past few years. It's a form of competition that's done through video games, where professional players compete against each other in front of live audiences and online viewers. The Philippines is no exception to this trend, as the country has seen significant growth in its esports scene in recent years. From being viewed as a hobby or a pastime, esports in the Philippines has now evolved into a legitimate industry.

But it wasn't always this way. In the early days of gaming in the Philippines, playing video games was seen as something that only kids do. It wasn't taken seriously as a career or an industry. But as the years went by, the passion of Filipino gamers has helped change this perception. They've shown that with dedication and hard work, gaming can be a profitable and fulfilling profession. And it's not just the players who are reaping the benefits of this growth - the industry as a whole is also seeing a surge in popularity and acceptance.

How Esports in the Philippines grew

The history of esports in the Philippines can be traced back to the early 2000s. Back then, internet cafes were the go-to places for gamers to play and compete against each other. These cafes were the breeding ground for the country's first professional players and teams.

For many of us, computer shops were the first introduction to social gaming. Burning the hours with friends while making new ones trying to compete with one another in Dota, Counter-Strike, and Crossfire were just a number of early memories I've come to fondly look back on. Not a lot of kids had their own gaming PCs and stable internet connections back then so computer shops became a breeding ground for multiplayer games. I'll go as far as to say a lot of my competitive nature came from all those days spent in computer shops.

But it wasn't until the 2010s that esports began to gain traction. With the rise of streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube, gamers were able to showcase their skills to a wider audience. This helped increase the visibility of the scene, and more people began to take notice of the potential of esports in the Philippines.

In 2011, the first major esports tournament was held in the Philippines. The event, called the Mineski Pro-Gaming League, was a huge success, drawing in thousands of players and spectators. This was a turning point for the industry, as it helped establish esports as a legitimate form of competition in the country. From then on, more and more tournaments were held, with larger prizes and bigger audiences. This helped attract more sponsors and investors, further solidifying the industry's place in Philippine society.

Growth opportunities with eSports in the Philippines

Today, the esports scene in the Philippines is thriving. There are numerous esports organizations operating in the country, such as Smart Omega, Nexplay, and Bren Esports. These organizations provide training, support, and resources to professional players and teams. There are also several esports tournaments and leagues being held throughout the year, such as the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) and The Nationals. These events not only showcase the skills of the players, but they also serve as a platform for fans to engage and connect with the gaming community.

The most popular games in the Philippines are Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Dota 2, League of Legends, and Valorant. These games have the most active player base and the most organized leagues and tournaments. All of which are free-to-play games making it easy for a larger population to play. The minimal barrier to entry alongside a highly competitive infrastructure and support from the developers is an easy recipe for success.

Looking toward the future, the potential for the growth of eSports in the Philippines is immense. With the increasing popularity of gaming and the rise of mobile gaming in particular, the industry is in a good position to attract more talent.

However, there are also challenges that need to be addressed. One of the biggest is the lack of infrastructure and support for esports in the Philippines. There are not many dedicated esports venues and the current ones are not up to par with international standards. There is also a lack of government support for the industry, which hampers its growth and development.

Another challenge is the lack of a clear and defined esports ecosystem in the Philippines. This makes it difficult for players and teams to find opportunities and for investors to find viable investment options. Organizations who have their own Esports teams get most of their profits through sponsorships. Notice how a lot of brands nowadays would rather hire a social media influencer rather than a gaming team simply because it's more likely the safer bet when it comes to generating popularity.

A lot of the most successful foreign Esports teams generate income by building up their brand to be more than just gaming competition. This is where content creation comes in. Vlogs, documentaries, podcasts, social media activations, etc. are all practices that the likes of OpTic, FaZe, and 100 Thieves do to attract investors. This can include providing support for grassroots development, creating a sustainable business model for the industry, and establishing a clear talent development path for players and teams.

Despite challenges, the future of Esports is bright. With the dedication and passion of Filipino gamers, the industry is sure to continue its upward trajectory. As competitive gaming continues to grow and evolve, it will be exciting to see what the future holds for Esports in the Philippines.

Related Content:
M2.0 Communications is a PR company helping brands tell meaningful and compelling stories. Learn more about the work that we do on our case studies page.

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eSports in the Philippines: The Rise of Professional Gaming

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In this article, we discuss the rise of eSports in the Philippines and the growth of professional gaming teams and tournaments in the country.

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The mentioned event caused a domino effect that would boost the growth of esports enthusiasts until today. In fact, a steady 12.9% yearly increase in the Philippines' gamer population was observed during 2017-2021 (Inumerable, 2022). Still, what could be considered the greatest turning point for the Filipino esports community is the accessibility offered by Mobile esports games, especially Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and the other PC competitive games that are being ported to phones.

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eSports, also called electronic sports, e-Sports, and egames, is described as competitive and organized video gaming. Dictionary.com defines this concept as "competitive tournaments of video games," wherein it often takes form in a multiplayer video game between professional players, either individually or as a team.

Professional gamers constantly compete against each other in tournaments for a cash prize and to vie for the top rankings in their game of choice. Some of the popular games in Philippine eSports, particularly with at-home gamers, include Dota 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, League of Legends, Valorant, Fortnite, Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, and PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), among others.

Different leagues or teams face off and are watched by millions of fans all over the world through a live event broadcast on television or the internet. Streaming services, such as Twitch, Mixer, YouTube Gaming, and Facebook Gaming, allow video game enthusiasts to watch their favorite gamers play in real-time, and thus, help gamers build fandoms and amass more following.

Read Also: Affordable House and Lot: 10 Things to Keep You Productive at Home
History of eSports
Video game playing has transitioned from a casual hobby to a professional sport starting in the 1990s. Organized competitions have long been a part of the video game culture; however, it has become largely played by amateurs in the late 2000s. Its surge in popularity has been caused by the participation of professional gamers and the large spectatorship during live stream events. By the 2010s, eSports became a significant influence in video game innovations, with numerous game developers actively designing new releases and the availability of fund sources for tournaments and other gaming events.

In the modern-day, competitive professional gaming is nearly a $1 billion dollar industry. It keeps growing year after year with the help of major networks broadcasting events across the globe and live championships being watched by millions upon millions of people. According to the Olympic Council of Asia in September 2021, eSports will make its debut at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. There will be eight medal games from FIFA and EA Sports that can be won in, Arena of Valor, Dream Three Kingdoms 2, Dota 2, HearthStone, League of Legends, PUBG Mobile, and Street Fighter V.
Introduction to Philippine eSports
eSports in the Philippines has been rising in popularity over the last decade. As of 2021, there are more than 43 million active gamers in the country, with a 12.9% yearly increase from 2017. This steady growth is supported by the accessibility of smartphones and mobile internet. Similar to most Southeast Asian nations, the Philippines is known to be a mobile-dominated country with a low barrier to entry in mobile gaming.

One of the country's most popular Multiplayer Online Battle Arena Games (MOBA) games is Mobile Legends, leading the gaming sector with 2.65 million daily users in April 2019. Despite having limited international success, the Philippine eSports market is unique with the size of its audience and its affinity towards other MOBA titles. Nevertheless, the local gaming community, in general, is not entirely interested in supporting homegrown esports leagues. Gaming developers in the Philippines have struggled to gain long-term and mainstream success.
Notable Development in Philippine eSports
The Philippine government has officially recognized eSports as a legitimate sport in the Philippines in 2017 under the Philippine Games and Amusement Board and the Office of the President. This allows professional eSports players to secure athletic licenses and provide them more freedom to participate and represent the country in international tournaments.

In the local scene, most of the major tournaments are mobile eSports and offer sizeable prize pools. Specifically, recent tournaments and leagues include the ESL One Manila, Philippine Pro Gaming League 2021, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League Philippines, and the Manila Major Wild Rift Southeast Asia Championships - Philippines.

Numerous Philippine eSports organizations have also emerged in the limelight, like Blacklist International Bren Esports, Execration, Neon Esports, Omega Esports, Team Pacquiao GG, and TNC Predator, to name a few. Meanwhile, the Philippines Esports Organization (PeSO) is the national governing body for eSports in the Philippines. PeSO aims to standardize eSports by coordinating with international organizations, providing proper training, and guiding players to approach this electronic or mind sport at a competitive level.

The rise of eSports in the academic setting has also paved the way to a four-year degree, namely Bachelor of Science in Esports. This is offered by Lyceum of the Philippines University in partnership with Blacklist International-owner Tier One Entertainment. The program has two tracks to choose from, either Esports Management or Game Design and Development. In addition, AcadArena, a Philippine collegiate eSports organizer, hosts eSports events for colleges and universities in the Philippines as well as provides eSports scholarships.
eSports Explained
What is the reason behind eSports' success in terms of viewership, growth, and revenue? For starters, players love competition and the feeling of winning. In 1972, the first winner of an eSports event received a prize pool of up to tens of millions of dollars and even a yearlong subscription to Rolling Stone magazine. The aim to be the best despite having to lose repeatedly is what the core of playing video games is all about.

Accessibility is an advantage of eSports over traditional sports. In the latter, you need to organize people in the same physical location as compared to the former where you can play with people from all around the world through having an internet connection and a trusty gadget in the comforts of your own house and lot or high-rise condominium.

Today's gaming culture is not solely focused on playing games, it has evolved into watching other people play. Streaming has boosted the popularity of eSports, wherein Twitch, the top video game live streaming platform, has received over 15 million daily viewers in 2018 and 22.8 billion hours of content watched in 2021. Therefore, the dream of going pro and making eSports a career through generating income streams online is what many gamers aspire to achieve.

Read Also: Finding the Perfect Bria House and Lot for You
Gaming Addiction
On the downside, the competition is tough with hundreds of millions of gamers competing for limited spots. To reach that goal, you need to have gaming hours played each day, and the fact that you spend most of the day sitting in a chair in a dark room with your eyes strained from staring at the screen is a health concern. Some eSports athletes suffer from musculoskeletal injuries (in the neck, back, and upper body), metabolic imbalance, and poor posture. Mental health problems due to gaming addiction can also cause poor cognitive functioning, social isolation, social behavior disorder, and emotional difficulties, such as depression and anxiety.

There is nothing wrong with competing, but if teenagers will use eSports as a justification for excessive gaming, then it becomes a problem. A healthy relationship to gaming is crucial in avoiding mental and physical health problems in the long run. We are here to encourage you to dream big while prioritizing what truly matters. Gaming all week long is only one factor, it takes focus, determination, consistency, optimal health and well-being, and of course, luck. A backup plan is recommended if you are on your journey toward becoming a professional gamer.

If you're looking for a place to settle in and get started on eSports as a hobby or career, Bria Homes offers affordable house and lots and condominium units that might be the one for you. The Filipino's "Home of Choice" continues to be the fastest growing housing developer in the country with over 50 projects in key cities and municipalities. It caters to every Filipino family, working individuals, or OFWs investing in real estate since it focuses on socialized, economical, affordable, and quality housing segments. For more information, kindly visit and browse the official website of Bria Homes at here.
Written by Gianne D. Inumerable

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The Rising Popularity of eSports in the Philippines

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The Philippine government has officially recognized eSports as a legitimate sport in the Philippines in 2017 under the Philippine Games and Amusement Board and the Office of the President.

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I have felt this domino effect hit even the school I am currently enrolled in, MMCM, and I am sure other Davao schools were hit, too. Most of the university students in my region felt compelled to break into the esports industry, and so, they established organizations dedicated to the esports cause. I can say this because Azure Pantheons, even before being established, already connected with esports groups under universities, and scouted possible inter-school esports competitions to join.

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However, you could still argue that this set of occurrences is too localized to consider as proof of esports' transformative power over Filipino culture, so let us explore some wider-scale events that embody the nation's interest in esports.

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ALLG Mindanao for Mobile Legends. Our teams got to playoffs!

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ALLG Mindanao for Mobile Legends. Our teams got to playoffs!

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Hello mga Fafs! I hope nagkaon... - Alliance Games - Mindanao

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Hello mga Fafs! I hope nagkaon namo! 👀

Let's start the Group Stage with a BANG! ✨

Here are your Teams participating in #ALLGMindanao. Make sure to...

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Lots of school-based teams in this one, too.

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Lots of school-based teams in this one, too.

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BAM Gaming - Tuloy tuloy ang labanan para sa BAM Gaming...

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Tuloy tuloy ang labanan para sa BAM Gaming Mobile Legends Tournament 2023 Davao! 🏆

Cheer for Davao esports, BLACKLIST_AGENTS, Mati City Eagles, WASALAT,...

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Various factions of the Philippines has dipped their toes in the esports industry.

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Various factions of the Philippines has dipped their toes in the esports industry.

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Starting off strong, we have the fact that in 2017, the Filipino government started officially recognizing professional gamers, competing in various esports, as athletes, allowing them to gain athletic licenses most commonly required for international travel (Regalado, 2017). This change of the law made it so our Filipino esports teams, primarily Execration and TnC for DOTA 2's The International 7 competition, could now easily go and play for our nation.

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MANILA - Philippine eSports players are now officially athletes.

The Philippines now considers eSports as legitimate sports, like basketball and boxing, after the Gaming and Amusements Board (GAB), which is under the Office of the President, allowed professional eSports players to secure athletic licenses starting last August.

DotA 2 teams TNC Pro Team and Execration with GAB officials. Photo by Julius Mariano

Atty. Ermar Benitez, GAB's chief legal counsel, told ABS-CBN News that the board started giving recognition to eSports professional gamers as early as July 2017.

It was a much-awaited move from the government that helped Filipino teams like TnC Pro Team and Execration, which play Defense of the Ancients 2 (DotA 2) in the local and international gaming scene, secure US visas so they could compete hitch-free in The International 7 (TI 7). This world championship tournament for DotA 2 had one of the biggest prizes for any gaming competition.

It's been a giant leap from 2016 when both teams were barred from leaving the country on their way to The International 6 (TI 6) competition in Seattle, Washington because they needed P1 visas to enter the United States.

P1 visas are given to entertainers and athletes so they can participate in an event in the US. This prompted the teams to ask the office of Sen. Bam Aquino, an ardent supporter of eSports, for help.

If not for the joint effort, eSports fans would not have witnessed one of the biggest upsets ever in DotA 2 history, when TNC knocked out the powerhouse European team, OG, in The International 6.

eSports is not widely accepted as a sport in the Philippines, which GAB recognizes.

"Out of the millions of enthusiasts, only a handful make it to the big leagues. On a per capita basis, there are less eSports players that make it big than other athletes in other sports. So, for most people, this should remain to be a form of entertainment more than a calling," Benitez said.

Gamers who want to apply for a license need vouching from professional gaming teams. They also need to pay a small fee for the license, and GAB will also look into their track records.

Applicants will also have to undergo a mandatory, on-the-spot drug test.

Since it is a new development for eSports, GAB clarified that the licenses are not limited to DotA 2 and League of Legends (LoL) players. In fact, Heroes of the Storm (HotS) Filipino players, who will compete at the Heroes of the Storm Global Championship, recently received their athletic licenses. Their team is just one of the first to qualify from Southeast Asia.
No clear-cut plan yet for eSports
Recognizing the growing gaming community in the Philippines, Benitez said "there is a need for government guidance to be in place...to balance all these competing rights and interests."

But more than the recognition, GAB, as the agency mandated to regulate and supervise professional sports in the country, will also investigate allegations of wrongdoing and game-fixing in eSports.

"In traditional sports, there can be game-fixing, illegal gambling, or even illegal tournaments where organizers escape regulation and also deprive the government of revenue. This can be present in eSports as well," Benitez added, explaining that this new territory means the agency has a lot of catching up to do to upgrade their competencies in the field of online gaming.

Live-streaming video platform Twitch Philippines' country manager Julius Mariano, one of the proponents of professional eSports licenses, told ABS-CBN News that even eSports is not spared from match-fixing.

He cited an incident in 2014 when Philippine teams MSI and Mineski allegedly rigged their games in exchange for money. Some of their players came forward to confess to the rigging and the players were slapped with suspensions.

The agency has yet to come up with a clear-cut plan on monitoring online games, but Benitez said that GAB will add more people with relevant expertise to enhance their capabilities.

For now, the agency acknowledges the support they get from stakeholders and associations for ease in doing business.

"We value their inputs not only on background checks but also, and more importantly, on the systems that we will be putting for supervising and regulating the sport."
Long road to recognition
eSports has long been in existence in the Philippines, but 2016 was a notable year for Philippine eSports after two major DotA 2 events, the ESL One Manila and the Manila Major, were successfully held in the country's capital city.

GAB has acknowledged this explosion of interest in this Southeast Asian country, where slow internet connection is still a problem and can make seamless online gaming difficult to happen.

The GAB's initiative, led by chairman Abraham Mitra and Commissioners Eduard Trinidad and Mar Masaguid, paved the way for the close-knit gaming community to gain recognition.

Benitez added: "The immediate benefit at this point is recognition, not just by the Philippine government but by other governments and the public as well. When players compete abroad, they can proudly say that they are recognized as such by their country."

Sen. Aquino also expressed his gratitude to the GAB.

"Filipino e-gamers have tremendous talent and potential to conquer the global gaming arena," he said in a statement.

"We hope to continue developing the eSports industry in the Philippines and supporting our professional gamers as they represent the Philippines."

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The Philippines' new athletes: eSports gamers

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Even the education sector sees value within the esports industry. The Manila branch of the Lyceum of the Philippines University was the first Filipino school to ever establish a Bachelor of Science in Esports course, with two majors, Game Development or actual Esports Management (Balao, 2021). Now, the bigger fish here is that the Commission on Higher Education had to approve this, and it is proof that esports is truly changing the Filipino mind.

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YugaTech | Philippines Tech News & Reviews

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The Lyceum of the Philippines University, Manila Campus, has officially launched its Bachelor of Science in Esports degree. The curriculum was

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And finally, to seal the deal, we look over at the business side of things. A company as big as Smart Communications (Fudge, 2020), investing in the Philippines' esports industry, that's nothing to scoff at! It is also worth noting that the Philippines does have an esports federation, wittily named PeSO (the Philippine eSports Organization, looks like the stars aligned for this one). Other investors, such as Mineski Philippines, Gariath Concepts, and TNC are also big-time event organizers and internet cafe chain holders, whose involvements will make it easier to organize esports-related events.

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And one more reference... the nail on the coffin.

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And one more reference... the nail on the coffin.

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Major stakeholders and organizations in the Philippines have announced a strategic partnership to work under the umbrella of the esports federation, the Philippine Esports Organization (PeSO). PeSO members include Mineski Philippines , Bren Esports, Gariath Concepts, PlayBook Esports, Tier One Entertainment, TNC Philippine Holdings, The Nationals, Smart Communications , and TV5.

PeSo has technically existed for many years and has been accredited since 2012 as a "respectful member in good standing" with the International Esports Federation . Members working under the auspices of Esports National Association of the Philippines (ESNAP) and the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Esports Union (PSEU) collaborated to facilitate the launch of the first-ever esports event in the 2019 SEA Games held in the Philippines. PeSo is also seeking accreditation from the Philippine Olympic Committee to become the de facto organization representing esports in the country. The 2019 event was sanctioned by the Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF).

Gariath Concepts is a tournament and gaming event organizer in the Philippines, while The Nationals is the owner of the only franchised league in the country. Television network TV5 broadcast a variety of competitions across its network, while Tier One Entertainment is a gaming talent agency and production studio founded by esports veteran Tryke Gutierrez and cosplay and gaming personality Alodia Gosiengfiao, with investments from BITKRAFT Esports Ventures .

Finally, TNC Philippine Holdings is an event organizer, internet cafe chain company, and owner of teams competing in , League of Legends , , and Hearthstone .

These companies and organizations will be supported in their national esports efforts by telecommunications company Smart Communications, who will support the national esports organization Team Sibol.

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Major Stakeholders in the Philippines Esports Ecosystem Unite Under PeSO

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Major stakeholders and organizations in the Philippines have announced a strategic partnership to work under the umbrella of the esports federation, the Philippine Esports Organization (PeSO). PeSO members include Mineski Philippines, Bren Esports, Gariath Concepts, PlayBook Esports, Tier One Entertainment, TNC Philippine Holdings, The Nationals, Smart Communications, and TV5.

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To compound this, the experts that Ordoñez (2022) interviewed stated that involving oneself in esports, mainly as a player, could be a viable career path. Looking at how even local tournaments offer lucrative prizes for winning, and how national/global tournaments offer ridiculous amounts of money to the victor, I can see why they would come to this conclusion. Still, for students who aspire to become players, it is a gamble that requires a lot of skill.

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Philippine esports can be a game changer, experts say - BusinessWorld Online

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TWENTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD Kendrick L. Cheah, one of the top Super Smash Bros. Ultimate players in the Philippines, has shown that video games aren't just a child's pastime anymore.

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Now, why and how, as a pop culture movement, has esports easily boomed and ingrained itself into our Filipino way of living as a whole? Let us view this under the critical lens of the Carnival Theory.

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Information about Dota 2 player Yopaj. Recent matches, teams, heroes, and statistics.

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Smart Communications, Inc. | 339,771 followers on LinkedIn. We aspire to be a happy space inspiring meaningful connections through generations! | Smart Communications Inc. is a wholly-owned wireless communications and digital services subsidiary of PLDT, Inc., the Philippines’ largest and only integ…

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Esports is a much-needed satirical twist to sports.

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Esports is a much-needed satirical twist to sports.

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Sports, especially the Olympics, are commonly defined as competitions that require feats of physical prowess. Esports players, on the other hand, compete while sitting down, with the most physical feats being hand-eye coordination and dexterity of the arms, hands, and fingers - an upside-down image. The funniest thing, however, is how it has come full circle - esports are now officially part of the Olympics! Now, this is the global scale, but it can still be applied to the Philippines through the E-Palarong Pambansa.

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Get the chance to compete in the first ever Olympic Esports Series and to become an Olympic Esports Series Winner. Discover more.

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When searching 'sports,' gifs that come up are physical...

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When searching 'sports,' gifs that come up are physical...

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Not only does esports challenge the traditional Filipino view of sports, such as Manny Pacquiao and boxing, and the PBA, it also provides a new form of sports made and popularized by the new generations, for the new and upcoming generations, while being just as, if not more, profitable. At its core, though, esports is a carnival for us the same way traditional sports are to the old - a communal expressive form, a way to enjoy deliberate and orchestrated conflict, albeit this time even more safely through virtual means. That's why it boomed, because it, just like sports, is entertainingly emotional (team/player support), and expertly educational (how to play good), just like a carnival.

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MLBB, League of Legends, VALORANT, CODM, headline E-Palarong Pambansa

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E-Palarong Pambansa mentioned that they’re open to explore other games

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However, the truth is that esports has become so much more than a digital, satirical mirror of sports - it is now its own league. Maybe soon enough, sneaking out to play competitive video games will no longer be necessary, as sectors of the Philippine government, and even the non-government, have slowly been adapting to accept esports as an economic gold mine - a marketplace, one of a carnival's marks. What was once prohibited is now encouraged, and the profane has become the other mundane, for better or for worse - the carnival is still running, but its unique charm has been absorbed into mainstream culture.

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The carnival... performances through esports skills. Emotions in victories and losses.

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The carnival... performances through esports skills. Emotions in victories and losses.

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Still, as stated in the lesson contents, the show must go on. We must remember that esports are still video games, meaning they are also technology-dependent. Maybe advancements in the future will polish the dusted carnival, but for now, millions of people are still enjoying esports' rides. Also, with the creative minds of our developers, who knows if there will be new spectacles? Valorant is just 3 years old and look at how big it is now, even in the Philippines - nothing is impossible in the carnival.

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That's why I think esports is here to stay - people will keep reinventing it through new technologies and games, and the Philippines will keep playing, adapting, and enjoying them. After all, it brought fame, and finances to the Filipinos, so why not keep going? Esports in the Philippines will just be like a well-maintained carnival adding new rides that attract new and returning people - endless.

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Carnivalesque Theory and Social Networks: A Qualitative Research on Twitter Accounts in Turkey

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Carnivalesque theory has been used as a model and a structure in the works carried out in many fields such as communication, literature, and sociology. In fact, Carnivalesque appears in many environments/areas, particularly in the social networks, which are the manifestation of social life. This cha…

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Nowadays, performers and audience alike still enjoy the esports carnival...

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Nowadays, performers and audience alike still enjoy the esports carnival...

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Thank you for reading it all, and apologies for my long paragraphs! I really enjoy the topic.

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Thank you for reading it all, and apologies for my long paragraphs! I really enjoy the topic.