F
OR e-sports to prosper, there needs to be support from industry players.
To boost the e-sports scene, telecommunications player Yoodo has been playing a part consistently, especially in collaborating with e-sports tournaments.
Commenting on the company's foray into this arena, its head Chow Tuck Mun said as a digital telecommunications company, Yoodo's continuous support for the local e-sports scene could be attributed to several factors.
"We recognise the rapid growth and potential of e-sports globally. By collaborating with e-sports tournaments in Malaysia, we position ourselves as a prominent player in the telecommunications industry that supports and embraces the emerging e-sports culture."
Connecting with players
This involvement allows Yoodo to connect with the younger demographic, who are avid gamers and e-sports enthusiasts.
"Furthermore, Yoodo's support for e-sports aligns with our brand identity of being innovative, dynamic and tech-savvy," Chow said.
"We have been playing an active role in helping develop local e-sports talent and supporting the local e-sports ecosystem through various initiatives, such as hosting tournaments, competitions and partnerships with global e-sports organisations and gaming giants to raise the bar for e-sports in Malaysia.
"Ultimately, our main aim is to help create a thriving e-sports culture in Malaysia and make the country the leader of e-sports in the region and beyond."
Becoming champion
The e-sports efforts boasted results when, recently, Yoodo Alliance, the PUBG Mobile team born from the collaboration between Yoodo and Swedish e-sports powerhouse, Alliance, marked a milestone in the grand finals of the PUBG Mobile Global Championship (PMGC) held in Turkiye.
Although its recent outing at the PMGC grand finals in Turkiye did not end in victory, it underscores Yoodo Alliance's resilience and presence on the global e-sports stage.
The team was the only Malaysian team that qualified for the PMGC Grand Finals this year and ranked 15th in the global championship.
Great potential
Chow said the Malaysian e-sports market had an incredible talent pool, full of potential and passion.
"Over the last three years, we have seen the quality of competition and e-sports talents rise dramatically. This is why Malaysia is an attractive e-sports market — not only for gaming companies but also for global organisations," he said.
"Throughout our e-sports events and activities over the last three years, e-sports fans have always turned up in droves to support and join in the excitement. Because the community is fast-paced and passionate, there's a lot of potential for Malaysia to make its mark on a global scale," he added.
However, Chow said, the country still had some way to go.
"Talent and passion alone are not enough. There should be more support in terms of coaching, mentoring and infrastructure for us to compete efficiently and effectively globally.
"There should be more players from the private sector come forward to support government initiatives in the e-sports sector," he added.
"The government's announcement during the 2024 Budget on the RM30 million allocation for e-sports is very encouraging and will spur the local e-sports industry further."
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