LETTER: Electronic gaming, also known as E-sports, is gaining popularity in the country and is seen as having the potential to become a lucrative profession for gamers.
Malaysia has a number of talented players who participate in video game competitions, such as Dota 2, Mobile Legends, Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Tekken 7 and Fifa.
While there are many success stories of young people in our country who have ventured into this field, our country's growth of E-sports varies from that of other countries that have produced many millionaire professional gamers.
Despite its late arrival in Malaysia, E-sports has been recognised by the Youth and Sports Ministry. The E-sports Growth Strategic Plan 2020-2025 was launched by the ministry to broaden E-sports with five strategies — developing athletes for E-sports, ensuring ethical and responsible E-sports. providing access to E-sports infrastructure, creating healthy E-sports ecosystems and regulating good laws and governance.
E-sports should be driven by factors such as education, economy, health, job advancement and participation in youth and volunteer organisations.
To that end, the Malaysian Youth Council (MBM) established E-sports Medical Academic (Esports MedicA), a comprehensive medical committee devoted exclusively to E-sports and video game players. Apart from being part of the Green Crescent Malaysia and Darul Khusus Electronic Sports Team, MBM also leads Esports MedicA.
Face, ear, cognitive, ergonomic and psychological experts make up the Esports MedicA team. This medical community continues to partner with E-sports organisations to better understand and interact with players. They want to contribute to the safe growth of E-sports.
MBM is also attempting to encourage E-sports as a way of advancing one's career, expertise and entrepreneurship. It's one of the job creation options available after Covid-19.
Streamers, in addition to professional players, play an important role in E-sports. Streamers are people who make live streams of video games so that anyone can watch them play. They can engage with viewers when streaming.
The presence of social media platforms, like Facebook, that provide video game streaming space has indirectly opened avenues for players to generate their own revenue through the star distribution mechanism. The star distribution mechanism, also known as Facebook gaming stars, is a network that enables viewers and streamers to connect more effectively.
Stars will be purchased first by viewers who will then give them to the streamers while they are streaming. As a result, the more stars a streamer has, the more money they make.
In addition to being paid, streamers can raise money from ads, pay per view method and merchandise sales, as well as crowdfund charitable activities. As a result, streamers are taught to use this platform not just for profit, but also for charitable work and volunteerism.
We hear them soliciting contributions for causes such as the Covid-19 battle fund and paediatric patient care. Hence, MBM aims to encourage E-sports players to use their expertise in other fields too.
E-sports need special consideration from those in charge as this platform has a promising future. As the E-sports industry generates a large number of talented players around the world, Malaysia will certainly be well known globally.
LUQMAN HAKIM SAHAR EFFENDI
Faculty of Medicine & Health Science,
Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM)
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times