The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has accelerated digitization in all aspects of life, and the growing realm of e-sports and gaming in the Philippines is no exception.
With a surge of opportunities within the industry and a continuous evolution of technology across multiple platforms, the outlook is positive — data from Statista shows that online gaming in the country is flourishing, with exponential growth in 2020 revenues compared to the previous years. The mobile games segment in particular is expected to continue growing in the next five years, with forecast revenues reaching as much as $1.52 billion in 2025.
Much like physical sports, e-sports athletes and streamers have become figureheads for a bright future where Filipinos can excel, according to a panel of industry leaders in the recent BusinessWorld Insights forum themed “The Emerging E-sports and Gaming Scene in the Philippines.”
Lloyd Manaloto, first vice-president and head of corporate marketing and strategy at Smart Communications, Inc., said the potential for gaming can be seen in the numbers, with 63% of the online population watching gaming content and 33% watching esports.
“The way we look at sports and e-sports are the same. We create heroes, we create players and the values of sports are also inherent in e-sports — camaraderie, teamwork, sportsmanship,” said Mr. Manaloto at the forum held on Oct. 6, “So we’ve provided resources and infrastructure to e-sports to help them compete on the national stage.”
Meanwhile, Darren Paul “Ren” Vitug, commissioner of the local e-sports league The Nationals and ethics committee head of the Philippine Esports Organization, said that the stigma against gaming and e-sports as a legitimate sport or means of income remains a challenge in advocating for support, although it has lessened over the years.
“When people say that gaming is an unproductive hobby, they’re actually referring to gaming addiction and not gaming per se. Obviously addiction and hobby are polar opposites, or at least they should be,” he explained. “I think the stigma is still there but it’s seriously being challenged. More and more people understand gaming.”
He also added that the relatively young age of the e-sports industry is both a strength, in that there is much passion and enthusiasm, and a weakness, in that there is still a lack of know-how and opportunities to channel all of this energy.
For Irymarc “Tryke” Gutierrez, co-founder and chief executive officer of gaming and e-sports talent agency Tier One Entertainment, the goal is to change the perception of gamers and e-sports athletes by presenting them as modern celebrities.
“In 2018, we only had 25 streamers. Now, it’s about a thousand-plus streamers,” he said, adding that the numerous platforms and growing demand allow for this great amount of talent — whether it’s streaming PC or mobile games and e-sports.
On the future of the Philippines in gaming, Mr. Gutierrez noted that the decentralization of e-sports and gaming content won’t just affect the digital space, but also “the economic makeup of the community,” as long as stakeholders take notice and provide support. — Bronte H. Lacsamana
