by Deriq T. Bernard
THE 2019 SEA Games is the first major sporting event to include e-sports as a medal sport, sanctioned by the Olympic Commission and may open the doors for the competition to find its way to the 2020 Olympics.
At the closing ceremony of the SEA Games, the e-sports industry found a new place in the sporting world garnering a huge audience and getting noticed as a legitimate sport worthy of Olympic status becoming the first e-sports medal event.
The San Juan Arena, where the games were held, was filled to capacity. Streaming platforms registered 20 million impressions with up to 90,000 viewers. Audiences spent over 200,000 hours watching on YouTube, making it one of the top 10 trending gaming videos globally.
Responsible for steering and streaming this acceptance is Razer, a leading global lifestyle brand for gamers and the official e-sports partner of the SEA Games 2019. It led the conclusion of six hugely successful e-sports tournaments as part of the games. The company has been on a decade-long mission to legitimize e-sports. With the success of the SEA Games campaign it is now placing its focus on the Olympics.
“The esports event was a resounding success and the games are a testament of our e-sports talent in the region. While we may have achieved success in the SEA Games, this journey to legitimizing esports is not over. We will continue to strive for e-sports’ inclusion in the Olympics and we look forward to the next SEA Games in 2021,” David Tse, Global e-sports Director at Razer said.
“We’ve seen some pretty exciting gameplay and a superb level of competition among the SEA Games e-sports athletes. A formidable force, these youths have shown grit, resilience and a tremendous respect for their craft and supporters,” Alvin Juban, Philippine SEA Games Esports Union, Co-President & National Team Manager shared.
For its efforts in helping e-sports receive the same recognition and coverage as traditional sports, Razer has been given an honorary recognition by the Philippine Sea Games Organizational Committee (PHISGOC). A presentation of an official certificate of recognition has been made and will be followed by an announcement on PHISGOC’s social channels.
“We’re proud to host them and we hope to see them celebrating again in the next SEA Games. The great success of the e-sports event in the last one week has proven our vision and strong partnership with Razer,” Juban said.
