Cultivating the business potential of esports in the Philippines

Ronald Robins, the founder of Mineski Global, one of the top esports firms in Southeast Asia, discussed at this year’s Digicon how the company is making esports a viable career option for passionate gamers.

Competitive gaming – otherwise known as esports – in the Philippines has come a long way since it started taking root in the early 2000s.

Just last year, the country hosted the Southeast Asian Games, where video game titles like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Tekken 7, and StarCraft 2 were included as medal sports.

However, Robins recalled in his Digicon talk on Wednesday, October 7, that it took a lot of hard work for the local scene to get to where it is today.

Robins said there has always been a stigma with wanting or choosing to play games professionally due in large part to a lack of understanding or knowledge. This became a roadblock in allowing the local esports scene to flourish early on.

But he said this was the reason that pushed him to stop competing professionally in 2009 and start Mineski Global – a firm that could establish a professional scene for gamers across the country.

Mineski Global has different business arms, each one empowering gamers in its own way.

For example, the Mineski Academy arm looks to educate communities on career opportunities in esports. It will also have partnerships with universities to drive esports curriculum development, which helps the academe and parents have a better understanding of esports.

Establishing a professional scene also attracts strategic partnerships with businesses that can promote the gaming industry and advance support for esports as a whole.

Having these businesses on-board can change the perception of esports, turning it into a viable career option for gamers and a sustainable industry for stakeholders.

Now it’s not just, as Robins put it, a “dead-end” for passionate gamers.

“Our purpose is to serve the gamers. We are here to entertain. And we are here to serve you your passion,” said Robins. – Rappler.com

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