Electronic sports (eSports) have proven their attraction when, for the second time, being included in the official sports list at the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) with eight disciplines in total. Not only did this year's event enjoy the highest number of eSports athletes, but it also marked the first time female players were considered eligible.
At SEA Games 31, VNG was the principal partner of the Vietnam Recreational and Electronic Sports Association (VIRESA). The company was responsible for operating and supporting Vietnamese athletes in the following games: League of Legends: Wild Rift (men’s and women’s team), PUBG Mobile (individual and team), and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (team).
Wild Rift – the first eSports to bring Vietnam a Gold Medal
In League of Legends: Wild Rift, 8 men's and 8 women's teams played the round-robin. Team Flash is the Vietnam men’s team representative, while V-Gaming was the women’s one. Despite being in their infancy, Vietnam teams proved their capability by reaching the Top 8 teams in the region. On May 16, after hours of intense battle, the Vietnam men's team won the first gold medal in eSports, remaining undefeated in the tournament.
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Vietnam witnessed impressive growth
Vietnam representative in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) this year was CyberEXE team, which had experience competing in a series of domestic and international tournaments. To surpass the SEA Games selection round, CyberEXE had won nearly 30 teams and 150 talents across the country.
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang was the first game to appear three times in a row at the tournament. Previously, at SEA Games 30, the MLBB Vietnam team also attended and ranked 4th. At SEA Games held in Vietnam, VNG expects the team to achieve high results, which would be an important milestone in their maturity journey. “We are grateful to the Organizing Committee for allowing the team to connect and compete with professional and semi-professional teams globally. In addition to practicing diligently, we will also keep our spirits up in order not to get distracted in the game”, CyberEXE team members said before SEA Games 31.
PUBG Mobile made its debut at SEA Games 31
SEA Games 31 had 16 PUBG Mobile teams from 9 Southeast Asia countries, with V Gaming and D'Xavier being representatives of Vietnam. Having accomplished teams from Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, PUBG Mobile in Southeast Asia appeared to be highly competitive. Therefore, this event was both a challenge and an opportunity for Vietnam athletes to broaden their experience in international competitions.
In this Sports Festival, PUBG Mobile, though newly introduced, has made history with the Gold Medal in the individual round. Player Phan Van Dong (ViCoi) became champion with a total score of 104, which was close to his rival ALAN from Indonesia with 102 points.
Mr. La Xuan Thang, VNG chief representative at SEA Games 31 emphasized: “It is our honor to partner with VIRESA and SEA Games organizing board in making eSports an official discipline at this year's Sports Festival. The fighting spirit of the athletes, the support of the authorities, and the cheers of millions of fans across Southeast Asia have made eSports at SEA Games 31 impressive."