IPOH: The government has been urged to establish a local E-sports League as part of efforts to unearth new talents to represent the country at international virtual sports events.
An enthusiast, Muhamad Faris Rabbani, 24, said E-sports was now the craze, especially among the youths around the world.
“The government could maybe create leagues at the state and national levels, meaning that if any player or team who joins the league is talented and consistent, they can then be chosen to represent the country in competitions overseas,“ he said when met by Bernama in conjunction with the 2019 E-sports Professional Industry Conference (EPIC) here yesterday.
The two-day conference themed ‘More Than Gaming’, also features four competitions, namely Dota 2 (computer console), Mobile Legends and PUBG Mobile (smartphone console) and FIFA19 (Playstation 4 console) with total prize money worth RM13,000.
In addition, Muhamad Faris, who is also a trader said parents should also be made aware of the benefits and healthy competition in E-sports, as most of them prevented their children from playing video games for fear it would affect their studies.
Meanwhile, Aiman Amirul Mohd Sahid, 22, said the main reason E-sports was so popular was because of the cash prizes in competitions, which could reach into the millions.
“If we look at Europe for example, many of E-sports players have made it their permanent career or at least a way to increase their earnings, due to the amount of money on offer.
“For me, in order to boost the development of this sport, the government and the private sector or corporate bodies should organise competitions either on a small or large scale,“ he said.
Aiman Amirul, who has been involved in E-sports for six years also dispelled allegations by certain quarters that E-sports would lead to more passive a reclusive society.
“Not all (players) are like that. I also limit my time to play (video games) to make way for other activities with my family or friends, especially at weekends. For me, it all depends on the individual’s attitude,“ he added. — Bernama
