Esports return as the 31st Southeast Asia Games confirm that a string of popular titles will be featured in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Having been merely a demonstration sport in the 2018 Asian Games, esports has quickly come into the limelight, especially in more recent years. In 2019, esports graced the SEA Games as a medal-event, giving us the first ever taste of some of our favourite titles being shown off in a multi-sport event hosted and sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee. Now, in 2021, we have confirmation that esports will return to the SEA Games, this time with a host of brand-new titles entering the mix.
Esports at the SEA Games
In 2019, three gaming categories existed at the SEA Games; PC, Console and Mobile Gaming – each featuring two titles for which medals were available. Dota 2, Starcraft II, Tekken 7, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Arena of Valor and Hearthstone were the titles which were fought over back then – but times have changed, and a new repertoire of gaming is on the cards for 2021. According to a post which highlights the Minister of Culture in Vietnam, only MLBB and Arena of Valor will remain a staple, with a total of 8 games now being showcased this year, with some crossovers.
The games are as follows:
- Arena of Valor (Mobile) – Team Event
- PUBG (Mobile) – Team Event
- PUBG (Mobile) – Solo Event
- Free Fire (Mobile) – Team Event
- League of Legends: Wild Rift (Mobile) – Men’s Team Event
- League of Legends: Wild Rift (Mobile) – Women’s Team Event
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (Mobile) – Team Event
- League of Legends (PC) – Team Event
- Fifa Online 4 (PC) – Team Event
- Cross Fire (PC) – Team Event
As can be seen from the list above, the event seems to have dropped the console category, aiming mostly at the quickly growing mobile esports department, while adding in some extremely strong PC gaming contenders too. Some games feature both team and solo events, and while there is still much we do not know, it will be interesting to see who makes it to 31st Southeast Asia Games in Hanoi, Vietnam.
The Vietnam Recreational and Electronic Sport Association (VIRESA) is assigned to preside over the organization of competition of esports at the 31st SEA Games and have full confidence in Vietnam to host a successful event in both organization and competitive achievements, as they claim hosting rights for the second time in the event's history. The 2021 SEA Games are set to begin on November 21, 2021, and run through to December 2, 2021 – with a massive array of both esports and regular sports being played during this time. With teams and players from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, East Timor, and Vietnam, it will be interesting to see if the Philippines can lay claim to the most esports medals as they did in 2019.
We will continue to follow this story shortly as more information on the 31st Southeast Asia Games in Hanoi, Vietnam become available – but it can be said that, for now, esports seems to have found its place in the world as a staple.
