Singapore: Like many other parents, Jollen Poe’s people were initially worried when she became interested in games in elementary school, as it could affect her research. I was there.
“They were more supportive when they started winning money, gaming supplies, and even prizes such as laptops, but my mom still wanted me to remember that research was number one. The 17-year-old League of Legends mobile game.
She rarely expected to be part of Singapore’s debut women’s esports team, which won a silver medal at the Hanoi Southeast Asian Games in May ten years later. She managed to manage a full-time league-run job at an esports company, which she achieved while studying part-time at the University of Social Sciences in Singapore.
Poe’s journey reflects how esports and professional competitive games here have evolved over the years.
At about the same time, Singapore is making progress by becoming a leading esports tournament choice.
In October, Singapore became the first Southeast Asian country to host The International (TI), the largest global tournament for the multiplayer online game Dota 2, with total prizes exceeding US $ 40 million (S $ 55.3 million) last year. ..
This latest feather of the cap is in the midst of Singapore’s efforts to grab a slice of growing esports pie. Globally, industry revenues increased from US $ 996 million (S $ 1.37 billion) in 2020 to US $ 1.14 billion in 2021, according to market research firm Newzoo. This year, this figure is projected to reach US $ 1.38 billion.
The growth trajectory is expected to continue. Guillaume Sachet, KPMG’s Advisory Partner, said: Singapore, see industry report published by the company in 2021.
The economic opportunities offered by the industry are certainly not overlooked. In response to today’s question, Onlin Lee, Executive Director of Sports and Wellness at the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), said: .. “
She added: “Live television or streaming of esports events also provides Singapore with a branding opportunity. Singapore could be the most important destination for esports fans around the world.”
According to figures released by database company Statista in March 2021, the global esports audience has increased from 397.8 million in 2019 to 435.9 million in 2020. It is expected to increase to 577.3 million by 2024.
Local esports talents, businesses and organizations interviewed by TODAY quickly pointed out several factors that make Singapore attractive to tournament organizers, such as the island’s superior technology and business infrastructure.
Leveraging these strengths will help Singapore’s esports industry grow, while boosting the tourism sector to make up for the land lost after two years of barren years, they say. I did.
Nonetheless, they added that Singapore needs to do a lot of work to go beyond hosting international tournaments and establish itself as a key player in the global esports industry. This includes building a domestic talent pool in esports and making it more attractive as a career option.
