Philippines named overall champion at WESG Southeast Asia 2018
Filipinos continue to make waves in the global electronic sports (eSports) scene as the Philippines was hailed as overall champion at the World Electronic Sports Games (WESG) Southeast Asia 2018 Finals held recently in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia after Filipino delegates bagged significant wins in various sets of grueling battle during the tournament. WESG Southeast Asia is a regional tournament which is part of a larger WESG circuit run by Alisports Group, the sports affiliate of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. The best players from 10 participating countries competed in several major eSports titles including DOTA 2, Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Hearthstone, Starcraft II, and Vainglory. The matches were played out in a Swiss tournament format followed by a knockout stage wherein top four contenders battled through semifinals to determine the champion. Victors from each game categories took home a portion of the prize pool worth $75,000, and will represent the Southeast Asia at the WESG International Grand Finals in China. The final two days of WESG Southeast Asia 2018 kicked off with a breathtaking opening ceremony, filled with elements of dance and percussion, as well as classical vocals and violins. In his opening speech, Alisports Director of Esports Development Jeffrey Jiang discussed its in-depth partnership with Agri Mind, the strategic partner of Alisports in Southeast Asia and the main organizer of WESG in the region, in setting a world-leading standard for eSports and associated industries. Meanwhile, Agri Mind’s Chairman Calvin Lau tackled the importance of building a sustainable eSports ecosystem in Southeast Asia to cultivate grassroots growth. The company aims to set up an integrated eSports hub in Klang, a city in Selangor, Malaysia. Filipino team TNC Predator claimed the top spot in DOTA 2 after beating Malaysia’s WG Unity in the best-of-three series during the finals. TNC Predator was dominant throughout the tournament, proving once again that they are one of the strongest DOTA 2 teams in the region. The ArkAngel CSGO Female Pro Team also brought home the gold medal for the Philippines in Counter Strike: Global Offensive in women’s division. ArkAngel CSGO Female Pro Team had a rough start against Singaporean squad Phoenix during the finals but it was able to make a comeback in game two and continued its dominance in game three. TNC Pro Team – CSGO, on the other hand, fell short in securing a gold medal for the men’s division. The team’s WESG Southeast Asia 2018 journey ended with silver medal in a close fight against Thailand’s Alpha Red. Caviar Napoleon M. Acampado also won a gold medal after bagging the championship in Starcraft II against Vietnam’s representative. The Philippines’ representatives in Hearthstone, Euneil Javiñas for the men’s division and Cara Vergel De Dios for the women’s division, finished as first and second runner-up, respectively. Apart from the official WESG competition, visitors also experienced other activities. Agri Mind partnered with GAX Evolution to bring more entertainment value to the event, particularly anime, comics, and games. A host of booth setups by key partners and supporters of the event were also installed.