Campuses, government, companies take part in student esports summit in the Philippines

Over 100 schools from across the Philippines are expected to take part in what can be a game-changing event for the local esports industry.

The Estudyante Esports (EN: “Student Esports”) SumEEt will be held in the nation’s capital on Saturday, March 2, at the historic Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

In a press release, the event’s organizer, Dark League Studios, said that the SumEEt is designed to give a “spotlight on the local esports scene, and how best to empower the country’s youth into making esports an integral part of their academic lives.” The said event will feature students, teachers, school administrators, government agencies, national sporting organizations, as well as game developers.

Dark League Studios’ CEO, AC Valdenor, said, “EE (Estudyante Esports) by Dark League Studios rallies a much-needed transformation in the landscape of campus gaming in the country – not just tournaments – but also comprehensive platforms for academe stakeholders to immerse themselves in the multi-disciplinary areas of the esports industry, and utilize opportunities to showcase student leadership and in-game skills.”

 

One of Estudyante Esports’ sessions in December 2023. [PHOTO FROM DARK LEAGUE STUDIOS]

FOUR-PRONGED APPROACH

Estudyante Esports says, its overall program has four key facets. First of which is their EE Caravan, which involves traveling across different Philippine regions and organizing events like mini-fairs with learning events to increase awareness.

The next is the accreditation phase, to link schools, colleges, universities and their administrators to strengthen educational efforts and form EE chapters across the country to explore and eventually, establish campus esports organizations. 

“Schools that become accredited by Estudyante Esports will turn into an ‘EE school chapter”, allowing students, teachers, and other campus staff who individually register as an Estudyante Esports Affiliate, will benefit from the various programs mentioned and described as part of Estudyante Esports,” Dark League Studios said.

The third approach is the holding of big national events like the SummEEt, to discuss industry developments, trends, and sharing of best practices, as well as an awards ceremony to recognize achievers in their respective fields.

Finally, the league also aims to run the Estudyante Esports League – an inclusive and all-gaming-platform based esports tournament. The said league will execute online and LAN events in a bid to give the overall esports experience for its student participants.

 

WHY DOES THIS MATTER?

The Philippines is fast producing esports talents of all sorts – from players, to talents, as well as backend and other personnel.

Recently, the country won the M5 World Championship – the World Cup of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang – on home soil, with players of AP.Bren still in the same age as most campus esports players and students alike. The Philippines also hosted the inaugural edition of the esports competitions in the Southeast Asian Games – and is consistently winning medals from a national perspective.

All-Filipino pro teams, as well as Filipino pro players, have also been recruited to work with different brands such as the all-Filipino Team Secret Valorant team that recently placed 5th in the VCT Pacific Kickoff tournament, as well as the G2 Blacklist Wild Rift team which placed second in the Wild Rift League Asia.

Some Filipino students have also played as both student athletes and esports pros, such as Xavier “xavi8k” Juan, SEA Games Bronze Medalist for the country’s national team for Valorant, and player for Viridis Arcus Esports of De La Salle University and his pro squad, Oasis Gaming.

Several players from the Call of Duty: Mobile scene such as Justin “Susanoo” Cecilio, also from Viridis Arcus Esports of De La Salle University, are also representing pro teams like his current CODM squad, Elevate.

Worldwide, talents have also been spotted on international broadcasts or featured in games themselves, such as Dota 2 caster Marlon “Lon” Marcelo. The originator of the now-famous “Lakad Matatag!” chant is now the head of the Philippine Esports Organization, who will also be partnering up for the SummEEt.

More recently, people like Darwell “Asurai” Llerena and Mika “MikaFabs” Fabella have been featured in international Valorant Champions Tour Pacific broadcasts, inspiring the entire esports community as a whole.

Student esports movements are nothing new to the Philippine scene, having been pioneered by AcadArena in the late 2010s and up to the pandemic years.

However, Estudyante Esports breathes a new life to the campus esports scene locally, allowing pro teams to find and discover new talents for the Filipino and global esports community – and organizers feel, this untapped resource of student talent can help inject more life into the growing campus esports scene in the country.

“The SummEEt is an exciting merger of esports and education as one, creating possibilities and providing a clear path for students wishing to get into esports seriously,” says Alexander “Deng” Kibanoff, Estudyante Esports’ program director.

Keynote speeches from various stakeholders are also expected, among them are from Philippine Sports Commission chairperson Richard Bachmann, Dark League Studios Chief Marketing Officer Alfrancis Chua (who is also sports director of one of the Philippines’ biggest conglomerates, San Miguel Corporation), and the commissioner of the Philippine Basketball Association, Mr. Willie Marcial.

Entrance to the summit is free, and registration info can be found via facebook.com/estudyanteesports.