THE 'BER' months are already here, which means that a plethora of spectacles will happen as the esports calendar reaches its peak.
For Filipino esports or Mobile Legends fans, the MPL Philippines Season 12 is about to commence, and teams will clash for a chance to compete in the prestigious M5 World Championship, which will be held in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, FARLIGHT 84 has invested a lot in the country, meaning that more tournaments could happen. Riot Games has also decided to focus on establishing the League of Legends scene in the Philippines.
But it's not only the local scene where Filipinos can enjoy esports as they can also attend local watch parties or if possible attend the biggest events such as Dota 2's The International which will be held in Seattle, or League of Legends' Worlds 2023 in Seoul and Busan.
With so many events, comes a plethora of opportunities for those curious to witness the beauty of esports. If ever you want to fully maximize your experience, here are tips that are worth noting.
Learn the game
As someone who transitioned from traditional sports to esports, all I can say is esports offers a different experience.
Basketball or football has a very straightforward objective, score more points and win.
Esports also has its own objectives from winning rounds in VALORANT or Counter-Strike or destroying the opponent's base in Dota 2 or StarCraft.
However here's a major difference that I noticed, in traditional sports the movement of the players or the ball is very noticeable to the naked eye, making it beginner friendly for newcomers.
Meanwhile, esports is more action packed, filled with extreme levels of technical jargon that could be daunting and confusing to newcomers.
Ask yourself which is easier to dissect for a newcomer: LeBron's posterizing dunk on a random NBA player or Natus Vincere's iconic play against IG in Dota 2's The International?
Unless if you have a deeper understanding of Dota mechanics, the former is more pleasing and easier to comprehend, while the latter would raise a lot of questions given the numerous abilities that were unleashed.
Given the complex mechanics, the fast-paced nature, and the amount of shenanigans in esports, it's highly advised to learn more about the game before one can dig deep in the esports scene.
The more you know, the more you appreciate the amount of detail that shoutcasters exhibit, and you'll also salute the shotcallers and coaches who have spent hours of digging deep and overloading their brains with nonstop info.
Know more about the storylines
The action in esports is exhilarating however this isn't the primary attraction for observers, as the narratives would elevate the overall experience. Take for instance TNC's Miracle back in TI6. The classic tale of an underdog defying the odds brought a lot of emotions as well as twists in the competitive scene.
For a team that initially started the scene with no resources and fanfare to finally defeating the heavy favorites in the Dota 2 scene, brought some tears to our eyes.
But besides the usual David vs. Goliath theme, there are other storylines that have also made its mark. Rivalries have also brought some hype in the scene. Who wouldn't forget the heated battle between Duane "Kelra" Pillas and Kiel "Oheb" Soriano, which has been running for ages?
Then there are some personalities who would go as far and trigger opposing fanbases to become villains in the scene. Remember that time when Billy "Z4pnu" Alfonso took shots on Blacklist International and its fans?
However, the storylines aren't just centered on what happens in the battlefield as it can also be seen from the personal lives of players.
Upon hearing the stories and the struggles of these esports athletes, one should realize that they aren't just pro players basking on their accomplishments, as they're also human beings as well.
Even the milestones of certain athletes would also add to the prestige. Take for instance, Christine "Potter" Chi, who became the first female coach in a mixed esports team to lead a team (Evil Geniuses) to a world title. It was no easy feat given Evil Geniuses' status as a meme team in VALORANT.
Tag along a friend
Whether you're attending a live esports spectacle or a local watch party, having a friend with you helps a lot. It's always an enjoyable experience to have someone to cheer with you, to discuss about the technical or the showbiz side of esports, or worse to antagonize and troll you, since they support a rival team.
It's even more fun if the watch party or event offers food, drinks, and free goodies.
While bringing a friend would make the experience memorable, is it still possible to enjoy an esports event without tagging along someone? It still is especially if you consider the factors mentioned earlier.
However it's a different feeling when watching an event with someone, and in case you're looking to enjoy the festivities with a friend, why not try joining communities and speaking about that...
Join and be active in communities
The growth of esports orgs have always been centered on one important piece: the community. The livelier the community, the more noise an org generates, adding to its marketability.
There are so many community hubs on social media, some are focused on specific teams, while there are those who primarily focus on gaming titles.
It is through these communities, where people discuss on certain topics centered on the esports or gaming scene, from the patch updates, the livestreams of their favorite players, issues in the scene, etc.
Sharing your thoughts or even making content about the events in the esports scene could add to your popularity in groups. You'll definitely encounter allies or perhaps toxic enemies, adding to the thrills.
Heck it might even lead to potential opportunities ahead. Imagine if your post got noticed by the esports talents or players to the point where they hire you as a social media manager, community manager, ambassador, video editor, or maybe a VIP guest or even better a talent in events.
It would also help if you establish your own portfolio, social media page, or YouTube channel to get noticed by your idols, which ultimately could yield an exciting experience ahead.
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