Iskandar Investment Esports Tournament rewards Dota 2, FIFA 19, CS:GO and PUBG champions
Skilled young Egamers have collectively won the coveted RM150,000 prize pool in the Iskandar Investment Esports Carnival (IIEC) which was held on the 30th and 31st March 2019 at the EduCity Sports Stadium in Iskandar Puteri, Johor. Over 1,000 participants registered from various Esports teams in the country, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand to compete in four popular Esports games – Dota 2, FIFA 19, CS:GO and PUBG.
“We are happy to have showcased what the Esports industry looks like to the public and, especially, to the youth in Johor. The event has successfully demonstrated the abundance of jobs and income opportunities for young people as players, casters, vendors, and organisers. As Esports rises to its full potential, I hope more parties will come forward and strengthen the ecosystem, making Esports a mega-industry in Johor,” said Datuk Ir. Khairil Anwar Ahmad, the President/Chief Executive Officer of Iskandar Investment Berhad.
“The Iskandar Investment Esports Carnival has drawn many Esports enthusiasts from this region to Iskandar Puteri. It is through events like this that we empower the youth and create a healthy, community-based culture. We have succeeded in attracting corporate brands, Esports industry players, and grassroots to be on the same page to further improve and collectively grow the Esports community. The Academy of Esports is keen to be the platform of influence in this fast-growing industry,” said Kenrick Tan, Chief Executive Officer of the Academy of Esports (AoES), the co-organiser of the IIEC. The academy, situated in Iskandar Puteri, has lately received much attention for its drive to train local youths to be professionally certified. AoES offers several courses in Esports and is driven by the movers and shakers in the Malaysian Esports industry.
FIFA 19 champion, Pugu Mujahid Mantang, who is more popularly known by his in-game name ‘Raja-Pugu’ said, “My personal sponsor is happy with my achievement, and I will enter more international competitions such as IIEC to make a name for myself.”
Apart from the Indonesian who won RM8,000, ‘Beyond Esports’ from Thailand also walked away with RM20,000 after they came out on top in the CS:GO competition, which they trained for three months. They, too, aim to enter more international competitions to advance in the industry. ‘Flower Gaming’ from Kuala Lumpur won the Dota 2 competition, and the group of five students went back home RM20,000 richer.
Iskandar Investment Berhad and the Academy of Esports organised and co-organised the two-day tournament respectively. The inaugural event was supported by EduCity, TM, MDIS, Wiseeye Solutions, Coca Cola, Monster Energy and Gamers Hideout. – by The Iskandarian
