SINGAPORE-BASED professional esports organization RSG has entered the Philippine market, with its commitment to support the burgeoning local esports eco-system.
During its recent online launch, RSG Founder and Chief Executive Officer Jayf Soh told reporters that they decided to expand here because the country “has a highly enthusiastic esports community that has grown rapidly in recent years.”
According to market research firm Newzoo, 43 million gamers spent $572 million on games in 2019, making the country the world’s 25th biggest market by games revenues.
Based on the Digital 2021 report on the Philippines by Dataportal, the number of internet users in the Philippines rose by 4.2 million (6.1 percent) to 73.91 million from 2020 to 2021, of which 72.1 percent aged 16 to 64 use game apps each month.
Per Esports Charts, MPL Philippines Season 7 had notched over 33 million total watch hours with 1.4 million peak live viewers in the first half of this year, featuring one of the country’s most popular games Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB).
“As the esports scene gathers momentum in the region, RSG is proud to be one of the first few regional esports organizations to expand our presence and support the development of the local esports industry,” he said.
“We hope to bring to the fans here our experience in developing esports champions, drive innovation in the way we create and engage fans, and last but not least, the trademark RSG spirit of relentlessly pursuing excellence. We will be working together with stakeholders and fans to educate the masses about esports, and contribute to a more robust ecosystem as we aspire to be the leading esports organization here,” he added.
The company’s early-stage initiatives, per Soh, include developing professional esports teams and talent, in support of its strategy to expand the local esports talent pool and raise the bar in engaging the gaming community and improving fan experiences.
Immediate plans, he bared, are training and development of the first RSG PH professional esports team, which will debut in the upcoming official national-level tournament, Mobile Legends Professional League Philippines Season 8; and developing engagement initiatives to create connections with their fans and the local community.
The organization will explore plans to expand its competitive capabilities to include other game titles across console, PC and mobile platforms, support local content creators and talent, and explore long-term collaborations to raise mass awareness and interest on esports.
Incepted in 2017, RSG operates across Southeast Asia, with presence in Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and now the Philippines.
The company’s premier esports teams specialize in leading game titles, such as MLBB, PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty and Warcraft, and have participated in over 200 tournaments collectively.
It plans to compete in more games and reach 150 million gaming audience in the region by the end of 2021.
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