Local gamers count on Esportsplay-LGD tieup

Aspiring Filipino gamers get a rare chance to train with some of the best players in the world following the partnership of Esportsplay Gaming and world renowned Dota 2 team LGD last Tuesday at the Conrad Hotel in Pasay City.

Esportsplay Gaming chairman Ivan Angelo Cuevas and COO John Tse led the contract signing with LGD general manager Pan Fei and CEO Pan “Ruru” Jie, promising a collective effort in bringing Philippine and Southeast Asian Games esports to another level.

The merger, which led to the formation of LGD International, plans to discover the country’s grassroots talents, train them and prime them up for international esports tournaments like the prestigious The International (TI), the largest esports competition in the world.

The ninth edition of TI held last August in China where host LGD finished third, was participated by the best 18 Dota 2 squads in the world, including two Philippine teams.

“The Philippines will be the first country to benefit from our training system so hopefully we can bring the Philippine esports to higher level and help Filipino Dota 2 players succeed in international tournaments,” said Jie of the Chinese organization LGD, which is a regular TI team.

Cuevas and Tse are looking forward to this tie-up which would only help them achieve their vision of transforming the Philippine esports to a major force not only in Southeast Asia but in the continent and the whole world as well.

“Forming one DOTA 2 team is just one vision for LGD International. With their experience training a team, I have all the confidence in the world to grow the esports community in the country,” said Tse.

“Esports Gaming is planning to solidify the Philippines in the Esports map with this collaboration with one of the best teams in the world,” added Cuevas.

Part of this collaboration’s long-term program includes building an international training center in Pampanga and a worldclass gaming arena in Cebu.