SEA Games 2023: Here's A Look At All 6 Esports Games That Will Be Played
Malaysia is participating in four out of the six games.
The SEA Games 2023 has officially kicked off today, 5 May
The SEA Games is a multisport competition between countries in Southeast Asia that is held once every two years. This year, it is hosted by Cambodia and will be participated by 11 nations, namely:
- Malaysia
- Cambodia
- Laos
- Brunei
- Indonesia
- Singapore
- Myanmar
- Philippines
- Singapore
- Thailand
- Timore-Leste
- Vietnam
According to NIKKEI Asia, more than 11,000 athletes across 37 sports are expected to compete in this year's event, and esports is one of them.
This also marks the third time that esports will be officially contested in the multisport competition between countries in Southeast Asia!
1. Mobile Legends Bang Bang (Mobile)
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) is a popular mobile multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game developed and published by Moonton.
The game features two opposing teams of five players each, who battle against each other in a virtual arena with the objective of destroying the enemy team's base while protecting their own.
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang will have team competitions in both the men and women's division.
The participating nations are: Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam
2. League of Legends Wild Rift (Mobile)
League of Legends: Wild Rift is a mobile and console version of the popular PC MOBA game League of Legends, developed and published by Riot Games.
Like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, the game features two teams of five players each, who battle against each other in real-time, strategic combat.
The objective of the game is to work together with your team to destroy the enemy team's base while defending your own. Wild Rift's gameplay is optimised for mobile and console play, with intuitive controls, shorter match times, and a more streamlined experience compared to the PC version.
This game will have a team competition in the men's division for the SEA Games 2023.
The participating nations are: Cambodia, Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam
3. PUBG: Battlegrounds (Mobile)
The next game is a battle royale game developed and published by PUBG Corporation, a subsidiary of Krafton Game Union.
The game features up to 100 players who parachute onto an island and scavenge for weapons and equipment to eliminate other players while avoiding being killed themselves.
The playable area of the island gradually shrinks over time, forcing players to engage with each other in intense, fast-paced combat. Players can play alone, in pairs, or in teams of four, and the last player or team standing wins.
PUBG: Battlegrounds will have an individual competition in the men's division.
The participating nations are: Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Timor-Leste, Thailand, Vietnam, and Brunei
4. Valorant (PC)
Valorant is a free-to-play, online multiplayer tactical first-person shooter game developed and published by Riot Games. The game is set in a near-future world and features two teams of five players each, who battle against each other in various game modes.
This game is perfect for esports, as it focuses on skill-based play and teamwork. The objective of the game varies depending on the game mode, but typically involves planting or defusing a bomb, or eliminating the enemy team.
Valorant's gameplay is characterised by its fast-paced action, precise gunplay, and deep strategic gameplay mechanics.
Essentially, Valorant will be held as a team competition in the men's division.
Participating nations are: Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam
5. Attack Online 2 (PC)
Attack Online 2 or AK2 is a popular first-person shooter that's popular in Cambodia. In the game, players can choose from various characters with different abilities and weapons, and engage in fast-paced, real-time combat with other players from around the world.
The game has gained popularity in Cambodia due to its local language support and cultural relevance.
Attack Online 2 will have an individual and team competition in the men's division only.
Participating nations are: Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, and Thailand
6. CrossFire (PC)
CrossFire is a free-to-play, online multiplayer first-person shooter game developed and published by Smilegate Entertainment.
The game features two teams of players, the Global Risk and the Black List, who battle against each other in various game modes. CrossFire has a wide range of weapons and equipment, including rifles, machine guns, grenades, and more, which players can use to gain an advantage over their opponents.
This game will have a team competition in the men's division for SEA Games 2023.
Participating nations are: Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Philippines, and Vietnam
If you want to see the full schedule and fixtures for esports or any other sport in SEA Games 2023, you can check out the Olympic's official website