For subscribers
Still trailing despite boom
Higher e-sports prize money and better support but S'pore lacks gaming culture
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
The Singapore team training at a boot camp before the 2019 SEA Games, where e-sports made its debut as a medal event. The Republic won a silver and a bronze.
ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Follow topic:
When Alaric Choo was competing in real-time strategy game Starcraft II semi-professionally eight years ago, there was little to play for. Back then, opportunities to make a living from e-sports were scarce. Sponsorships often came in the form of products such as a gaming mouse or keyboard in exchange for having the sponsor's logo on the athletes' attire.
Since then, the e-sports industry has grown rapidly, with international tournaments boasting prize pots worth several millions, while market research firm Newzoo estimated that the global e-sports audience will grow to 495 million people last year - an 11.7 per cent increase from 2019.
