Esports, the world of computer, console, and mobile gaming, is increasingly gaining popularity in the country. With Esports players making a career out of gaming, the Bhutan Mobile Gaming Association is stepping up its game to organise national competitions to prepare Esports players for the international arena. The first-ever Bhutan Esports Championship, an offline event, is on the horizon.
The Bhutan Esports Championship in early July will see players face off in games such as Mobile Legends, PUBG, eFootball, and Tekken.
The offline event will be held at the Clock Tower in Thimphu. This time around, the persistent issue of internet connectivity, which has plagued online gamers, is expected to be less of a hindrance.
TashiCell will support and provide high-speed Internet service at the championship venue.
Players say that not many are aware of the opportunities in Esports.
“Esports has developed into various career opportunities beyond playing professionally. Platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook Gaming offer opportunities for gamers to monetise their gameplay through subscriptions, views, likes, and sponsorships,” said Ritesh Pradhan, eFootball player.
“Esports has helped me gain a lot of strategic skills and also understand the game’s algorithm well. It is an open platform for people all over the country, with no limitations,” said Rinzin Wangchuk, eFootball player.
“One of the misconceptions is that there are no platforms for female gamers, but opportunities exist in national and international tournaments. My team has been participating in such tournaments for the past two years. Esports has organised competitive platforms with rules and regulations. As a female player, many people underestimate us. We still encounter discouragement, with some saying that Esports does not guarantee a future,” said Diya, mobile legends bang bang player.
The Bhutan Mobile Gaming Association, affiliated with the Bhutan Olympic Committee, is taking Bhutan to the international Esports arena.
It is also affiliated with the Global Esports Federation and the International Esports Federation.
“To foster the growth of Esports in the country, we have been working towards affiliations with government and sports entities, as well as international federations on the global stage. We are building a sustainable Esports ecosystem in the country, aiming to create a supportive community that can provide career opportunities for players in the future,” said Sherab Lhaden, president of the Bhutan Mobile Gaming Association.
“If Bhutan had better internet speed, we would be able to offer the same level of competition in international tournaments, and we would also have more opportunities,” said Karma Tandin Dorji, PUBG player.
The Bhutan Mobile Gaming Association is collaborating with Norling Events for the upcoming Bhutan Esports Championship.
The association says that the championship’s quality will be on par with international tournaments.
“It is going to be a professional stage with proper lighting and proper setup. We are also thinking of giving out a huge prize pool for this event,” said Sherab Lhaden, president of the Bhutan Mobile Gaming Association.
The president added that it is difficult to convince companies in the country to sponsor competitions since they do not understand that gaming and Esports are global phenomena.
Tsheyang Tshogyal
Edited by Sherub Dorji
