Telcos in Asia Pacific commit to building and growing eSports ecosystem in the region
A group of telcos in Asia Pacific have signed a memorandum of understanding to grow the eSports ecosystem in the region.
The telcos will also work together to develop solutions and services for gamers and fans in the region.
The MOU will see Singtel, Optus, Airtel, AIS, Globe and Telkomsel, who are already collaborating to build an ecosystem of digital services such as mobile payments and gaming for customers, commit to scaling up eSports, content creation and distribution, and collaboration with the broader gaming ecosystem.
The telcos will also work together to develop solutions and services for gamers and fans in the region. This includes access to local, regional, and global esports competitions, as well as original content and exclusive programming.
“Gaming is part of a digital world without borders, where fast network speeds, connectivity and local market knowledge are critical. It is a natural and perfect fit for Singtel and our partners,” said Arthur Lang, chief executive officer of Singtel's International Group.
“We are committed to working as a group to better serve the gamers in our networks, and in the region. We hope to play a major regional role as an enabler of esports, to collectively grow the gaming ecosystem, and give gamers the support and recognition they deserve.”
The number of gamers in the region is projected to surge from 400 million in 2017, to more than 700m by 2021, with eSports viewership numbers expected to double and reach over 40m by 2019.