Thirteen Games, Eleven Medals and One Hall in Tokoname When the Asian Games Esports Start
The programme runs 23 September to 2 October, and five Southeast Asian nations qualified in three of the titles.
Esports at the Asian Games runs from 23 September to 2 October at the Aichi International Exhibition Center in Tokoname. Thirteen games, eleven medal events.
The titles are eFootball, Gran Turismo 7, Honor of Kings, Naraka: Bladepoint, Puyo Puyo Champions, Identity V, League of Legends, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Pokemon Unite and PUBG Mobile, plus a combined team event covering Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8 and The King of Fighters XV. That combination is why thirteen games produce eleven medals.
Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam all qualified in Identity V and in Naraka: Bladepoint, and the same five are in Honor of Kings. League of Legends took Malaysia and Vietnam. PUBG Mobile took Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, from a qualifier held in Vietnam in June where the top eight of 24 teams went through to join the three medallists from 2022 and hosts Japan.
The Philippine squad, Sibol, went 6-1 at the Mobile Legends qualifier in Singapore. Karl "KarlTzy" Nepomuceno, Sanford Vinuya, Alston "Sanji" Pabico, Jaypee Dela Cruz, Dave "Teddyqt" Viana Jr and Duane "Kelra" Pillas beat Malaysia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Indonesia, lost only to Cambodia, and swept Singapore in the decider. Their Honor of Kings side finished second at the Malaysia qualifier, losing the final to Indonesia after beating Pakistan and Mongolia 2-0 each and sweeping Uzbekistan. The qualifiers closed on 22 June.
MPL Malaysia pauses for the Games.