E-sports is a newest edition of sporting code being introduced in Papua New Guinea, which is currently advocating to be recognized by the PNG Government through the PNG Sports Foundation as a viable indoor sport.
E-sports or commonly referred to as electronic sports is part of the video game industry and is commonly known as a competitive gaming, which is made up of leagues, tournaments, or similar competitions where individuals or teams play video games, typically for spectators, and for the purpose of entertainment, prizes, or money.
PNG E-sports Association is an independent and formally recognized association through Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) that is currently taking the lead in fighting for e-sports to run as a federation of its own. The association aims to promote and support participation in electronic sports in PNG and the Pacific region. The association started its formulation in 2022 and formally registered with the IPA and IRC in 2023.
E-sports covers console gaming, PC gaming, and other mobile gaming platforms. Console Gaming covers video game that can be played with a game controller. Examples of Console gaming include the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S and the Nintendo Switch. PC gaming is a video game played on a personal computer (PC). Examples include Fortnite, Grand Theft Auto, League of Legends, etc. Mobile Gaming platforms are the most popular gaming site in PNG right now in which video games are played on mobile phones. Examples include Call of Duty Mobile, PUBG, etc.
Wayne Bray, the Vice President of PNG E-sports Association, expressed that e-sports major challenge right now is getting the government to recognize them as a sport.
“We are trying to get e-gaming be recognized by the government of PNG as a sporting code and build our federation, because video game is growing in PNG and we want to regulate and impose order, as well as making way for players to take part in the international events,” Wayne stated.
The Vice President went on to state that it might be difficult to get the Government to get them recognized as a sport because video games are considered as being lazy and it mostly played casually.
“We really want the Sports Foundation to see us as a sport because currently, e-sports is being negatively viewed as a waste of time as most of the kids are playing casually. Any kid with a mobile phone can play. We are pushing to be recognized because video gaming is growing and it's unavoidable. We want to be able to regulate and control it," Bray said.
“Right now, the demography is huge, the age difference is huge - meaning we have 10-year-olds playing against 30-year-olds every day. We would like the Sports Foundation's recognition and help to register us with NICTA, NGCB etc., because video gaming is the next big thing in the world and we don’t want to be banned like Ludo.”
Moreover, e-sports has been thriving in the background with different gamers hosting their own tournaments. The biggest gaming platform in the country being the CODM with PUBG gaming leading behind.
E-sports Association hopes to create a platform for people interested in the sport to come and share information, and promote e-sports in the South pacific and Oceania region, creating long-term relations with neighboring countries to foster the development of local and regional e-sports competition.
PC: Toro Gaming PNG
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