Philippines goes ‘all in’ on mobile games for Esports Olympics 2025

Participating in the Olympics may be ‘something new’ for Filipino esports players, but top national gamers believe the country has ‘a great chance in mobile games’

MANILA, Philippines – After its best-ever Olympic performance in Paris, the Philippines is looking to bring back Olympic glory – this time in a sporting discipline that has grown exponentially in the country over the past decade.

Team Philippines is looking to tap into the world-famous mobile gaming scene as it heads towards the inaugural Esports Olympics next year in Saudi Arabia.

“PESO (Philippine Esports Organization) is fully committed to mobile gaming,” said Marlon Marcelo, Executive Director of PESO.

While specific games have not been announced yet, PESO expects Filipino esports players to win many medals, given their years of success in mobile games such as Mobile Legends Bang Bang (MLBB).

“We have a big opportunity in mobile games. We can’t miss this opportunity. We want to focus on that because that’s historically been our strength,” Marcelo said in a mix of English and Filipino.

“There are a lot of games in esports, so we have to put our eggs in the baskets where we normally win. The strategy is to prioritize those games where we have the highest chance of winning a medal,” he added.

The 2025 Games, established by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), will differ from the traditional Summer and Winter Games and will be held “regularly” from next year until 2037 in Saudi Arabia. Further details will be released by the IOC.

The Philippines has long been a powerhouse in the MLBB world, with its local professional league, MPL-Philippines, having produced the last four world champion teams in the sport.

In the women’s event, Smart Omega Empress, an all-Cebuana team, emerged victorious at the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Women’s Invitational 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia last month, becoming the first Filipino women’s team to win the MLBB World Championship.

Meanwhile, Sibol Philippines, the country’s national esports team, has also won seven gold medals in the past three Southeast Asian Games.

Locally, esports has also been integrated as a demo sport in the past two editions of Palarong Pambansa, while the UAAP has already added the event to its calendar this year.

With esports becoming increasingly popular in the country, PESO hopes to bring the best Filipino players with a Philippine passport to the Olympics.

“We don’t have any plans yet on how we’re going to do it, but I definitely want it to be like the Avengers. We strive to bring in the best athletes, wherever (they) are, and from there build the best team,” Marcelo said.

According to Marcelo, athletes who win medals during the Olympic Games are also entitled to the benefits under Republic Act 10699 or the National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act, which gives an Olympic gold medalist 10 million pesos, raising the stakes for local gamers.

“Going to the Olympics is something new for us. No one has ever done it. The jump from the SEA (Southeast Asian) Games to the Asian Games is really high,” he added.

“Everyone will be aiming for a medal, especially when you have a big chance of Olympic glory.”

Hoping to boost esports athletes, PESO also unveiled plans to build a national complex for its players, similar to those at the Philippine Sports Commission grounds in Pasig and Manila, ahead of the Saudi Games.

“Imagine, we don’t have a national esports facility yet, but we’re already winning world championships. What more would it be if we had one?” said Marcelo. – Rappler.com