Diving into the big esports organizations in the Asian region
Esports has become an attraction around the world but its presence in Asia is on another level compared to the rest. Let’s look into some of the top orgs in Asia.
Diving into the big esports organizations in the Asian region
Esports has become an attraction around the world but its presence in Asia is on another level compared to the rest. While North America and Europe are filled with passionate fans, they do not have the same power that the Asia region has. Let’s look into some of the top orgs in Asia.
When it comes to esports, you can trace a large chunk of events back to StarCraft in South Korea in the past. They were the first country that truly embraced the sports model with monetary rewards. This would go on to become the esports model as time went on but Korea was a real turning point for the gaming scene because it promoted official matches and events.
The world followed up with so many tournaments across different games like Warcraft, Defense of the Ancients (DotA), and Counter-Strike. While they were popular, they were still a niche that some people had to look up to know.
The Fighting Game Circuit (FGC) and its games like Street Fighter and Super Smash Bros were doing well due to their inherent nature as a competitive game but esports became mainstream in the 2010s due to the rise of PC games like League of Legends and Dota 2. You can also credit the rise of free CSGO skins because it brought so much attention to the esports space with its betting aspect. Now, let’s dive into some teams that led the way for Asian players.
T1
Once known as SK Telecom T1, this organization has become a legendary squad largely due to its legacy in League of Legends. Since League is the biggest title in the esports scene, the best team in its history will always be known. Since T1 are three-time world champions in League, they are a strong team that has remained that way for a long time. They have not won the World Championships in a while but they still are a top team in the game.
They have breached other markets as well because T1 wants to leave an impact on esports in general. They have invested their time into games like Dota 2 with their Southeast Asian lineup and they even have a team in Valorant based in North America.
When it comes to T1, there is one player who defines their success over the years. Lee ‘Faker’ Sang-hyeok will always be recognized as one of the best players in all of esports. He is the number one guy when talking about Asian esports because of how strong he was with T1 and how he cemented his place as the best League player in the world and possibly ever.
T1 will continue to be a strong team in League but you can expect them to grow their brand around the world. With their efforts of creating a team for every major esports title, they are ready to become a better org. They have the chance to become a strong esports team in the future on the same level as Team Liquid, Evil Geniuses, and Natus Vincere.
As long as esports is alive, you can expect T1 to be one of the top teams in Asia across so many games. They might not have an Asian lineup per se but you can expect the final call will always be in the Eastern org’s hands.
Invictus Gaming
Mostly known for their efforts in Dota 2, China’s Invictus Gaming has become a strong org in the esports scene. They have their roots in Dota 2 but they have done their part by building teams in games such as League, CSGO, Overwatch, and even StarCraft II. Just like T1, as long as there is a major esports title out there, you can expect iG to be a big part of the Asian scene.
The biggest moment that the org has experienced was during the second edition of Dota 2’s The International. It is the biggest event in esports due to its massive prize pool and how important it is in the context of Dota 2. They managed to beat Na’Vi in the final which at the time, was the defending champs and they were one of the biggest orgs in esports.
Since then, iG has done their best to keep going across different games and they have done well. They have even created youth teams which is their way of helping out talented players and turning them into the best that China has to offer. They have even looked at recruiting other players into the org.
A big name that came through the iG system was the now-retired Dota 2 star Anathan ‘ana’ Pham who is considered one of the best esports players of all time. He is not only accomplished in terms of his accolades but also he has the prize money to prove he’s one of the best to ever pick up a mouse and keyboard.
PSG.LGD
When LGD Gaming was first created, it was known as For The Dream or FTD. They then rebranded to LGD which became the powerhouse of the Chinese esports scene ever since. Due to the power of their brand, they entered a partnership with French football giants Paris Saint-Germain and they became PSG.LGD.
It was surprising that they entered that kind of partnership because it showed that PSG is aware of the impact that esports has on a brand. LGD was also the right choice for the club to make because they are one of the most iconic teams in Chinese esports. Just like the other teams mentioned before, they have done their best to participate in as many esports titles as possible and they have done well for themselves in games like Dota 2 and League.
In the future, more major sports clubs will be involved with esports teams. You can see orgs like Team Nigma enter partnerships with Manchester City and Gambit Esports have a similar deal with AS Monaco. It will continue to happen across the esports scene in the foreseeable future. PSG.LGD was just the start and it will grow even more to become a healthy ecosystem.
Newbee
Newbee is one of the biggest names in the Chinese esports scene. They announced their arrival in 2014 when they had a Dota 2 team make a surprising run towards the TI4 grand final which they eventually won over fellow Chinese squad Vici Gaming. They won the Aegis of Champions with the former TongFu lineup which had a good run the year before in the same event.
Over the years, Newbee went on to become a solid team in the years after. However, they faced some controversies during the 2020-21 Dota Pro Circuit because their lineup was caught match-fixing. This turned out to be the final time they would play in the Dota scene because Valve and Perfect World made a joint decision to ban them from Dota events indefinitely. That was their main team which is sad considering that they were committed to competing for trophies.
Hopefully, there is a chance that they can come back to Dota since they are a strong org in that game. Being a TI winning-org is big but if they are banned, it leaves a bad mark on the squad. There is also a likelihood that they can emerge in other games to redeem themselves. They are still one of the biggest Chinese esports orgs and that will be big if they move to another game like League or Valorant.
Royal Never Give Up
Royal Never Give Up or RNG is mostly known for their League of Legends squad. They have done well during their time in the LPL and they always step up to the occasion when China needs strong teams in their squad. Despite their popularity in League, they are also a team that has broken through in other games like Dota 2 and Valorant.
Their teams are mostly catered to the games that are usually played in Asia like the MOBAs League and Dota. While Asia is not known for their power in first-person shooters, you also have to consider that Valorant is a gamer-friendly game that has led to so many people playing it.
RNG has done well to cement themselves in the esports scene and it looks like they will look to keep up this pace. Their org has done well in its six years of existence so far and that will most likely continue.
Why Asian orgs will only grow bigger
Some people are sceptical of what can happen in esports but they should know that Asia is one of the biggest markets in the esports scene. Countries like China, Japan, and Korea are hubs for esports as you can see with the number of elite esports athletes that have come from all of those countries.
You also have to take note of Southeast Asia which is a region all on its own. The Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand are all strong nations in the esports scene with so many teams and players across so many games. Back in the day, free CSGO skins were all the rage due to their impact on gaming but the esports scene has quickly taken over as the main reason Asian players love it.
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Words: Pocholo Magsino
