SINGAPORE — Since the age of 10, Renfred Ng has considered computer games to be a big part of his life, much to his mother’s chagrin.

In fact, he remembers how his mother used to confiscate his keyboard and mouse, hoping he would focus on his studies.

“That just made me want to play more,” quipped Ng, who is now 29 and part of a five-man team that will represent Singapore in the Arena of Valor (AOV) game at the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in the Philippines.

This is the first time esports is part of a medal event at a competition sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee.

Ng and his teammates — Marcus Lee, 24; Chris Ong, 28; Dabbie Lim, 28; and Bjorn Ong, 25 — are part of a contingent of 20 esports athletes who will represent Singapore in six events at the biennial multi-sport event.

The other games are: Hearthstone, StarCraft II, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Dota 2 and Tekken 7.

AOV falls under a genre of video games known as multiplayer online battle arena. Played on a mobile phone, the main objective of the game is to destroy the opposing team’s core — a critical structure found in each home base.

However, in order to do so, they will first have to destroy several turrets on the map which are guarded by heroes controlled by the five players. Aiding the players are non-player characters such as monsters or minions.

The pace of the game is fast, with each round typically lasting anywhere from seven to 20 minutes.

The quintet, which will be competing under the banner of the esports organisation Resurgence, will play their first match on Dec 7 during the group A and B qualifying rounds.

‘STEPPING STONE’ FOR THE ESPORTS COMMUNITY

Speaking on behalf of their team on Friday (Nov 29), Ng and Lee told TODAY that having esports included in the SEA Games is a boon for the gaming community as it lends legitimacy to something that is seen as “taboo” by most Asian parents.

It is also a great way for Singapore to attract professional gamers, or those aspiring to be one, said Ng.

“I think in the years to come, this will help to move the whole scene of esports in Singapore forward,” said Ng, who is also known by his gaming moniker Elespresso. “This is like a stepping stone, so I'm really proud to be one of those contributing in the first wave.”

Both men foresee a future where it might be possible for someone to be a full-time professional esports athlete.

For now though, they will have to keep their day jobs.

Ng is a financial planner and the 24-year-old Lee, or Marclaren as he prefers to be known to his opponents, works in business development.

‘IT IS OUR PASSION’

Time off the clock is constantly spent training to hone their edge. This entails practising one or two hours every day on their own, and coming together as a team about three times a week.

Both Ng and Lee have been playing competitively for more than a decade each, and they have cut their teeth in several competitions regionally.

It can be a bit of a juggling act toggling between work and their training commitments, but Lee was stoic about it.

“Gaming is our passion,” said Lee, who plays the role of a mage in the game. “So it is something that we are willing to sacrifice time for.”

Beyond practising their routines, Lee said that they review each session to see where they might have gone wrong, and how they can improve.

He said they also spend time watching replays from their opponents’ matches in a bid to get to know their playing styles better.

Shedding the stereotype that gamers do not exercise, Ng, the team’s marksman, said they are cognisant of the need to keep their bodies in tip-top condition by exercising at least once or twice a week.

While AOV may not be a physically taxing game, Ng said the mechanics of the game can be very demanding and they need their minds to be sharp.

For instance, players have to predict their opponents’ moves and be cunning enough to deceive them.

NOT LIVING BY THE EXPECTATIONS OF OTHERS

When asked how they respond to critics who say that esports are not in the same league as physical sports, Ng said that he generally ignores them.

“I don’t have to live by others’ expectations,” Ng said.

“Sports is basically a competition. Any competition is kind of like a sport against one another, to see who will prevail above the rest.”

He pointed out that the esports is gaining more traction around the world, with more sponsors and a growing prize pool.

“The prize pool for certain esports games is bigger than some sports,” Ng said.

The prize pool for the recent Dota 2’s The International 2019 tournament was more than US$30 million (S$41 million). In comparison, the prize pool for this year’s Masters Golf Tournament was US$11.5 million.