PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) continues to elevate its partnerships with global and local stakeholders to help in the development of the fast-growing esports industry in the country, as it successfully supported several local and global tournaments in the country — including the recently M5 World Championship held in the Philippines.
“We have always believed that sports, including esports, play a key role in shaping individuals and communities, that’s why we want to be the driving force in the development of world-class Filipino esports champions and foster a culture of winning using the grassroots programs and partnerships that we’ve strengthened over the years,” said Jude Turcuato, Head of Sports at PLDT and Smart.
With its widest 4G/LTE reach, Filipino gamers can enjoy leveled-up gaming experiences powered by the Fastest and Best Mobile Network Smart — the first and only Philippine wireless services provider to earn the prestigious and rare citation for three consecutive reporting periods by Ookla in Q1-Q2 2022, Q3-Q4 2022, and Q1-Q2 2023. Smart’s 5G network also enables better gameplay for mobile gamers, as if they are on fiber.
“As a mobile services provider, we at Smart have been heavily investing in our mobile network to provide the best mobile experience possible, always trying to stay ahead of our customers’ evolving needs and demands. As we all know, when it comes to mobile gaming, gamers are only as good as their mobile network. This is why we strive hard to give our subscribers a game-changing advantage with our superior mobile network wherever they may be,” said Melvin Consunji Nubla, FVP and Group Head, Go-to-Market and Subscriber Management at Smart.
Partners since 2018, Smart announced the extension of its tie up with international gaming developer and publisher MOONTON Games this year as the official telco partner for the 2023 Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) tournaments, including the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League – Philippines (MPL-PH), Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Southeast Asia Cup (MSC), the newly added Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Development: Bang Bang Development League-Philippines (MDL-PH).
Participating in various highly competitive, global tournaments are professional teams Smart Omega and all-female team Smart Omega Empress, and amateur team Smart Omega Neos supported by Smart.
Empowering women in esports, Smart also teamed up with Eplayment Entertainment for the seventh season of Liga Adarna, one of the emerging all-female esports leagues, which covered six esports categories: MLBB, Call of Duty Mobile, League of Legends: WildRift, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) Mobile, and Valorant.
Smart also partnered with esports event management and production team Dark League Studios (DLS) to empower aspiring gamers from the grassroots to reach the pros and become national athletes. Under this partnership, the two firms will bring more immersive gaming experiences to amateur players through Smart GIGA Arena. Smart GIGA Arena has hosted over two million users in more than 1,000 tournaments. They also recently held Smart GIGA Arena Gamerfest wherein hundreds of participants showcased their skills in mobile games, including a showdown with Smart-backed MLBB team Smart Omega.
Nurturing national athletes and adopting best practices for esports
Smart has also been a major supporter of SIBOL, the national esports team, since its creation during the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. Since then, team SIBOL has won countless medals and awards — most notably their three-peat gold medal for MLBB during the 2023 SEA Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, as well as the championship trophy for MLBB during the International Esports Federation (IESF) World Esports Championship in Romania. All in all, SIBOL raked in ten medals for the Philippines in 2023 alone. Smart-backed Philippine Esports Organization (PESO), the official national sports agency for esports under the Philippine Olympic Committee, has also been recognized by the IESF as the National Federation of the Year.
Enriching grassroots, advocating for #technologyforgood
The country’s leading mobile services provider also gathered top collegiate teams for the Smart University Clash, the first nationwide inter-school MLBB tournament powered by Smart GIGA Arena, helping grassroots players get a professional gaming experience and sharpen their skills.
Smart, Smart Omega, and MLBB also collaborated with TikTok to select the next professional esports player through The Greatest Gamer, wherein the winner Ezequiel “Spidey” Cauilan became part of Smart Omega’s roster for MPL Season 12.
Aside from enhancing players’ skills, Smart also enabled esports teams to change lives and donate sustainably grown rice and contribute to mental health advocacies to chosen beneficiaries through the Smart GIGA Arena Street League Tournament.
“Our esports initiatives go beyond connectivity. We want to empower the youth and give them opportunities to support their chosen advocacies while showcasing their gaming skills to a larger audience,” added Nubla.
