To support the growth of esports in Southeast Asia, Ampverse builds a complete gaming ecosystem for its community of 600 million enthusiasts. The firm stages tournaments such as College Rivals in India and the upcoming Legacy Cup in the Philippines, operates a marketing arm that connects brands with its community, and develops technology solutions powered by Web3 and AI to engage audiences further.

What’s most interesting, however, is its grassroots esports programme that develops local talent and moulds them into world-class teams. “We believe in growing talents from the ground up. In fact, in the Philippines, we took one of the top amateur teams and we brought them to the pro league,” says Gutierrez. In 2022, when the company entered the Philippine market (with a PHP100-million investment to grow the local gaming scene), it added Filipino MLBB team Minana to its roster of esports teams. Apart from Minana, Ampverse has Thailand’s Bacon Time and Made in Thailand, Veitnam’s SBTC and India’s 7Sea under its wing.

Gutierrez gives a glimpse of what goes into developing a winning squad, one that not only crushes the competition but also works well together. Rookie players who aspire to enter the big leagues live in boot camps where they master Ampverse’s style of play. The CEO likens this process to having a coach on the soccer field or basketball court, explaining that “a lot of it is making sure that we have certain players who know how to call the shots, certain players who know how to execute wins, and certain players who know how to build the overall strategy”.

He further describes the process as “a very scalable system that allows our teams to be the best that they can be”. By training all players in the strategies unique to the firm, Ampverse addresses the problem of turnover. Being a digital athlete, Gutierrez shares, can be a “pretty gruelling profession”. Eventually, players retire, move on or switch sides, and then the team is left in a lurch. But because Ampverse trains amateur players the same way as pros, there will always be someone who can jump in and maintain the team’s integrity.

In his search for esports stars, Gutierrez looks for the critical characteristics of adaptability and fortitude. In Thailand, where Arena of Valor is popular, for example, candidates are asked to play other titles. “One of the biggest things that we like to see is how adaptable they are to different gaming conditions… How quickly can they pick up PUBG? How quickly they can pick up Mobile Legends?” he says. If they can decipher and conquer the nuances of different games, “that’s a really good sign”.

The CEO also values mental toughness because, as he describes, online gaming involves confidence, concentration and understanding situations. “Look, I've been playing basketball and tennis all these years, [and] what I've learned is that 90 per cent of the game is mental,” he adds.

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He then brings up the basketball player Jamal Murray, shooting guard of the Denver Nuggets. Game 5 of the 2023 NBA Finals had just wrapped, with the Nuggets winning against the Miami Heat to claim their first NBA championship, and Gutierrez only has good things to say about Murray’s “mental approach to the game, his belief that his shot goes in”. He continues: “Everybody can dribble, everybody can shoot, everybody can pass, but it's how you approach the game: How competent are you in big times and big moments? Do you believe in yourself? Do you believe in your game?”

Knowing the power of remaining determined in high-pressure situations, the CEO reports that Ampverse engages a sports psychologist to help players develop a similar champion’s mentality, where “everybody believes they can win, everybody believes in their talent, their ability”.

In building teams that exemplify Asian excellence in esports, Ampverse also uplifts young gamers. Gutierrez reports that many of its Thai players are from the rural parts of the country. Likewise, in other Southeast Asian markets, teens, some as young as 15, have never seen the big city. Recognising their potential, Ampverse offers them an alternative path to success or another way to become a professional. “And they’re now getting paid to play video games... in places where it’s recognized that you are a professional athlete,” he says.

That’s another thing. With Ampverse’s various efforts to develop the gaming scene, the firm adds to the big conversation surrounding esports. The question of whether competitive video gaming is a sport has been widely debated for decades. Critics will point out that the absence of physical activity—jumping to score a dunk, moving your legs to win a race—precludes it from being defined as such. Gutierrez admits that “yes, there is absolutely a difference” but also offers similarities between esports and traditional sports, with both requiring competitive play, rigorous training, strategic thinking and mental fortitude.

It’s a matter of interpretation in the end. And with more exposure to esports courtesy of gaming supporters like Gutierrez and other like-minded leaders, a better understanding of its value will come to the fore. Already, there are bright spots. In June 2023, the inaugural Olympic Esports Week was held in Singapore, gathering the very best players in the world to compete in 10 games. And though the event skipped the most popular esports titles in favour of digital analogues of traditional sports (Tic Tac Bow for archery, Virtual Regatta for sailing, Tennis Clash), the global celebration is still a triumph for the gaming community.

Morever, a growing number of countries, including China, South Korea, India, Thailand and the US, have recognised esports as an official sport, with most creating organisations and passing laws to guide its growth. Gutierrez adds, “In the Philippines, esports players are recognised as athletes just like any basketball player or volleyball player or soccer player... When you think about it, we’ve got the next generation of esports or digital athletes, and we're growing them here in Southeast Asia.”

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