Influence of the League-Shaped Competition System to the Esports Ecosystem

GAMEFINITY.ID, Jakarta – After 4 weeks of matches in the Regular Season PMPL ID 2021 Season 1 (6-29 March 2021) and the Grand Final round which was held on 3-5 April 2021, Bigetron RA was finally crowned the champion; thanks to their brilliant performances that have been very consistent throughout the season.

The following is the final result of the points earned by the top 3 teams on the third day of the Grand Finals, along with the prizes they are entitled to:

• 1st Place: Bigetron RA – 233 points/4 Chicken Dinner/87 Kill – US$20,000 (approximately Rp330.5 million) – Entitled to advance to PMWL 2021 and PMPL SEA Finals 2021
• 2nd Place: MORPH Team – 192 points/2 Chicken Dinner/73 Kill – US$14,000 (approximately Rp231 million) – Entitled to advance to PMPL SEA Finals 2021
• 3rd Place: ONIC Esports – 173 points/2 Chicken Dinner/75 Kill – US$7,0000 (approximately Rp115 million) – Entitled to advance to PMPL SEA Finals 2021

PMPL ID 2021 S1 which presents a total prize of US $ 150 thousand (approximately IDR 2.2 billion) is the first league system officially held by Tencent for PUBG Mobile in Indonesia. Usually, before PMPL was introduced, the tournament format was more often used for PUBG Mobile competitive events in Indonesia. Because of this, there might be a number of questions about the league system and its impact on the PUBG Mobile esports ecosystem. Why is it only now? Which other countries have PMPL besides Indonesia? Is there a culmination of these leagues at the world level?

How is it related to PUBG Mobile international tournaments that already exist, such as PMCO? Last but not least, what is the effect of this league-shaped competition system on the esports ecosystem?

Agung Chaniago, Indonesia Esports Manager for PUBG Mobile, gave the answer. Competitive events in the form of leagues have actually existed since the PUBG Mobile esports ecosystem emerged, but at the Southeast Asian level. Currently, the growth of esports has been very rapid – especially in Indonesia.

“So, we created a league in Indonesia because we want to maintain the esports ecosystem from the lowest to the highest level. This league is also our way to show that anyone can be a star in PUBG Mobile.”

Apart from Indonesia, PMPL also exists in Malaysia-Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, South Asia, and America. The top 3 teams from each country in Southeast Asia will be invited again to compete again at a higher level, namely the PMPL SEA Finals 2021. The top 2 teams from the event will compete at a world level.

Then what is the difference with PMCO? PMCO is a tournament that is used as a pathway to the international level for countries that do not have PMPL. Currently there are PMCOs for Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Agung also closed the conversation by explaining the influence of the league system on the esports ecosystem as a whole. According to him, the impact of this league is very good because the system is open not only for professional teams, but also for semi-professional teams.

“All PUBG Mobile players can pursue their dreams of participating in PMPL Indonesia 2021 Season 2 because we also open up opportunities as fairly as possible through the qualifying round. Its relevance to professional teams is even more positive because every big team has a PUBG mobile division so they can join our league and become champions in Indonesia or in the world.” Great said.

In addition to the representatives from Tencent, Agustian Hwang, CEO of Mineski Global Indonesia (who is also the event organizer for PMPL ID 2021 Season 1) and Edwin Chia, CEO of Bigetron Esports also shared their views on competitive events in the form of leagues.

From the viewer’s point of view, if you see esports as a form of entertainment, Agus said that the league system will satisfy the audience more because not only in terms of competition but also from the many stories and content that can be enjoyed.

Edwin also said the same thing. According to him, the league system is much better because there are many stories that happen during the game. For example, a form of rivalry between teams will be easier to build by itself compared to a tournament system that can end within 2 days. In terms of team performance, the league system can also be a better indicator because there are more matches to be played in a longer duration. While in the tournament format, a team can become a champion if lucky during the tournament.

That was from the side of esports as a spectacle. So what about from a business perspective? What kind of system is more profitable for competition sponsors?

“From a business perspective, I think sponsors are more confident in supporting the league system. Compared to a tournament system where the competition can end in 2 days, the exposure gained for brands will certainly not be as good as a league system that can run for at least 1 month. This longer duration also makes it easier for sponsors to design campaigns that go hand in hand with the league.” Terang Edwin who pioneered Bigetron Esports since 2021.

Agus has a slightly different opinion in this perspective. According to him, this business perspective is more difficult to generalize considering that each company/sponsor has different goals and conditions. For streaming platforms, for example, the league system will be better because it can generate more broadcast hours. As for sponsors who use a marketing budget, they are more sensitive to the competition timeline.

What if the impact is seen from the side of the participating teams (for Bigetron) and event organizers (for Mineski)? What are the disadvantages of the league system? Agus and Mineski who have handled various competitions, both in Indonesia and at the international level, said that the difficulty of the league system is finding a place/venue that can be used for the long term. Meanwhile, from the participant side, Edwin revealed that the league system drains the stamina of the players more. Players who compete in the league system must give 80% of their time each week to focus on competing. This means they have less free time.

The resources that must be spent by management in supporting the players are also more. Although, indeed, the team has more content to produce which is a big advantage of the league system. Finally, what is the actual impact of this competition system on the esports ecosystem as a whole?

Edwin also said, “Of course very positive. The league system will extend the life of the game which will also have an impact on the life of the esports ecosystem. Teams and sponsors will be more confident and confident investing in games that have long-term plans.”

On the other hand, Agus also added about the importance of two competition systems. “The competition system, both league and tournament, is the same. In my opinion, the tournament system is more open and provides more surprises because the winner can be determined by which team can gain momentum during the competition. While the league system requires more consistency to win. For me, both the league and tournament systems are still important to run both. For example in football in one season there is always a professional league interspersed by a tournament system. Both have advantages and their respective functions in maintaining the ecosystem as a whole.” Close Agus.

Fajar Arifin aka Wa Brontok, a father who is active in playing games from his sleeping wife and children, has remained faithful to work in the game industry since 2021. At, Fajar acts as a typist who provides information about games and esports. If you like content from Fajar, let’s seeer him via the following link saweria.co/gamefinity

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