PUBLISHED ONOctober 02, 2024 8:12 AM
She isn't just a pretty face - to many Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) fans and players alike, Cheryl Yao is a recognisable figure in the industry.
Aside from being a host for MLBB events, Yao was previously a finalist in Miss Universe Singapore 2019, she shared in an interview with AsiaOne for our second season of My Gamer Life.
She also acted in several Mediacorp dramas.
MLBB is a five-versus-five Multi-player Online Battle Arena (MOBA) where two teams go against each other to take over the opposing team's base.
The game can be played on mobile phones, making it a popular and easily accessible game that many play today.
"How my family and friends really moulded me is that they pushed for me to try everything at least once," Yao, 30, said.
"This is what motivated me to try out MPL (Mobile Legends Professional League) Singapore even though I had not hosted in the esports industry."
Yao herself had joined MPL Singapore as a "passion project" - and like many others, she's a fan of the game.
As things progressed, however, she realised that the significance of her role was more than she had expected.
"When I went overseas to be a part of the international tournaments, I realised that I'm actually a face of the Singapore region," she said.
"Hopefully we can garner more support for our very small Singapore region, and hopefully we can grow into something bigger."
Yao also feels that more women should step into the gaming industry, adding that it is "ready for female gamers".
"I definitely feel that gaming is, and has a place for women itself, so that's why I feel that when it comes to women, we won't be losing out to our male counterparts when it comes to esports," she confidently stated.
Watch our video for the full interview with her.
editor@asiaone.com