*SCAPE partners with Resurgence on new esports programme

Today, *SCAPE announced its Exposure & Xperience Programme 2019 (EXP2019), a “holistic” approach to esports community-building and training.

Esports is a massive global industry, but within the region, Singapore has been relatively slow to cultivate and support local talent on a national level; according to *SCAPE’s chairman David Chua, esports is an “inevitable” part of youth engagement today. Chua expressed interest in making this programme an ongoing feature of *SCAPE’s public offerings, which include media, music, and dance activities.

We're proud to present the Resurgence 2018 year summary with all of you, who have helped made this possible.

To our players, our fans and the community, let’s look forward to achieve even more in 2019 together! ??

Thank you for all the hard work and support! ? pic.twitter.com/2GtX8Nw1m8

— Resurgence (@RSGResurgence) January 21, 2019

The real core of the programme revolves around Resurgence, the biggest professional esports organisation in Singapore, with a 45-person team roster that covers everything from Mobile Legends to Hearthstone, PUBG, and Fortnite. Resurgence CEO Jayf “Babael” Soh is an industry veteran whose main mission is to support homegrown talent, whether they be aspiring pros, commentators or streamers.

The programme offers a three-day summer camp, targeting youth who are interested in gaming and team-building. There will also be workshops featuring valuable face-to-face time and mentoring opportunities with Resurgence team members. Players Wesley “Lambyseries” Seek, Amanda “Badabing” Lim, and Deborah “Wolfsbanee” Sim were enthusiastic about the future of the programme, as well as Resurgence’s stipend programme for its team members, which allows aspiring pros to concentrate on their craft.

The launch event today involved a lot of talk about parents in an attempt to present the *SCAPE programme as a safe and structured environment for their kids. Indeed, one of EXP2019’s core concerns is value-building and setting the tone for Singaporean esports, which could be a potentially overbearing (and inorganic) approach for a young, evolving industry.

In terms of using esports training to promote wholesome values, it’ll be interesting to see how EXP2019 pans out, because the professional games industry isn’t always a pretty place. Furthermore, having government support comes with pros and cons for every creative commercial endeavour, and pro gaming is far from a clean and tidy business.

The focus on “values” seems to be an extension of parental concerns about what children are exposed to online, as well as the dangers of game addiction. However, like with any professional sport, esports takes discipline and commitment, and it’s nice to finally see the beginnings of a structured, consistent programme for Singaporean talent.

 

alexisong@asiaone.com