The rise of PUBG Mobile

MANILA, Philippines — The rise of the esports scene has been attributed to its popularity in the Southeast Asia region. According to a report published last February by market research company Research and Markets, at least 1 in 3 smartphone users in the region play mobile games at least once every week.

The staggering growth of mobile gamers has prompted many publishers to shift their focus on developing more accessible titles that also promote a sense of community among is players. One such game that has certainly built a passionate following is Tencent's PUBG Mobile.

In an interview with Philstar.com, general manager of global publishing and global esports for Tencent Games Vincent Wang highlighted the strength of the esports title with regards to its community engagement and how it continues to thrive in a highly competitive industry.

"PUBG Mobile has built a passionate community in the region, we have good interaction with our community – we listen to their requests and treasure their feedback while developing content. We believe that these reasons are what helps PUBG Mobile retain its relevance, demand, and position as one of the world’s most popular mobile games." mentioned Wang.

Looking at the trend in Southeast Asia with events like the Southeast Asian Games including esports as one of its competitive events, Wang believes that the esports industry will continue to rise and that is up to game publishers to help sustain a healthy gaming community.

"At PUBG Mobile, we take on a three-pronged approach that focuses on people, the planet, and unleashing potentials to lead the way in driving a healthy, inclusive, and sustainable gaming community. For one, we value our players, and their well-being has always been our top priority. We strongly believe that mobile games are for everyone, and inclusivity runs in our blood. For example, we’ve introduced the option of a Color-Blind mode to assist players with color blindness during their gameplay. In the Philippines, we have also organized a female-only tournament to break gender biases in gaming and empower women in esports." said Wang.

PUBG Mobile in the Philippines

In the Philippines, PUBG Mobile's popularity has also seen a growth in its popularity due to its focus on engaging the gaming community.

"PUBG Mobile's community has offers that are beyond and extraordinary." said PUBGM caster Aiman "Bekbek" Arabain. Besides the usual esports routes of being a professional player or caster, PUBG Mobile offers players the chance to be a community leader that helps elevate the gaming experience.

Arabain points to the contribution of players and content creators as to why PUBG Mobile popularity has been steadily increasing in the country. "Dahil sa contribution ng professional players, content creators kaya mas nagiging engaging si PUBG Mobile to the target audience."

But in terms of PUBG Mobile's Esports, Arabain admits that the other Southeast Asian countries are ahead in terms of experience and management of teams, citing that most local teams lack brand sponsors and would fund their own campaigns.

"Twice a year lang kasi tayo sa esports calendar dati, yun yung mahirap. But with the shift to a new esports calendar wherein we have the PMPL, PMCO, and other national tournaments, nakikita ko yung pag-angat ng PUBG Mobile esports scene natin," explained Arabain.

The PUBG Mobile community in the country certainly saw a boost with the recent South East Asian Games showcasing the potential of the country in the esports title. Philippine Esports Organization (PESO) Executive Director Marlon “Lon” Marcelo has shared that they are already in talks with Tencent to spearhead events and activities that could fuel more athletes for PUBG Mobile.

As one of the casters for the Tagalog stream during the SEA Games, Arabain couldn't help but be proud of the Philippine representatives, especially after having seen their performance during the PMPL, wherein SIBOL's first team, then KHI Esports, was eliminated during the group round and team captain John Raymart "Rankid" Rocello was given a suspension and warning due to a confidentiality rule after Rocello published PMPL content without consent.

"Super different ng Pilipinas sa international meta, kaya nakakagulat na sila Team Sibol sa PUBG Mobile naadapt kaagad yung international meta in a short amount time. Nakakaproud tingnan yung development, lalo na ni Philippines Team One, not just their strategy as they won multiple chicken diners but in their development as professional players as well. Nung mga last moments nung broadcast ngayon, I couldn't help but be emotional seeing them improve not just in game but also their character as what a professional player should be in a short span of time." shared Arabain.

PUBG Mobile's Dive Into Filipino Culture

One of the strengths of PUBG Mobile has been its numerous collaborations with different cultural icons that peak the interests of gamers. Collaborations with the likes of anime series Jujustu Kaizen, Premier League’s Liverpool FC team, Riot’s League of Legends: Arcane, and Marvel Cinematic Universe's Spiderman: No Way Home have given the battle royal shooting gameplay a novel experience in enjoying the game.

Besides partnerships with big titles, PUBG Mobile has also focused on including distinct Filipino updates that touch the hearts of their Filipino fans. Arabian recounted how surprised they had been when the Filipino voice pack was announced because it was a different feeling to experience the game with our own language being spoken.

"Tencent is trying to touch each country's culture. The diversity that Tencent gives to their game, makes PUBG Mobile more interesting and helps make more people curious about the game." shared Arabian.

Besides the Filipino voice pack, PUBG Mobile is once again releasing a Filipino-themed update inspired by none other than the Philippines' Ibong Adarna. The update marks the first Filipino character set to feature in the game.

During the event Rise from the Ashes, PUBG Mobile players have a chance to earn the limited edition Phoneix Adarna set exclusive to the Southeast Asia region. The limited content features a blazing phoenix design inspired by the mythological creature, Ibong Adarna, from the well-known Filipino poem of the same name.