One of Asia’s leading airlines has announced that it will be heavily involved in the creation of the first eSports hub in South East Asia.
AirAsia to help develop eSports scene in Malaysia
On Monday, the Minister of Youth and Sports of Malaysia Syed Saddiq bin Syed Abdul Rahman announced the creation of the first eSports hub and the involvement of AirAsia in the project, alongside WESG and AgriMind. The idea is to create the conditions for Malaysia to become a leading country in the eSports world.
The Youth and Sports Minister also mentioned that it would be beneficial for the country to further develop the infrastructure for eSports competitions and that a new project is in the making which could potentially function as an Olympic village for eSports.
Reportedly, it would include facilities to host competitions, team accommodations, education opportunities and more. Granted, this is still in theory but if the AirAsia hub proves successful then it could very well be realized in the near future.
Of course, Malaysia already has a major presence in the eSports industry, considering that it will host the Dota 2 Kuala Lumpur Major, set to begin later in the year. The tournament will feature a massive multi-million dollar prize pool and it has certainly attracted a lot of attention from both online and traditional media.
AirAsia’s involvement in eSports
This is not the first time that AirAsia has dabbled in the world of eSports. The company seems to express genuine support for the industry, going so far as to open an eSports Club for its employees. The AirAsia Allstars Esports Club is a brand that encompasses multiple Dota 2 and Fifa teams, each with its own roster of main and substitution players.
Additionally, back in 2017, AirAsia also revealed that it would sponsor Mineski Pro Team, known for its relatively high ranks in the Dota 2 pro scene. Clearly, the company is interested in the development of the eSports industry and is more than willing to lead the way. AirAsia is not the only company which seeks to explore the world of competitive video gaming.
Real Madrid just announced that it is planning on hosting eSports competitions at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium, once it finishes construction. More on that here. Doubtless, we can expect to hear more about this in the future and we are certainly looking forward to it.
