LET the (e)games begin!
The Cebu ESports United (CESU) together with Unity Productions and the Cebu Provincial Government spearheaded by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, worked together to form The Mayor's Cup 2019, the biggest eSports gathering to happen in Cebu this March.
With the catchline "ESports. Cosplay. Education. War on Drugs," the Mayor's Cup is more than just pressing on keyboards.
The organizers want the event to be seen as the same as other sporting events supported by the local government units, a safe space for people to have fun but with a purpose.
Gef Osorio, one of the founders of CESU, explained that the Mayor's Cup's main goal is to nurture the gamers of Cebu and to prevent them from using illegal substances.
"Daghan na kaayo'g millenials ang inclined sa eSports," he said. "If you're drug-free, then we will support you on your gaming career."
There are two categories for the tournament: the interschool division and the open division.
For the interschool division, players are required to have an acknowledgement coming from the Supreme Student Government (SSG) of their respective schools. Players must be of the same school and must have no failing grade.
"We want players in this category to prioritize first their studies," Osorio said.
Osorio revealed that the interschool category are already full.
The official games for the interschool division include Dota 2, Mobile Legends, and League of Legends.
On the other hand, the open category is for teams coming from all walks life and of any age who are skilled enough to play their game of expertise.
The lineup for the open division are Dota 2, Mobile Legends, Fly For Fun (Flyff), League of Legends, Playerunknown's Battlegrounds, Special Force, Tekken 7, Counter Strike: Global Offense, RF Online, and Pokemon Go.
For both the open and inter-school divisions, teams will wage war for the grand prize of P25,000 for their respective game.
The qualifier tournaments are currently ongoing for the open division and schedules for tournaments will be announced on CESU's Facebook page @cebuesportsunited.
Osorio said that the Mayor's Cup is a big leap for the gaming community in Cebu to be taken seriously as a legitimate form of sport rather than just a pastime.
"If you have the talent, focus on it," Osorio said. "Don't take it for granted." (JGS)