THERE is no doubt that as far as eSports is concerned, the Philippines has a deep pool of talent. The Philippine gaming scene has witnessed constant growth with many Filipino gamers widely respected in the global eSports arena.
In the Philippines, there has been growing support for professional gaming leagues and in 2017, the Philippine Games and Amusements Board recognized eSports as an officially recognized sport, allowing players to secure licenses. To show support, local governments started sponsoring tournaments, while businesses financially supported professional teams.
Industry pioneer Predator aims to strengthen eSports and gaming in the years to come, supporting pro gaming while continuing to search for and support young and fresh talents.
The Predator brand has the most complete line of gaming devices ranging from laptops, desktops, monitors, tablets and projectors. The series offers the latest technology in gaming, made especially to enhance the gaming experience of hardcore gamers.
“Gaming flows in Predator’s bloodstream. It is in our hands to build this community for generations to come, and no global crisis will make us falter in this goal,” said Acer Philippines general manager Sue Ong-Lim.
Since 2018, Predator has staged Predator League, an event that reinforces the commitment of Predator in supporting the gaming industry, particularly in the Asia Pacific region.
Predator League, which began in Jakarta in 2018, has received participation of more than 9,000 teams in Asia Pacific regions. The 2019 staging was in Bangkok.
The tournament would have been held in Manila at the Mall of Asia Arena in 2020 but it was pushed back the following year and held fully online due to the continued threat of the pandemic. Current champions TNC Predator copped back-to-back Predator Shield championships in Dota 2 (2019, 2020/21) after beating fellow Philippine team Neon eSports in the last regional competition.
The Asia-Pacific Predator League 2022 Grand Finals returns in person and will take place from November 11-13 in Japan. Qualified teams across 15 countries and territories will participate in the regional tournament.
“After two years of lockdowns and travel restrictions, we are so excited to meet the eSports teams in-person again. ‘Become One’ is the theme for Predator League 2022, emphasizing the need to reconnect with fellow gamers and demonstrating Acer’s commitment to the gaming community,” said Andrew Hou, president of Acer Pan Asia Pacific Regional Operations.
Predator has also announced the search for the Philippines Dota 2 representatives to the Asia-Pacific Predator League 2022.
The Philippine finals will be held at the SM Mall of Asia Central Atrium from September 17-18. Open qualifiers for featured game Valorant will take place on August 4, 11 and 18, while Dota 2’s qualifiers will start on August 7 and will continue on August 13 and 20.
Some teams, including the defending champion TNC Predator, have been invited to compete but the Philippine finals is open to all gamers.
Players will be fighting for the league’s biggest prize pool yet: P1 million (split between the Dota 2 and Valorant winners) while the winners of the Dota 2 event will represent the country in the Asia-Pacific Predator League Grand Finals 2022.
“We have seen so much growth and potential in the country’s eSports landscape and that is what the Asia-Pacific Predator League is all about. But more than that, we are very happy to see the stakeholders in eSports hopeful about the future after two years of restrictions,” said Sue Ong-Lim.
Since its inception and maiden run in 2018, Predator League has expanded to include participants from Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
More information can be found at www.facebook.com/PredatorGamingPhilippines.
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Musicians and podcasters Jim Bacarro and Saab Magalona, who are parents to Pancho (3 years old) and Vito (2), are sharing their musical creations with other kids and their parents via their new YouTube channel Puddy Rock.
Jim and Saab have always sang to their own kids, unknowingly building a world featuring diverse characters.
“We saw how our kids loved the songs and decided to share it with everyone,” said the couple.
The music channel features nursery rhymes for learning and promoting inclusivity. With newfound Animal Friends like Arfist the Dog, Jonesy the Cat and Waffy the Giraffe, rocking to favorites has never been this fun. Kids can now learn their ABCs and their numbers like never before.
In collaboration with online content creator and merch brand Linya-Linya, the characters are brought to life.
“We saw the opportunity to create original Filipino content that is more accessible to parents and kids, so we decided to take the opportunity to work on this special project,” said Ali Sangalang, Linya-Linya cofounder and creative director. The public can subscribe to the Puddy Rock YouTube channel and listen to all Puddy Rock songs and future releases on all music streaming platforms.