How this Malaysian TV network is taking on the burgeoning esports market

Esports is a global phenomenon with 380 million viewers and total revenues of US$869 million in 2018 – a number forecasted to more than triple by 2022.

It’s big in Southeast Asia too: there were close to 20 million viewers in the region in 2018, and it’s predicted to exceed 40 million in 2019. The region also boasts the fastest growth in esports enthusiasts with a compound annual growth rate of 36.1% between 2015 and 2019, higher than the global average of 19.1%.

This is where the story of eGG Network begins.

First esports channel in Southeast Asia

The eGG Network (eGG stands for every good game) is the first esports channel in Southeast Asia available in eight countries.

Over time, it has evolved to become a 360-degree marketing platform and tournament organizer. Through eGG, game publishers, tournament owners, and advertisers have managed to reach, engage, and monetize the gaming and esports fanbase in Southeast Asia.

But this evolution didn’t happen overnight. Broadcasting esports content wasn’t as simple as pointing a camera at a computer monitor and commentating on the footage.

Esports is a different beast, and the traditional media and broadcasting techniques that Malaysian direct broadcast satellite pay TV service Astro had sharpened over the years had to be updated.

“The esports audience demanded a different type of production style that included in-game cameras that followed the action, cameras on the live commentary, and post-game analysis,” says CK Lee, head of sports at Astro.

CK Lee, head of sports at Astro / Photo credit: eGG Network

Connecting and engaging

With the industry growing rapidly, eGG had to learn and adapt quickly to understand esports and its audience, which led to the transition from TV broadcasts to livestreaming tournaments.

“Esports is native to the internet. Gamers are connected as they play games together, watch content, and interact with each other online,” Lee explains. “We had to livestream as it’s where the audience is.”

Livestreaming also presented unique opportunities: eGG could engage better with fans through live chat, and there were better viewer and engagement analytics to tap into to improve future content.

This emphasis on engagement has been the catalyst for eGG’s growth through the years. Now, it doesn’t just broadcast content – it has been creating its own as well.

“We wanted to deepen our engagement with esports fans by creating content that was relevant to them,” Lee says. “As most of the big esports content came from overseas, we grew our localized content with our in-house hosts so that we can relate to fans in the region.”

The network continues to grow from strength to strength, utilizing a deep understanding of their viewers’ habits and demands to build a tailor-made overall viewing experience. “We’ve learned a lot and have acquired many skills and talents that [have] enabled us to host, produce, and broadcast esports tournaments [that are] suited for a regional and even an international audience,” Lee points out. “We welcome partners to work with us to further develop the industry by organizing esports tournaments and events that reach these passionate gamers and international audiences.”

Hosting duties

As an esports tournament host, eGG is adding to the engagement focus through on-the-ground events and tournaments. These include the Dota 2 Kuala Lumpur Major and the Mobile Legends Professional League (MPL) in Malaysia and Singapore – in fact, the former was a big hit, ranking as the seventh most popular esports tournament in the world in 2018.

The Dota 2 Kuala Lumpur Major / Photo credit: eGG Network

There are ongoing plans to build on these successes. “Close partnership with Moonton, developer of Mobile Legends Bang Bang, has enabled us to host three seasons of the MPL,” says Lee.

Leveraging this partnership, eGG has also recently ventured out of Malaysia, working with local esports players in Myanmar to host MPL Myanmar Season 2.

Above and beyond

But, all these high-engagement efforts aren’t just to achieve business goals. The network hopes to drive the growth of Malaysia’s esports industry as a whole by providing initiatives that give students networking opportunities with gaming and tech companies.

“One of our own initiatives for esports in the grassroots level is Alliance of Campus Esports (ACE), which aims to empower university students to be esports professionals,” shares Lee. “At the recent Season 2 launch, we introduced ACE Varsity, Malaysia’s first esports and gaming job portal and ecurriculum program. This initiative provides a holistic journey for esports beginners and passionate students to join the growing industry.”

Reaching out to young demographics helps eGG keep pace with global trends. For example, in the US, 56% of Gen Z (ages 13 to 21) men are more receptive to nontraditional sports, like esports. Furthermore, 62% of all esports viewers are aged 18 to 34.

With esports now a medal sport in the upcoming 2019 SEA Games, eGG also aims to support the Malaysia team and hopefully help it to a gold.

Looking ahead, it is intending to work on larger regional projects and partnerships in order to deepen engagement with not just Malaysian but also Southeast Asian fans.

“Our partnership with Moonton to host MPL Myanmar is a big milestone for us as we aim to work with our regional partners to host more tournaments outside of Malaysia,” explains Lee. “Our focus now is to provide a platform for brands who wish to tap into the esports market and its audience in Malaysia and the region.”

The eGG Network is an esports and gaming entertainment network available in eight countries. It is also a 360-degree marketing platform and tournament organizer for game publishers, tournament owners, and advertisers to reach, engage, and monetize the gaming and esports fanbase in Southeast Asia.

Find out more about eGG Network or reach out for collaboration opportunities on its website.