2019 Southeast Asian Games add Dota 2 and more as medal events

William Davis Published 04/09/2019

Dota 2 will be a medal event in the upcoming 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

For the first time, esports will be a medal event in a competition sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee. This achievement was possible thanks to the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta where esports were featured as a demonstration event.

Esports received support from big names in the region like Razer’s CEO Min-Liang Tan, who lobbied for esports to be included at the Philippines 2019 games. Tan achieved his goal, as esports are now in Category 3 that includes newer games and regional sports. Razer will provide hardware, services, and any type of support necessary during the event.

A commission determined which titles were eligible for Philippines 2019. The titles in question couldn’t promote violence or gambling. The commission also evaluated how popular and competitive are the titles, how physically and mentally demanding they are, and how much teamwork they require.

Olympics Committee approves esports at Asian Games

In the end, six titles were selected, divided into three categories: PC, console, and mobile. Dota 2, StarCraft 2, and Hearthstone are in the PC category. Arena of Valor and Mobile Legends are in the mobile category, and Tekken 7 will be the only game played on console.

Jakarta 2018 also featured six titles including League of Legends and Clash Royale. This is the first time Dota 2 makes the cut and is included in the event. Hearthstone, StarCraft 2, and Arena of Valor are returning in 2019.

Eleven nations will compete in Philippines 2019, including Vietnam, the Philippines, and Singapore. All three are countries with growing esports scenes. Vietnam was the team with the most medals in Jakarta 2018, while the national team walked away with four bronze medals. Vietnam is certainly considered to be the team to watch at Philippines 2019.

The esports events at Philippines 2019 will take place at the Filoil Flying V Center between December 5 and December 8.

Read Also

Dota 2

PTime removed from Dota 2 at EWC 26 as ESIC investigates coach and captain Michael Hassall Filipino organization PlayTime Esports has been removed from the Esports World Cup 2026 Dota 2 competition following an intervention by the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) and a ruling by the Esports Foundation and EWC. Following a postponement of the PTime vs. Vici Gaming Survival Stage matchup on July 14, ESIC announced that it was actively investigating two members of the South American-based PTime organization, Team Captain Gonzalo "DarkMago" Herrera and ...

Esports Betting

Here’s the complete Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 schedule Hannan Mundia The Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 has finally arrived, and here’s the complete schedule for the event to ensure you don’t miss anything. While it isn’t exactly the newest name in the esports scene, the EWC has quickly become a leading event for esports fans worldwide. It brings together professional players and fans from various games, combining them into one long event that everyone can enjoy. 2026’s Esports World Cup ...

Dota 2

Dota 2 at the EWC 2026 preview, details, predictions, and more Michael Hassall A titanic 24 teams are set to compete in Dota 2 at the Esports World Cup 2025 in one of the largest events of the competitive season. These two dozen organizations are set to take over the Paris Convention Center, filling it with top-tier competitive Dota 2 action. With a $2,000,000 USD prize pool, the largest on the Dota 2 calendar, there’s everything to play for in the final major ...

Dota 2

Top Dota 2 combos to boost your MMR fast Wasif Ahmed Dota 2 is a complex and interesting game that requires skill, strategy and teamwork to be successful. Having said that, one of the best ways to improve your MMR is by learning certain Dota 2 combos that have proven themselves over time. It’s worth knowing that there are not that many Dota 2 combos that have survived the test of time because every new patch changes the game’s meta. Nevertheless, ...

Dota 2

Dota 2 temporarily deletes popular hero before launching huge Dark Carnival update Michael Hassall If you were an Axe player in Dota 2 earlier this week, you’d have found yourself out of luck when you tried to pick the stalwart Oglodi warrior, as the hero was straight up removed from the game on June 23. The hero was completely missing from All-Pick and his hero model was replaced with a missing poster. Axe couldn’t even be demoed or picked in a custom game for ...

Dota 2

Team Yandex stop the magic, defeating LGD in BLAST Slam VII finals Michael Hassall Team Yandex have defeated LGD Gaming in the grand finals of BLAST Slam VII in a dramatic 3-1 series that saw both teams pushed to the limit, but ultimately Yandex come out on top. Concluding the last major tournament before teams head to the Esports World Cup and The International 2026 next month and in August, Yandex were able to counter the momentum of LGD that had brought them into ...

Dota 2

BLAST Slam VII Finals Predictions and Picks – Can LGD make it all the way? Michael Hassall LGD Gaming in the top three of a tournament!? What is this 2021? BLAST Slam VII has been one of the most surprising tournaments of the year, and has capped off the pre-EWC and TI season with some of the most thrilling gameplay we’ve seen in months. And the finals are set to be even more exciting. With just three teams left there’s a lot on the line, from the ...