Esports was introduced as one of the main medal events in the Southeast Asian Games during the 2019 edition held in the Philippines.[1] Since 2019, Esports has become one of the main events during the biennial event due to the level of competition between opposing teams and the selection of games during the main event.[2]
Notable games include: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, League of Legends, League of Legends: Wild Rift and PUBG Mobile to name a few.[3]
History
Esports was first introduced in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines. The tournament featured six disciplines during the event which including four MOBA disciplines, one Fighting game and one Digital Card Game in Tekken 7 and Hearthstone, respectively.[4]
Esports would carry on to become another medal event for the succeeding 2021 and 2023 editions of the games held in Vietnam and Cambodia, respectively.
Editions
| Year | Edition | Host Country | No. of Events | Best Nation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 |  Philippines
|
6 (Dota 2, StarCraft II, Hearthstone, Tekken 7, Arena of Valor, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang) | Philippines
| |
| 2021 |  Vietnam
|
10 (League of Legends, Crossfire, League of Legends: Wild Rift, Arena of Valor, PUBG Mobile, Garena Free Fire, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang) | Vietnam
| |
| 2023 |  Cambodia
|
10 (League of Legends, FIFA Online 4, Crossfire, League of Legends: Wild Rift, PUBG Mobile, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Mission Against Terror, Valorant) | Vietnam (by totality)
| |
| 2025 |  Thailand
|
TBD
| ||
Events
Titles
Twelve video game titles have been featured as part of the Esports event in the Southeast Asian Games.
| Video game title | Platform | Genre |
|---|---|---|
| Attack Online 2 | PC | First-person shooter |
| Crossfire | PC | First-person shooter |
| Dota 2 | PC | Multiplayer online battle arena |
| FIFA Online 4 | PC | Sports |
| Starcraft II | PC | Real-time strategy |
| Garena Free Fire | Mobile | Battle royale, Third-person shooter |
| Hearthstone | PC | Card game |
| League of Legends | PC | Multiplayer online battle arena |
| League of Legends: Wild Rift | Mobile | Multiplayer online battle arena |
| PUBG Mobile | Mobile | Battle royale, Third-person shooter |
| Arena of Valor | Mobile | Multiplayer online battle arena |
| Mobile Legends: Bang Bang | Mobile | Multiplayer online battle arena |
| Tekken 7 | Console | Fighting game |
| Valorant | PC | First-person shooter |
Summary by edition
Console
| Event | 19 | 21 | 23 | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tekken 7 | X | 1 | ||
Mobile
| Event | 19 | 21 | 23 | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arena of Valor | X | X | 2 | |
| Garena Free Fire | X | 1 | ||
| League of Legends: Wild Rift | X | X | 2 | |
| PUBG Mobile | X | X | 2 | |
| Mobile Legends: Bang Bang | X | X | X | 3 |
PC
| Event | 19 | 21 | 23 | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attack Online 2 | X | 1 | ||
| Crossfire | X | X | 2 | |
| Dota 2 | X | 1 | ||
| FIFA Online 4 | X | 1 | ||
| Starcraft II | X | 1 | ||
| Hearthstone | X | 1 | ||
| League of Legends | X | 1 | ||
| Valorant | X | 1 | ||
Medal tally
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philippines (PHI) | 7 | 4 | 4 | 15 |
| 2 |  Indonesia (INA) | 5 | 7 | 1 | 13 |
| 3 | Vietnam (VIE) | 5 | 5 | 7 | 17 |
| 4 | Thailand (THA) | 4 | 3 | 5 | 12 |
| 5 | Cambodia (CAM) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 6 |  Singapore (SGP) | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 |
| 7 |  Malaysia (MAS) | 0 | 2 | 6 | 8 |
| 8 |  Laos (LAO) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Myanmar (MYA) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals (9 entries) | 25 | 24 | 31 | 80 | |
References
- ^ INQUIRER.net. "Esports at the 2019 SEA Games: What You Need to Know". Retrieved 2024-04-09.
- ^ Daniels, Tom (May 15, 2023). "SEA Games 2023 MLBB Women's tournament smashes viewership records". esportsinsider.com. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ Markov, Roman (July 1, 2023). "Esports disciplines determined at SEA Games 2023". escharts.com. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ INQUIRER.net. "Esports at the 2019 SEA Games: What You Need to Know". Retrieved 2024-04-09.
- ^ "Esports at SEA Games 2019: Final medal tally | ONE Esports". www.oneesports.gg. 2019-12-12. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
- ^ "31st SEA Games: Esports medal count and standings | ONE Esports". www.oneesports.gg. 2022-05-18. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
- ^ "SEA Games 2023 esports: Full medal tally and storylines to remember". esports.gg. 2024-01-13. Retrieved 2024-04-09.