Integrating esports in education for viable career path

Promoting esports as a legitimate career option and facilitating talent development will contribute to nurturing a thriving culture

by NURUL SUHAIDI

THE esports industry has undergone a remarkable transformation, evolving into a global phenomenon with a massive fan base, offering lucrative careers and presenting boundless opportunities for personal and professional advancement.

Simultaneously, educational institutions at both school and university levels are recognising the importance of integrating esports into their curricula. This inclusion provides students with a pathway to enter the competitive gaming world, a move that is increasingly seen as essential in a learning environment.

The benefits are extensive, ranging from the enhancement of critical skills to the cultivation of teamwork, all of which prepare individuals for success in the ever-changing digital landscape. The integration of esports into educational institutions is now perceived as a crucial aspect of holistic education.

Take the Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation (APU) as an exemplary case. APU boasts a robust Esports Club, aligning with its designation as the Focused Sports Centre by the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE).

Furthermore, APU collaborates with esports organisers and fellow universities, ensuring comprehensive support for talent development in esports and the broader creative economy community.

However, according to the APU head of School for the School of Computing, Assoc Prof Ts Dr Tan Chin Ike, game development is somehow misunderstood for entertainment purposes.

“It has actually been used as teaching aids for a number of years, and the skills learned can be applied to any number of disciplines including simulation exercises, strategic planning and management,” he said.

Tan said the reality is that esports has evolved from a niche hobby into a professional industry with organised leagues, franchised teams, sponsorship and substantial prize money.

As an institution that champions innovation, he believes that promoting esports as a legitimate career option and facilitating the development of talent and supporting roles in these areas will contribute to nurturing a thriving esports culture.

“We will always work towards providing talent in these areas, especially for emerging trends. And for esports, we target to help Malaysia build our esports athletes for national pride,” he said.

Apart from that, APU also offers a BSc (Hons) in Computer Games Development, a three-year degree programme to build up talents in the creative content space — specifically in game development.

This course involves students “playing” games as part of their research, writing game analysis, exploring experiences and narratives, and addressing technical considerations.

“A final-year student project, for example, takes about a year to complete and involves many hours in front of the computer churning out codes and rendering 3D visuals,” he said.

Tan added that the programmes offered are to cater to the great demand for talent. For every professional gamer, there are around three dozen support roles out there that need to be filled and this is the main driver of the economy.

“As more and more consumers pick up a controller these days, the video game industry shows no signs of slowing down. Even the game development revenues in Malaysia are projected to reach over US$500 million (RM2.28 billion) by the end of 2023,” he added.

Cheong recommends beginners to first study something else, and train in critical thinking and technical skills before going into esports

Holistic Approach to Esports

Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) is another example of a private institution that has introduced esports as part of its curriculum.

It is made compulsory for some students, encompassing a holistic approach that expands beyond the conventional public perception of gaming.

Andrew Cheong, a part-time esports lecturer in TAR UMT, also known as Sir Cloud, said TAR UMT’s esports curriculum includes a range of concrete coursework, such as assignments, and industry research, as well as addressing the critical and challenging aspects of the esports and the gaming industry.

Cheong, who is also an esports analyst, added that as an educator in the esports scene, he has noticed that the public and even students’ perception of esports is still largely limited to cursory understanding.

“There are some students who still come with the expectation that we are here just to play, but the reality is we expose them on what it is about, how the pro players train and also involves research and relationship of esports to the other industry,” he said.

“Besides the classes, I usually invite speakers during the semesters to share about the industry, bring my students to watch live esports shows, expose them to what is behind the scene on esports and how to train like a pro,” he added.

As esports expand globally, Cheong added Malaysia is still lagging behind, while other countries are already leveraging the sports sciences aspect and incorporating their esports landscape.

For example, esports gamers from other countries are receiving the same training, practices and nutrition plan as the traditional athlete.

Realising this gap and the need for skill building, with his expertise in esports, Cheong said he is working closely with the Ministry of Youth and Sport (KBS) to come up with the certification for an esports coaching programme that will enable gamers in Malaysia to receive proper guidance.

“Hopefully, with the ministry’s certification, we can equip our coaches with exposure to sports sciences, management duties and proper processes to bring us on par with or catch up to the strong esports nations in South-East Asia,” he told The Malaysian Reserve (TMR) in an interview.

Meanwhile, in terms of potential, he added that Malaysia has a competitive pool of talent such as broadcast esports talent that can push the country to be ahead or be globally recognisable.

Nonetheless, pursuing gaming is not easy and the career roadmap isn’t as established as other commercial courses, and because of this he also emphasised that students should acquire enough skills and knowledge first before jumping into an esports career full-time.

“For beginners, I recommend that they first study something else, educate themselves, and train in critical thinking and technical skills through their education.

“Perhaps, if you have an interest in gaming or esports you can start something on your own first and build from there,” Cheong added.

From a teacher’s standpoint, he believes that educators need to improve their story-telling skills and find better ways to inform students and the general public about esports, which is still lacking.

“I do hope that esports is no longer viewed as just playing games, as it involves many routes, including business, production, graphic design, coaching, sports sciences and many more.

“If we continue to develop this, it will help the community view esports beyond just games and also contribute to the country’s growth and the development of individual talents in Malaysia,” Cheong concluded.

On the ministerial level, KBS is in discussions with the Ministry of Education (MoE) to introduce esports as part of co-curricular and club activities in schools.

Having recognised the growing significance of esports, the government has also put in place an Electronic Sports Development Strategic Plan 2020-2025 to develop the mission.

This is especially vital because esports is being gazetted as one of the 103 accredited sports, hence there will be discussions at the grassroots level for small esports tournaments to be held in schools.

Apart from that, government initiatives like the Malaysian Esports Federation have been launched to raise the esports industry in the nation and normalise gaming and esports as viable career paths for the next generation of students.

While the private higher learning institution is ramping up effort to champion esports, public higher education institutions and school teachers also play a vital role in encouraging the accessibility of esports so that it can gain mainstream acceptance.

Another key player in the esports scene, GamesMY, with its fully equipped studio and gaming operations facilities, aims to promote the development and educational aspects of esports. Additionally, it supports the growth of an ethical esports industry and provides access to students.

Luqman Haqim highlights that students have the potential to earn a substantial income if they excel in professional gaming

Forging Deeper Understanding to Esports

GamesMY studio, which was built in collaboration with the ICT Department of International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) Gombak Campus, was launched as an avenue for students to showcase, explore and receive hands-on experience on the esports practices, as well as upcoming tournament activities.

MD Luqman Haqim Mat Hasan stated that esports can offer numerous possibilities, ranging from self-development and improved cognitive abilities to potential career opportunities. He also highlighted that students have the potential to earn a substantial income if they excel in professional gaming.

He added that through this space and venue, GamesMY aims to provide students with a more profound understanding of esports and computerisation, while encouraging positive interactions within the esports community and the public.

“During class days, our studio, referred to as the ‘student lounge’, is usually bustling with students. We provide comprehensive facilities, gaming equipment, a comfortable space and high-speed Internet for students to relax and play games,” Luqman Haqim told TMR.

GamesMY also periodically holds various collaborations with other higher educational institutions and school programmes such as through industrial visits from universities or colleges.

“We are currently organizing the ‘Mobile Legend Next Star’ competition exclusively for secondary schools. Additionally, we have the ‘Jelajah Sekolah’ programme, which recently took place in Kelantan for Fit Malaysia and in Bintulu, Sarawak. We also conducted events in Johor and Melaka,” he said.

With a large esports ecosystem, he believes that whether a person wants to be a gamer or not, there are always ways for them to be involved in esports such as in the production, game design, management, observer, research and development (R&D) levels and more.

To overcome these challenges, both players and educators must address the existing obstacles, particularly the gaming-related stigma, and advocate for government incentives to support this sector.

“Once the government actively engages in the industry, we can expect the development of numerous professional players, esports companies and careers. Currently, most of these initiatives are led by NGOs and third-party companies that aim to promote ethical esports,” he added.

Encouraged by the positive response to this business model, Luqman Haqim plans to establish another studio at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Puncak Alam, as well as additional studios in public universities throughout the country. These studios will be equipped with similar facilities, production capabilities and staff to further enhance the development of esports in Malaysia.

“I hope to see the GamesMY everywhere and enhance the development for students, schools and the public,” Luqman Haqim told TMR.

Highlighting a success story, he mentioned that Malaysia boasts local university talent responsible for creating “Leftenan Adnan” virtual reality (VR) games. Additionally, numerous Malaysian players have ventured abroad to become professional gamers, some even achieving substantial incomes and millionaire status as “Dota” players.

Mohamed Azmudeen chose to venture into the esports industry after seeing a bright future in the esports broadcasting segment

Meanwhile, a full-time GamesMY executive producer Mohamed Azmudeen Barrat Husain said among other options available, he chose to venture into the esports industry upon graduation after seeing a bright future in the esports broadcasting segment.

“When I first started, I wasn’t a gamer or deeply involved in game development. My focus was more on multimedia and coding. But I saw the possibility of supporting esports from broadcasting level in the future, as most games or tournaments need to be broadcasted on various media platforms or TV,” he told TMR.

As an IT graduate whose initial passion was in entrepreneurship, he wasn’t fully aware of the esports and gaming scene during his university years. He only grasped it while pursuing this career and after years of involvement in esports.

“My goal is not to become a big game player, but my interest is more about getting involved in world tournaments and broadcasting at the global level and that makes me want to remain in esports,” he said.

His prior experience in esports social media management, graphic design and event organisation helped him to manoeuvre in this industry. This experience also helped him secure his current position.

According to Mohamed Azmudeen, as a producer, he had to adapt to the needs of this industry and learn new skills since there are no specific courses on esports offered in the university as of now.

“I think having a degree is not really relevant in esports. You can learn from scratch, no need to have a specialised degree to work in this field. Even my broadcasting skills were self-taught, using software like Photoshop and broadcasting tools,” he concluded.

Putting considerable effort and enthusiasm into his craft, he hopes that more students and the public will recognise the quality of their offerings, which will foster widespread collaboration and change perceptions of esports as a viable career for students.