Professional Gaming May Soon Come To College

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OPINIONS, GAMING | February 26, 2020

Tier One Entertainment CEO Tryke Gutierrez and several Lyceum of the Philippines University officials (Image Source: Facebook/Tryke Gutierrez)

Professional gaming in the Philippines continues its meteoric rise to where its stands with the inclusion of eSports in the 30th Southeast Asian Games and the exemplary performance of Filipino gamers against the finest and toughest in the region as one of the industry's peak points. As eSports remains keen on drawing and impacting audiences globally, many Filipinos are starting to exert their efforts of honing their skills in the games they love to play hoping that they would one day bring honor to the country in the international stage. Imagine our surprise when we learned that the industry would make its way to college.

Tryke Gutierrez, founder and chief executive officer of the Philippines' premiere talent management agency dedicated to gaming and eSports Tier One Entertainment, announced on his Facebook and Instagram pages that the company has drafted a curriculum for a tertiary eSports course which will be included in the list of programs to be offered in the Lyceum of the Philippines University for the next school year. Once it has been approved by the Commission On Higher Education (CHED) by March 2020, LPU will begin offering two new courses regarding the gaming and eSports industry: Associate In eSports And Game Design (two years) and Bachelor Of Science In eSports (four years).

These courses would surely provide future college students a proper introduction and understanding to the world of gaming and eSports and eventually enable them to be well-equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills needed to enter the industry as either a game designer/developer, eSports agent and higher positions regarding the matter. If any of these courses can provide what they need to become a skilled professional gamer, they won't since these focus on viable career options within the game development industry and behind the scenes of anticipated professional gaming events. Instead, they should try the grassroots and school-based development programs set by the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) if they want to become more skilled to compete against the world's best.

I'm sure that the local gaming community is delightful about the news and the fact that it is slated to become a major boost in the continuing development of eSports in the Philippines once it is officially implemented. But I'm also certain that there are concerned parties who are doubtful about the move and the consequences it will bring to the youth although they are never informed of a responsible gaming advocacy happening in the country right now. In the end, there is no stopping the professional gaming scene in the Philippines from nurturing and developing future athletes and leaders who will be responsible for promoting the virtual sporting scene in the local stage and its inclusion as a college course could possibly be a fresh start.