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| (Image Source: Manila Standard/Agora) |
With over 43 million active gaming users, the Philippines has embraced eSports and has been taking the global eSports industry by storm. Filipino gamers don’t only play eSports as a hobby, but their passion has propelled some to become champions in international leagues. Agora, a global leader in real-time engagement, is helping to transform that passion into next-generation experiences and redefines how fans in the Philippines and beyond experience sports by enabling eSports pioneer Meta Motors.
Bringing Pinoy Pride online
Filipinos are known for their deep love of sports, from basketball and volleyball to the rapidly growing eSports scene. Yet poor infrastructure has long challenged the delivery of high-quality live streams. Working with technology partner Emerce, Agora provides reliable, low-latency streams for leagues as well as a wide range of sports including volleyball, badminton, cliff diving, and even Olympics content. Emerce’s OTT platform brought in localized fan engagement features such as co-watching, live chat, and prediction overlays while Agora powers the low-latency backbone that makes these features seamless and synchronized with the streaming content. The combination of technology turns every match into a shared digital experience. This reflects the Pinoy Pride as millions of Pinoy fans come together online to celebrate victories and rally behind their teams. “With Agora, Emerce delivers a world-class fan experience. Latency has been cut by 60 percent compared to local CDNs, viewer engagement has tripled, and millions of fans have already joined the platform. As more seasons unfold — including tournaments like Pinoy Liga and Shakey’s Super League — we’re excited to bring Filipino fans even closer to the action,” said Emerce Chief Technology Officer James Martin. “The Philippines has some of the most passionate sports fans in the world, and we’re proud to help bring their energy into the digital space. Through our collaboration with Emerce, we’re creating new ways for fans to connect and celebrate the sports they love — from basketball and volleyball to emerging tournaments,” said Agora Business Development Manager Chelsea Ouyang.
Meta Motors: the future of cross-border eSports
Agora’s technology is not only transforming traditional sports but also pushing the boundaries of eSports innovation. Meta Motors, an emerging motorsports platform, used Agora’s technology to stage a first-of-its-kind experience where racers in Beijing remotely controlled real cars on a track in the Philippines while fans watched live through the Meta Motors app. Meta Motors’ vision is to merge real racing with eSports. “Agora made that possible with ultra-low latency and reliable real-time streaming. We’ve had drivers in Beijing, Shanghai, São Paulo — 18,000 kilometers away — and across Metro Manila remotely controlling cars at our Pasig race track in real-time. Most recently, Agora powered the success of the first-ever M1 Championship League, proving that high-speed competitive racing can now be experienced live, interactive, and accessible to all,” said Meta Motors Co-Founder Martin Stockinger. Powered by Agora’s streaming technology, Meta Motors is reimagining how audiences experience motorsport — whether through remote driving, interactive fan participation, or competitive league racing. The collaboration demonstrates how real-time engagement can unlock new possibilities for immersive and innovative sports experiences.
The technology behind the fan experience
At the center of these success stories is Agora’s ultra-low latency streaming solution for sports and eSports, powered by the Agora Broadcast Streaming SDK integrated with VisualOn’s OnStream MediaPlayer+. This solution delivers sub-second latency (as low as 400–800ms) and can intelligently switch between real-time and CDN streaming, ensuring fans always get the best experience regardless of their network conditions. Features such as multi-camera angles, interactive overlays for live chat and polls, and real-time translation allow fans to participate in the action, not just watch it. Optimized for weak networks, it is uniquely suited for emerging markets like the Philippines where connectivity challenges remain but fan passion runs deep. “Our collaboration with Meta Motors shows how Agora’s technology can bridge the physical and digital worlds of eSports. By combining real-time teleoperation, we’re enabling experiences that were once impossible — giving fans and racers alike a new way to connect, compete, and celebrate innovation on a global stage,” said Agora Digital Innovation Director Lawrence Wu. Agora is committed to powering platforms that bring fans closer to the action in the same Pinoy Pride spirit that unites Filipinos around every game.
