The most important aspect of entertainment is the audience. The audience may have a passive role like watching tv, films, or a play or a stand-up comedy show. But the audience role’s may also be active, as in the case of computer games where the audience becomes a participant and play roles in the game.
This form of entertainment is called Esports. Also known as electronic sports or eSports, it is a form of competition using video games. Four years ago, Bernard “Bren” Chong, a young businessman, envisioned teams to represent the Philippines on eSports which gave birth to Bren Esports.
“My family developed the world balance brand, so I am really a focused businessman. But for entertainment, I enjoy playing computer games and I noticed that us Filipinos, we excel in gaming. I had a vision for my fellow Filipino gaming players who were excellent: why not establish a team of champions to represent the Philippines and South East Asia? That gave birth to Bren Esports last 2017, and now we have competitive teams playing in world championships of Mobile Legends, Counterstrike, Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds, League of Legends, Overwatch, Hearthstone, Clash Royale, Arena of Valor, Rules of Survival, Valorant, and Tekken 7. I believe that with the right support and proper structure, Esports athletes can consistently compete in the world stage," Bren tells Gossip Girl his vision while sharing that his all- female team has recently won the FSL (Female Esports League) world championship last month for Dota.
His all-male team made Philippine history last January 2021 as the first Filipino team to win an Esports world championship (M2: Mobile Legends World championships). But Bren did not only pave the way for the Philippines to win accolades, the visionary made dreams of simple children come true.
Hazel 'Hezelya' Mata was a simple girl who used to walk to school in Cagayan de Oro. On weekends her parents would allow her to play computers in a nearby internet café after her school assignments. She became so good at it, she auditioned in the nationwide search to be able to enter an all -female Bren Esports team to represent the Philippines in the Dota championships.
After winning the open auditions, Bren Esports flew her to Manila and the rest is history. She is now a professional Dota player for two years now. Since then Hezelya has participated in The Nationals, Liga Adarna (2020) and the Female Esports League (FSL 2021) which the team emerged both as champions. Dreams do come true for these children of the new millennium with Bren Esports backing them up.