Creators of Valorant, Riot, are bringing a Manila server into the fold, representing a 6th Asian Pacific selection for players to queue from.

After 5 years of a flourishing Filipino player base, the game has decided to go live and host a server-based in the capital city to boost connectivity among players and establish an extended infrastructure with Filipino fans going forward.

Prior to this update, players were routed to the next best stop, the Hong Kong server, which, while acceptable, offered limitations to graphics and to the “Lag-challenged.”

The developers expect to get positive feedback on improving network instability, lowering ping, and overall better connectivity.

With the introduction of the Manila server, this special attention gives hope for building a stronger infrastructure around the game’s staying power and relevance amongst the Filipino Community.

One such outcome could come in the form of a future international competition held in the Philippines. In the past, former competitions from different game titles have been held in the nation, most famously the Manila Major with Dota 2 in 2016, where the local audiences received global acclaim for their passionate, loud, and energetic support that rang like a festival.

The upcoming and hyped-up release of the global version of Valorant mobile, expected to come later this year, would also likely make waves once it hits the shores of the all too popular Filipino mobile game app market.

With the recent stir around the Asian-Pacific Valorant Scene, the future may very well look bright for this side of the world’s esports industry, and the Philippines might just be at the center of it.