KUALA LUMPUR – In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, esports remains one of the most misunderstood and underestimated domains.
Many still see it as a mere pastime that distracts children and young adults from more “productive” pursuits.
Andrew Cheong, also known as “Sir Cloud” in the esports community, is determined to change this perception.
With his new book, Esports Selamatkan Hidup Aku (Esports Saved My Life), Andrew aims to educate the public about the profound impact of esports, not just as recreation but as a legitimate career path and a powerful force for personal and national economic growth.
Andrew, the national team manager for the esports contingent at last year’s Phnom Penh SEA Games, shared with Scoop how the esports industry transformed his life after working in the corporate field for over a decade.
“The title of the book resonates with my life. I played games for a long time, starting with Counter-Strike in high school in 2000.
“There was no term ‘esports’ back then, just friends playing local tournaments,” Andrew said.
After nearly 14 years in the corporate sector, Andrew took esports seriously, starting with commentary.
“Life took a turn in 2020; I lost my full-time job and became a professional esports commentator. I had to work hard and face many failures in between.”
Andrew said he wrote his book out of a passion for education and a desire to address misunderstandings about esports, not to romanticise it.
“Many people view it as just a hobby and question why it’s even considered a sport.
“My book highlights the potential of esports and the various career opportunities within it, such as journalism, commentary, team management, marketing and business development.
“The book is not meant to romanticise esports. We also have many issues such as athletes not being paid, which forced them to leave the industry. So the book is about the reality of esports; it’s not a bed of roses,” said Andrew when contacted.
As an esports lecturer at the Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology, Andrew hopes to change parents’ mindsets through his book.
“Parents often worry about their kids spending too much time on the screen. While I understand their concerns, they tend to control what they don’t understand.
“This book aims to educate parents and the public about esports, helping them guide their children appropriately.
“The book is about sharing information, not changing society overnight. It is to reduce misunderstandings about esports. It’s a mind sport requiring a healthy body, much like chess. Some may argue they don’t burn calories, but isn’t chess the same?
“We need to view esports as a competitive activity with value, just on a different platform.”
Esports Selamatkan Hidup Aku is now on sale at MPH Bookstores.
For the record, Malaysia won four medals (two silvers and two bronzes) at the 2023 Phnom Penh SEA Games, two medals (one silver and one bronze) at last year’s Hangzhou Asian Games, and three gold medals at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. – June 9, 2024