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Myanmar’s gaming stars face barriers in tough eSports journey
With power outages and internet connection problems, Myanmar's eSports athletes must battle not only online opponents but also a creaky national infrastructure.
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In this photo taken on May 13, 2022, Myanmar Esport team members watch the game with a smartphone before their match during the 31st SEA Games at the Vietnam National Convention Center in Hanoi. (AFP/Ye Aung Thu)
M
yanmar's eSports athletes must battle not only online opponents but also a creaky national infrastructure in their bid to make it in the ferociously competitive world of gaming.
A relative newcomer to the fast-growing electronic sports scene, Myanmar sees eSports as a way of connecting to the outside world, a top gaming official from the country told AFP at the SEA Games in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi.
ESports are a popular choice among many Asian youths seeking the promise of fame and fortune on the digital battleground.
But Myanmar's budding gaming stars face challenges that are unthinkable for many of their rivals.
Power outages and internet connection problems are routine obstacles in the developing country where the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi was toppled by the army in February 2021.
"Blackouts are a challenging factor," Myanmar Esports Federation vice president Kaung Myat San said, adding that gamers who do not have back-up generators "will find it difficult".
Myanmar is plagued by a frail energy grid that particularly stumbles during the hot summer months when electricity use is high, forcing locals to buy costly generators for their power needs.
