Esports Demonstration Event Underway at the Asian Games 2018
This Asian Games 2018 is the official debut of Esports at a mainstream sporting event, running from August 26th to September 1st, the five day demonstration event showcases top Asian Esports talents representing their country in the industry's most popular games.
Games that were chosen for the much hyped event include League of Legends, Pro Evolution Soccer, and Starcraft II. However, as the event is only slated as a demonstration event, any medals won within the Esports arena will not count towards the official medal tally.
The Esports Demonstration Event Schedule:
- Aug 26th: Arena of Valor
- Aug 27th: Clash Royale
- Aug 27-29th: League of Legends
- Aug 30th: StarCraft II
- Aug 31st: Hearthstone
- Sept 1st: Pro Evolution Soccer
Despite the lack of inclusion in the official medal tally, Esports players were more than eager to showcase their skills and pride for their home country. On Sunday, Tencent's flagship game Arena of Valor kicked off the event festivities, with China decisively taking home the gold medal victory against Taiwan in the final match.
Monday saw Clash Royale take center stage, with Indonesia's very own 16-year-old Ridel Yesaya Sumarandak crowned the final victor in a heated match up with China, claiming Indonesia's first Esports gold medal on home turf.
The League of Legends portion, which is slated to take 3 days and is currently ongoing, is predictably dominated by South Korea. Led by League of Legends's all-star top player Faker, the South Korean team remained undefeated in the first groupstage, including securing a crushing defeat against longtime rival China. Taiwan performed similarly, with a flawless sweep in their own group.
Those who are interested in watching the League of Legends playoffs event live can do so at Vidio.com for the official online stream. For a quick highlight recap of the intense League of Legends match up between South Korea and China, check out the video below.
