As the year of 2011 draws to a close, we devotees of eSports look back fondly on a fruitful 12 months of e-gaming goodness. Peppered throughout last 12 months were bounties of events which enthralled the numerous e-gaming fans across the South East Asia, as well as made new ones of the previously inert few. Many of the participants will live long to tell their tales of triumph, while others will reconstruct their battle strategies for the better of their professional gaming future. But before we go running head on into 2012, RGN would like to take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of the more poignant moments of eSports in the SEA region to have graced us this very year, and pay tribute to the very brave men and women who pushed the envelope on the level of competitive play.

The year 2011 threw its first big punch in April when Brunei hosted the Philip Bell Cup, the first major Counter Strike 1.6 tournament in the region. Following a spat of qualifiers all around the region from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, organizers for the event drew quite the following leading up to the grand finals held at the International Convention Centre where Team RV( Brunei) saw out the extensive list of opponents to claim top honors.

Team RV (Brunei) - The champion of Philip Bell Cup

Three months after, The New Paper, in collaboration with Asiasoft, commissioned their first major gaming event held in the sunny island of Singapore, named TNP Cyber Challenge . Building on the success of previous L2P tournaments, the event ushered the first massive Sudden Attack competition. A cool bounty of SG$4000 awaited the winner of the Korean free-to-play FPS with hordes flocking to watch the eventual winners, Team MTK from Malaysia sweep first prize.

TNP Cyber Challenge Winner - Team MTK (Malaysia)

The game of DotA will soon prove to be the talk of the rest of the year as Valve, the creators of the sequel, DotA 2, upstaged all eSports tournaments to date by offering the largest monetary award of US$1 million to the victor of the DotA 2 curtain raiser held at Gamescom 2011, Germany. Various South East Asian teams vied for the lofty prize in the international event with the team going closest to gold, Team Scythe Gaming from Singapore, doing the region proud by returning home with a very cool USD$150,000 at 3rd place.

Team Scythe (Singapore) gain the most succesful achivement for SEA region in DotA 2 The International, Germany

September came and the much anticipated The Games Expo ran its course on the 9th to the 11th. The climatic conclusion produced some of the most highly charged games of the year when Philippine outfit Mineski beat Orange ESports to walk home with the DotA crown (SG$3000) ,and Mineski Enderr, who beat fellow professional RedArchon in the StarCraft 2 finals to win SG$600 richer, while AEONSports(Singapore) sealed their SG$2000 cheque with a victory over Rabaks with Counter Strike 1.6. The event which was also the stage for the Singapore World Cyber Games was a huge success, attracting fans and neutrals in the thousands.

TXG 11 Counter Strike Winners

TGX DotA Allstars Champions

However, not to be outdone was the Pinoy Gaming Festival, or PGF 2011, held the month after. Used also as the platform for the Philippine WCG and Mineski Pro Gaming League (MPGL), competitions at site ranged from RTS, in StarCraft 2, to customs like DotA, as well as novel ones like the planking tournament and cosplay competitions. The PGF was one of the most watched live streamed events in the region raking in over 28,000 views. In the two most followed events, Mineski.Infinity PowerColor won the converted top place in DotA, while the immensely talented Caviar “EnDerr” Acampado snatched the gold for StarCraft 2.

Team Mineski.Infinity PowerColor (Philippines) - DotA Champion in PGF 2011

Caviar “EnDerr” Acampado (center)

Even as the year begins creeping to its end, the e-gaming machine showed no sign of slowing down. On the back of the TGX and PGF, the WCG AC stepped up to the pedestal, drawing the mighty from the corners of SEA to duke it out for national pride and glory. A total of 15 countries participated in events, which ranged including DotA, DotA 2, Tekken 6 and Asphalt 6. Malaysian teams had the most successful campaign raking in 2 first place finishes in DotA and DotA 2 by MUFC, as well as a third in Tekken 6. The Chinese teams on the other hand, came in a close second snapping third place in DotA 2 and a first in Asphalt 6 for their country. The games took place in the imposing Rasuna Epicentrum Kuningan Super Block of Jakarta, Indonesia.

MUFC (Malaysia) - The Absolute Champion of DotA and DotA in WCG AC 2011

And with the year running out of months, we find ourselves in the very familiar position of today. Given that the better half of the year will always be remembered as the build up to the release of DotA 2 (which is due early 2012), it was only fitting we end it on a note that completes the chord. The DotA 2 Malaysia Invitational will most certainly be the last memory to be etched in our compendium of this year’s events. Team ORANGE from Malaysia rode home support to overcome 8 other remarkable teams to walk away USD$5000 richer.

ORANGE (Malaysia)  - DotA 2 Malaysia Invitational Champion

While we can definitely say for certain that the year of 2011 has been an exceptional one for DotA fans and followers of custom minis (such as LOL and HON), we cannot deny the fact that it was a rather fine one for all. If the inciting response and overwhelming support for events and competitions is of any indicator of things to come in 2012, then we can be really excited. Perhaps we can be bullish about the future of eSports judging from events that have come to past this very year. But till then, all you gleamy-eyed e-gamers will be rubbing your hands in anticipation for what is to come in 2012 for the year in session has laid a fantastic foundation on which empires will be built.