Pro gamer thinks Filipinos capable of esports success

Professional wrestler Austin Watson took a chance in his passion for video games. Now, it’s serving him well.

The World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE) star, known by his stage name “Xavier Woods,” hopes that Filipinos would give the platform the same level of consideration, especially with Esports now gaining traction in the Philippines.

“The biggest thing about video games is that they bring [camaraderie],” Woods said during his Philippines visit last year.

Watson, 32, said his love for video games pushed him to carve out a space where he could take a breather. This led to the formation of a YouTube channel “UpUpDownDown,” named by the Guinness Book of World Records last August 2018 as the Most Subscribed To Celebrity Gaming Channel after it hit more than 1.6 million subscribers

Esports will stake six gold medals in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games where 11 nations will vie on Nov. 30 to Dec. 11 in venues around Metro Manila, Clark and Subic.

“We consider the value of Esports to our youth,” SEA Games Federation Executive Committee chair Celso Dayrit said. “There are so many different games.”