E-Sports is a relatively new and popular sport in Papua. However, one of the reasons why this sport is popular is the success of the National Sports Week held in the province of Papua. E-Sports is a competitive sport. After that, the Papuans, synonymous with physical combat sports such as football, became interested in electronic sports based on strategic combat. Some of these games include Mobile Legend Bang Bang (MLBB) and Player Unknown’s Battle Grounds Mobile (PUBG Mobile). Apart from these two games, other games such as e-Football or what was formerly known as Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) are also among the games that are often contested in e-Sports tournaments.
The great interest of Papuans in e-Sports has forced the city government to cooperate with other countries, for example, as a sponsor in the organization of tournaments. Papuan universities also host e-Sports tournaments for athletes to train and compete. The prizes are also quite big and tempting, so when there is an Es-ports tournament in Papua, many people are sure to participate. The more athletes participate in the tournament, the bigger the prize. Of course, this can be compared to the struggle of athletes for the championship, because the tournaments in which they participate become more competitive, the number of opponents increases.
According to the Indonesian Sports Commission, e-Sports is officially registered as a sport. So contests and tournaments involving MLBB or PUBG Mobile are included in sports tournaments. Anyone who participates in a tournament can also be considered an athlete. In fact, the government of Papua province allocates special funds to train athletes in various sports, including e-sports. The goal is certainly clear, namely to create quality and even professional athletes who can join eSports clubs in Indonesia who have participated in national and international tournaments.
The Papua Provincial Government does not identify athletes in various sports, including e-Sports athletes. Although it is a new sport, the large number of enthusiasts has forced the council to pay special attention. If the province of Papua has so far been known to produce great footballers and has proven itself in national and even international competitions and managed to break through at the level of the Indonesian national team, the regional authorities hope to do so. In the future, Papuan athletes will be at the forefront. Tournaments organized by governments or other institutions or organizations help athletes improve. At least the e-Sports players in Papua are more experienced with frequent tournaments. The selection of Papuan e-Sports athletes also becomes easier when they have to represent Papua in various tournaments such as the upcoming National Sports Week.
