Singapore (AFP)

In a country like Singapore that puts the credentials on top of everything, Galvin Kang Jian Wen has done something unthinkable: he stopped his studies to devote more time to video games and become an esport champion.

He had to ignore the criticism of his parents and his entourage to pursue after high school his dream of becoming one of the best video game players in the city-state. But he believes his sacrifices paid off as he prepares to participate with his national team in the mini-Olympics in Southeast Asia.

Many teenagers drop out of school to play for hours on their computer or phone, attracted by the esport competitions, some of which offer winners millions of euros.

But exchanging textbooks for a joystick is particularly frowned upon in Singapore, a small country that prides itself on top rankings for the excellence of its education and where parents are obsessed with their children's grades.

Kang, who coaches his national team and plays under the pseudonym "Meracle" in the multiplayer game Dota 2, says that his faith in his abilities was so great that it gave him the courage to do what most young Singaporeans would never dare.

"I stopped studying to pursue my passion," says the 23-year-old young man at a training camp in Singapore for players from Southeast Asia organized by Razer, an American manufacturer. equipment for gamers.

"Obviously (my parents) were not happy with my decision because no one here wants to see his child stop studying."

- Educational pressure -

It remains an exception in a country with a rigid education system, where passing exams is a must.

The pressure on children begins in primary school and grows as young people grow up, to the point where some people crack up and their mental health is weakened.

The importance of education and getting a well-paid job in this thriving Southeast Asian country complicates the deal for esport in Singapore, which has only 15 professional players.

"In Singapore we are very attached to studies," confirms the president of the local esport association, Ng Chong Geng. He remembers speaking about the sector at a university where nobody wanted to become a pro.

"Now everyone gets more or less a license (...) and to become an esport champion you have to give up many other opportunities," he admits.

Players also point out that the national conscription system, which requires men aged 18 to perform a two-year military service, is a handicap for gamers who need time to develop their talent.

- What about retirement? -

Kang is not the only one to drop out of this competition for the Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines in November and December. He is now playing for a Thai team.

Nuengnara Teeramahanon, a 17-year-old Thai, left school a year ago to devote full time to the Dota 2 game: "I did not want to study anymore, it was so boring".

But the lack of qualifications could turn against these young people when they retire from gamer, which usually comes early enough.

The players explain that their families have now generally accepted that they continue their vocation since they became financially independent. But they do not want to encourage other young people to do the same.

At this year's Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines, nine countries will compete in six games - Mobile Legends, Arena of Valor, Dota 2, Starcraft II, Tekken 7 and Hearthstone--.

The inclusion of the esport in these regional games is seen as a great victory for the promoters of the discipline, who dream that the competitions of video games will one day become a world Olympic discipline.

burs-sr / qan / lgo / dif / chc

© 2019 AFP