World champion Omega Empress hopes historic run sparks women’s esports rise

Fielding an all-Cebuana crew, Smart Omega Empress wants to inspire more female players after becoming the first Philippine team to rule the Esports World Cup

MANILA, Philippines – Days after its historic Esports World Cup win, Smart Omega Empress hopes to see its success lead to ripple effects throughout the women’s esports scene. 

Players of Omega Empress expressed their desire to empower female players following their monumental 3-0 win over Indonesia’s Team Vitality to rule the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Women’s Invitational in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

“I hope to inspire more players to upscale their playing skills,” said Gwyneth “Ayanami” Diagon, who was vital in the team’s first-game win versus the Indonesian powerhouse. 

Ayanami also wishes to see more chances given to other female esports players, now that they have shown their world-caliber skills. 

“I hope this opens up more opportunities in tournaments, especially in on-site events…that is where the game really matters and players would get used to the atmosphere,” she added in Filipino during a recent press conference.  

The all-Cebuana team composed of Ayanami, Sheen “Shinoa” Perez, Rica Fatima “Amoree” Amores, Kaye Maerylle “Keishi” Alpuerto, and Mery Christine “Meraaay” Vivero, took home a prize money of $180,000 or roughly around P10.5 million, in the breakthrough triumph that also ended Team Vitality’s three-year undefeated run. 

Omega Empress has also once fallen victim to Team Vitality’s dominance, losing to the Indonesians in the gold-medal game, 3-2, in last year’s Southeast Asian Games.

Pitted as heavy underdogs in the MWI final, the Filipinas were unfazed in avenging their SEA Games loss, sweeping their Indonesian counterparts to become the first Philippine team to reign in the Esports World Cup. 

Beyond the glory, the team wants its victory to empower unheralded female players and eventually attract more investors to the sport. 

“Hopefully this triggers more teams, more organizations, more people to fill in female esports players because this could be big in empowering women in our country,” said Froi Joshua Endaya, the team’s chief marketing officer. 

Now with a world championship to relish, Endaya aims for bigger things, perhaps even a professional league for women’s esports. 

“It’s really worth an investment to create so many teams,” he said. “Hopefully, in time, we can have a professional league for female teams.” – Rappler.com