Esports: Pakistan inducted as a new member of AESF

Esports has become as popular as outdoor games and is a billion-dollar industry. Earlier, it was just a hobby and for passing the time. But with time, it has gained serious attention, along with people investing in it. Pakistan’s Sumail (2015) and Ash Arsalan (2019) won recognition all over the world for Dota 2 and Tekken 7. Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF) has added Pakistan as a member along with Palestine, Iran, and Jordan. This will provide Pakistan with an international forum to showcase its talent.

Olympic Council of Asia has recognized the AESF as the governing authority for Esports for the Asian region. For the first time in Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games, the Esports tournament will mark its entry and it would be a medal event. There would be eight titles for the medals.

New members added to AESF

The AESF has added four new members with national governing bodies, which include Pakistan, Iran, Jordan, and Palestine. With its addition, the AESF will have 26 members now. They have been named the Jordan Esports Committee, Iran Esports Association, Pakistan E-Sports Federation, and Palestine Electronic and Intellectual Sports Federation. The three organizations from Jordan, Iran, and Pakistan are already members of the International Esports Federation (IESF).

AESF is thrilled to welcome the Jordan Esports Committee, Iran Esports Association, Pakistan E-Sports Federation and Palestine Electronic and Intellectual Sports Federation as our 4 newest member associations! 🥳#esports #AsianEsportsFederation #AsianEsports pic.twitter.com/hMUxONH9ST

— Asian Electronic Sports Federation (@AESF_Official) February 23, 2022

The IESF and AESF have also signed an agreement on a “collaborative relationship to promote and advance Esports globally as well as across the Asian continent,” in March 2022.

Categories of Esports

The players usually compete in the following categories:

First-Person Shooter (FPS): Global Offensive, Call of Duty, and Overwatch
Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA): Dota 2 and League of Legends
Fighting Games: Tekken and King of Fighters
Sports-based: FIFA, PES, and Need for Speed

Pakistan has talent in every field. It’s just that a little support and encouragement can take you to the heights of success. The positive thing is that the government has been supportive of the youth initiatives and it has played a major role in the international recognition of our young blood. Initially, Dota 2 and Counter-Strike Global Offensive (CSGO) were the dominating games. Valorant got launched last year. PUBG has also gained a lot of popularity and its tournaments are worth more than the other tournaments. An MoU was also signed between Pakistan Sports Board and Pakistan Science Board to give Esports the status of a regular sport.