Fueled by strong digital engagement and a tech-savvy, mobile-first population, esports have become a mainstream entertainment format in Southeast Asia. The region stands out globally. According to Deloitte’s 2024 report on the Southeast Asian esports market, 94% of respondents are aware of esports, surpassing regions such as Europe. This suggests that esports are no longer a niche interest but a fixture in the broader media landscape.
Beyond entertainment, esports in SEA represent an emerging digital economy with opportunities for startups, investors, corporates, and cross-border partnerships. From content creation and audience analytics to mobile platform innovation and event monetization, the market is evolving into a business ecosystem. Deloitte’s report highlights how different stakeholders can strategically position themselves for growth.
Bridging the gap between awareness and engagement
Three in four of Southeast Asian respondents surveyed by Deloitte have watched esports before, yet only 32% do so regularly, defined as at least one hour per week. This substantial dropoff signals an awareness-to-engagement gap.
This gap varies across markets. Vietnam leads with a 59% regular viewership rate, reflecting strong conversion from awareness to consistent viewership and the potential for sustained fan monetization. On the other hand, while Singapore and Thailand show high esports reach of 94% and 91%, respectively, engagement dips to 20% or less. This disparity underscores the need for localized strategies to convert casual viewers into committed fans.
For startups, content ventures, and corporates, this represents an opportunity to develop not only local content formats, but also monetization tools, creator integrations, and gamified loyalty programs that deepen engagement, turning passive audiences into active participants and ultimately into brand advocates.
One example is k-ID, a Singapore-based startup that secured USD 45 million in funding in June 2024 to expand its platform for safer, age-appropriate online experiences.
k-ID’s platform enables online services to identify users’ ages and adjust features such as private chats, artificial intelligence tools, and advertising. Permissions adapt as children grow, enabling safe yet engaging participation. This approach highlights a commitment to safer gameplay while building trust with families and nurturing loyal users.
When audiences feel understood and safe, they are more likely to remain engaged over time. Such solutions highlight how personalization can close the engagement gap by fostering stronger connections between fans and platforms.
The female factor: An underserved market
Although esports remain male-dominated, women now make up 44% of the audience in SEA, representing a substantial but underleveraged demographic. This creates room for female-focused content, communities, and products.
For instance, the Female Esports League, established in 2019, provides a competitive platform for women in games like Valorant. Additionally, Moonton’s Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) has hosted several initiatives to encourage female engagement and leadership in esports. These efforts show how inclusion strategies can reshape industry dynamics, cultivating a more conducive and welcoming environment.
Cross-industry collaborations also contribute. For example, Fenty Beauty partnered with Arcane, Riot Games’ animated series based on the League of Legends title, to launch a limited-edition female makeup collection. Fenty also designed the makeup looks for the female characters in the second season of Arcane. By translating virtual character styles into real products, the collaboration sought to bridge the digital and physical worlds in a way that resonated with female audiences.
These initiatives are more than just isolated marketing moves, illustrating how cross-industry collaborations and female-focused brand strategies could be meaningfully adapted to SEA’s evolving esports ecosystem.
One size does not fit all
Esports consumer behavior varies widely across SEA, presenting diverse opportunities for stakeholders to tailor their engagement models:
- In Thailand, traditional sports entities such as professional football club Buriram United have expanded into esports, leveraging existing fan loyalty to attract new audiences. This approach suggests that esports organizations could benefit from partnerships with sports franchises and entertainment entities, creating a synergistic relationship that extends audience reach while enriching fan experiences.
- In Malaysia, esports audiences are predominantly urban. Since 2022, the market has grown with the entry of new industry players, highlighting opportunities for city-focused endeavors. City-centric tournaments, localized content and community hubs, among other initiatives, could cultivate stronger connections with audiences. In addition, monetization strategies tailored to the spending patterns of urban Malaysian gamers could support long-term market expansion.
- Singapore, despite high esports reach, faces declining sustained viewership. This gap between awareness and habitual engagement calls for experiences aligned with local lifestyle patterns and digital consumption habits. Addressing this challenge requires crafting esports experiences that align with Singapore’s fast pace of life, such as prioritizing concise, mobile-optimized content and seamless integration with popular entertainment platforms that fit the time constraints of busy city dwellers.
- Indonesia shows declining overall engagement, but half of its esports audience remains concentrated in cities. This indicates an opportunity to focus efforts on in-person events. For example, Persib Bandung, a Liga 1 football club, launched an esports division in 2020 to target new fans while creating additional revenue streams. By leveraging its existing local fanbase through tailored esports initiatives, Persib Bandung shows how city-focused strategies can garner grassroots support and stimulate growth within a country’s esports ecosystem.
These findings highlight how country-specific models are critical for growth. A notable example is MLBB, which has embedded localized elements into its system.
Currently, Moonton operates professional MLBB leagues in Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and Cambodia. Since its inception in 2019, the game has introduced six region-inspired heroes, including Pacquito, modeled after Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao, and Kadita, inspired by Indonesian mythological figure Nyi Roro Kidul. These characters have resonated with regional gamers, fostering engagement and a deeper sense of connection with the game.
Such strategies also reflect a broader industry trend toward embedding local culture and preferences into esports, aligning market practices with regional realities to strengthen connections and sustain growth across the region.
Designing for mobile-first consumption habits
Beyond country-specific strategies, companies should also cater to SEA’s mobile-first audience. With nearly 55% of gaming hours spent on mobile devices, the region’s reliance on mobile strongly influences how esports content is accessed and monetized.
According to Deloitte, while YouTube was found to be the most popular platform for esports both globally and in SEA, Twitch—which ranks second worldwide—is among the least popular in the region. This highlights the need for content and platform strategies tailored to SEA’s unique consumption habits.
The rise of these channels presents opportunities for local platforms, advertisers, and tech ventures to optimize for regional conditions through multi-language features, culturally informed user experience (UX) strategies, mobile-first design, and more.
MLBB illustrates this approach. Rather than relying on translation alone, MLBB incorporates region-specific heroes, maps, and narratives that resonate with local cultures, such as Muay Thai fighters in Thailand, Cebuano mythological goddesses in the Philippines, and Borobudur-themed environments in Indonesia. These localized elements give players a stronger sense of identity and emotional connection, fuelling retention and engagement.
Moonton, the developer of MLBB, set up local teams and feedback pipelines in Indonesia and Singapore to collect market insights and refine the game’s UX. The game was optimized for Android devices, which are used by the vast majority of the player base in SEA, and integrated vernacular languages and slang into its interface. Community engagement was further amplified through prominent regional streamers and esports figures.
MLBB also introduced festival-themed in-game events and skins tied to special occasions such as Ramadan, Songkran, and Holy Week. The game respected religious norms. For example, it used softer color palettes and less violent imagery during fasting hours, while aligning content releases with local rhythms of play. These culturally attuned strategies have allowed MLBB to sustain its dominance in SEA’s mobile esports market.
Esports as digital economy infrastructure
Beyond entertainment, esports are becoming a gateway to digital literacy, content fluency, and youth employability. Markets such as Malaysia and Thailand have recognized their role in building talent ecosystems, ranging from creators to platform specialists. This makes esports a compelling domain for edtech ventures, creator platforms, and skills training companies looking to anchor themselves in SEA’s digital economy.
Startups and corporates can also leverage esports to drive youth engagement, accelerate tech adoption, and build regional relevance. In Thailand, for instance, esports were officially recognized as a professional sport in 2021. The Sports Authority of Thailand now funds programs and develops curricula through bodies like the Thailand E-Sports Federation, supporting esports as both a career pathway and a formal talent pipeline.
Conclusion
Realizing the full potential of esports requires collaboration across the ecosystem, from developers and platforms to league organizers, corporates, and local innovators. With SEA’s high level of digital engagement, diverse markets, and strong appetite for immersive experiences, esports offer compelling opportunities for business, investment, and innovation.
For startups, venture capital firms, and corporates, the imperative is to view esports not as a passing cultural trend, but as a sustainable growth engine that’s driven by inclusion, localization, and long-term value.
About the authors: This article was co-authored by James Walton, sports business group leader at Deloitte Asia Pacific, and Lim Jia Yean, sports business group manager at Deloitte Southeast Asia. Walton has more than 26 years of professional experience with Deloitte and currently oversees the firm’s services for sports and leisure clients, while also serving on various boards and committees in Singapore. Lim, as part of Deloitte SEA, advises sports associations on strategy, branding, and development, with a focus on bridging sports, business, and innovation.