LOYOLA GAMING (LG) has recently made a name for itself as one of the top competitors in the Philippine esports community. Housing teams in popular games like Defense of the Ancients 2 (DoTA 2), League of Legends (LoL), Hearthstone, and Valorant, LG has managed to build their kingdom from the bottom up. Even as an unaccredited organization, LG continues to bring honor and glory to the Blue and White.
Sparked Blazes
LG started out as the Blue Blazes in 2018, an independent organization with no official ties to the University. According to LG Team Manager Kenneth Alog, the Blue Blazes began as a group for Ateneans who shared a common love for video games. Their passion for esports eventually led them to form a competitive LoL team.
On the other hand, the Loyola Videogame League (LVL) was another organization formed for Atenean gamers. LVL joined the League of Independent Organizations (LIONS) in 2018, granting it legitimate ties to Ateneo.
When the Blue Blazes partnered with LVL last year, this became an opportunity for the former to officially represent the Ateneo in esports competitions. With this newfound partnership, Blue Blazes rebranded as Loyola Gaming and made its debut in the Esports AcadArena (EAA) LoL Qualifiers in September 2019.
Less than one year into their partnership, LG and LVL decided to go one step further and merged into one organization in July. According to LG Chief Communications Officer Lorenzo Bonifacio, the merger integrated the two organizations’ thrusts: Competition and community. While LG focused on competitive esports, LVL aimed to bolster a safe space for gamers within the Ateneo. “[LG and LVL] ended up deciding that we were stronger together, [and] that we could better serve the Atenean gamer with the united front,” Bonifacio said. As a result of the merger, both groups decided to adopt Loyola Gaming as their official name.
Kingdom in quarantine
The advent of a reinvented LG allowed the organization to center their ideas and work towards a unified goal. With a more established system in place, LG was better equipped to take advantage of the opportunities that arose during the quarantine.
In the various esports events that emerged during the lockdown, Loyola Gaming has consistently bagged wins for Ateneo. One of these tournaments was the Red Bull R1v1r Runes DoTA 2 tournament in July where LG emerged as champions. They also won several podium finishes in the EAA Aces Valorant and LoL opens, winning second place in both competitions.
Alongside these victories, LG struck up a partnership with the Department of Information Science and Computer Science (DISCS) on August 3. Alog attested to the doors that this partnership has opened for their organization. “[LG requested] help in transportation, [and] venue reservation when we want to talk about our vods, our games, on campus,” Alog said.
With DISCS’ backing, LG also forged a partnership with EAA–the Philippines’ leading campus esports initiative. This gave them exclusive access to skill-boosting programs, better resource allocation, and a larger network of contacts. These partnerships with DISCS and EAA have proven to be instrumental in setting up the organization for success in their future endeavors.
Future of Loyola Gaming
Moving forward, LG continues to search for affiliation opportunities to propel their advocacy of institutionalizing esports. Part of the organization’s future plans is to seek accreditation from the Council of Organizations of the Ateneo-Manila which will help LG further incorporate esports into student life. Bonifacio emphasized that “In large, we’re looking for some form of university acknowledgement and support, integrating it with that sort of campus lifestyle so we’re not so removed.”
LG’s steady rise proves that their dream of institutionalizing campus esports is not a product of fantasy. By overcoming the numerous challenges, LG has built a safe space for Atenean gamers to grow, ensuring the future success of the gaming community.
