[center][img]http://www.gamesync.net/img/headers/wcg.png[/img][/center]
GameSync’s Lee “Matafleur” Wei Meng takes a look at Asean (basically Southeast Asia for those not familiar with the term) nations’ results this year at global stage that is the World Cyber Games and finds that while there has been a dip in the number of representatives in the playoffs, respectable results were still produced.
Pre-competition problems
Right from the start, the Asean contingent’s strength was greatly diminished due to visa issues, preventing them from entering USA. Nearly half of the Malaysian team were affected. The following were left out:
- [img]http://www.gamesync.net/img/flags/flag_my.gif[/img] Sophian “FoRza” Shahirul (Need for Speed: Carbon)
- [img]http://www.gamesync.net/img/flags/flag_my.gif[/img] Ramli “[WInDs]Si_Jali” Rinie (FIFA 2007)
- [img]http://www.gamesync.net/img/flags/flag_my.gif[/img] Yan “[eNet]Paulyan” Meng Choon (Warcraft III)
Counter-Strike 1.6 team [img]http://www.gamesync.net/img/flags/flag_my.gif[/img] Hybrid‘s [img]http://www.gamesync.net/img/flags/flag_my.gif[/img] Gerard “rico” Anand was [url=http://multiplay.lowyat.net/2007/09/27/team-hybrid-looking-for-5th-member/]also denied entry to the US[/url], but thankfully, Hybrid was able to find a replacement, [img]http://www.gamesync.net/img/flags/flag_my.gif[/img] Nicholas “Nicholas” Corneilius.
Indonesia’s sole representatives, [img]http://www.gamesync.net/img/flags/flag_id.gif[/img] XcN (CS 1.6), were not able to participate in the competition as well. It is not clear if this was because of visa issues.
On a separate note, CS 1.6 Chief Referee-to-be [img]http://www.gamesync.net/img/flags/flag_my.gif[/img] Douglas “Auricom” Chin, was also [url=http://multiplay.lowyat.net/2007/09/29/wcg-2007-grand-finals-auricom-visa-denied-for-the-second-time/]denied a visa twice[/url]. He would have been Southeast Asia’s first high level referee representative at a WCG event.
Competition performance
One of the biggest upsets was that Singapore’s [img]http://www.gamesync.net/img/flags/flag_sg.gif[/img] Wilson “Tetra” Chia, previously a Silver Medal holder (WCG 05) and Top 8 in last year’s WCG, did not manage to qualify from the group stage.
In Counter-Strike 1.6, it was [img]http://www.gamesync.net/img/flags/flag_sg.gif[/img] TitaNs, [img]http://www.gamesync.net/img/flags/flag_my.gif[/img] Hybrid and [img]http://www.gamesync.net/img/flags/flag_th.gif[/img] NearlyGod‘s bad luck to be all drawn into Group E. What was worse is that Finland’s [img]http://www.gamesync.net/img/flags/flag_fi.gif[/img] roccat, currently one of Europe’s strongest CS teams, also found their way into the same group.
Still, despite these setbacks, Asean was represented at the playoffs, with 5 players proceeding to the first round from their groups before being eliminated:
FIFA 2007 (Top 32)
- [img]http://www.gamesync.net/img/flags/flag_sg.gif[/img] Mohamed “[WInDs]Xtr3me3” Phirkhan
- [img]http://www.gamesync.net/img/flags/flag_th.gif[/img] Tawat “namasis” Sophakanee
Need for Speed: Carbon (Top 16)
- [img]http://www.gamesync.net/img/flags/flag_ph.gif[/img] Werasit “NosferatuNG” Kitiwannakul
Starcraft (Top 16)
- [img]http://www.gamesync.net/img/flags/flag_my.gif[/img] James “jamesfoo” Foo
- [img]http://www.gamesync.net/img/flags/flag_ph.gif[/img] Byron “SteelHeart” Bongon
Conclusion
Last year, CS team [img]http://www.gamesync.net/img/flags/flag_id.gif[/img] XCN_ID defeated and knocked out one of the world’s best, [img]http://www.gamesync.net/img/flags/flag_br.gif[/img] MIBR in the group stages. Several Philippines players managed to make it into the second round of the playoffs as well. In total, 7 players/teams made it to the playoffs.
With just 5 players making it into the playoffs this year, Asean’s results as a whole took a slight dip. But, taking into account the absence of the Indonesians as well as a large portion of the Malaysian team, this year’s achievements are quite respectable and cannot be simply brushed off as any lesser than the previous years.
Still, it looks like the country rankings for the various Southeast Asian nations, as well as Asean on a whole, will be continuing on the downtrend trend since the high achieved in 2005. Included for reference below is the 2006 rankings of ranked Asean nations, as well as the point total for Asean.
- Country #Rank Points (2006 #Rank)
- Asean — 187.1 (—)
- Singapore #23 71.10 (#21)
- Malaysia #27 48.30 (#24)
- Vietnam #36 21.00 (#39)
- Philippines #41 16.40 (#38)
- Thailand #43 15.90 (#42)
- Indonesia #45 14.40 (#45)
The final word on each country’s performance relative to the previous year’s will only come when the rankings are updated after the close of the WCG Grand Finals.
Have your say. Add your comments: