by Jasper Arcalas and John Paolo Bago

Picture an average gaming convention’s setting: A sea of 20-something males, going ga-ga over the latest innovations in digital entertainment, or an electric crowd shouting chants at the cartoon violence taking place on the big screen.

At the Pinoy Gaming Festival 2014 (PGF 2014), these images may just be shattered.

While the subject of female gamers remains a hotly contested debate topic among members of the gaming community, the organizers of PGF 2014 have decided to give an avenue for one of the industry’s most misunderstood groups: the competitive female gamer.

As part of PGF 2014’s line-up this weekend at the SM Megamall Mega Trade Hall, PGF announced that it will feature an all-female Dota 2 event. In total, 12 all-female teams have registered for the event — one of the biggest all-female eSports competitions in recent memory in the country.

Here at eSports Inquirer, we sat down and spoke to some of the team captains ready to battle this weekend. We spoke to Team Freya’s Rae Alech Natividad, Ma. Karizza Natividad of Pacific DoA, Maricris Pinky Dionisio of Team Pcfc IChill, Regina Regulacion of Team Kabute and Katherine de Lara of Team Wargods.Defiance.

Gaming is in the Blood

Rae Alech Natividad (Captain), Rae Adrienne Natividad,
Rhys Arielle Natividad,
Emsky Janic Ching, &
Ana Carissa Valdez.

Growing up, Rae Alech Natividad and Ma. Karizza Natividad were practically raised as gamers. It’s in their blood.

“I’ve been playing since elementary,” recalls Karizza. “Back then I was playing Counter-Strike (a popular first-person shooter) and some other online games.”

“I’ve been gaming for as long as I can remember,” shares Rae. “Back in grade school, I used to play Real-Time Strategy games (RTS). The ones where you build bases and armies were my favorite.”

For Maricris, her fascination with games revolved around commonly accepted “boy” games.

“I’ve been attracted to video games since I was little,  especially ‘yung pang-lalaki (especially the ones meant for boys),” said Maricris. “I’ve been playing since grade school.”

All three captains have stuck with gaming since, and are known around Manila as some of the old-school female Dota players.

Defense of the Ancients (known as DotA 1, a custom Warcraft III map) became highly popular in the country in the mid 2000s, coinciding with the peak of popularity of internet cafes, Local Access Network (LAN) gaming shops and the home broadband in the Philippines.

“I was first taught how to play Warcraft by my dad,” says Rae. “We had a computer shop back then. Eventually, Dad taught my siblings and I how to play DotA 1 when it first came out. I didn’t like it at the start because I like playing other online games better.”

“Then, in 2010 I met some friends who were into the game and so they taught me,” she continued. “We were living in Bicol at the time so we formed a team with a bunch of other girls. Back then, there were no all-girls tournaments yet.”

In 2011, multiple organizations in Manila began playing with the idea of creating an all-girls tournament for DotA 1, spurred by the popularity of female gamers in Manila at the time.

“When I moved to Manila, I met a friend of a friend who needed two more people for a girls only tournament. That was September 2011. That was where it all started.”

Since that fateful tournament in September of 2011, Rae has been hooked on the game, eventually migrating teams and into Dota 2, Valve software’s game based off the popular Warcraft custom map.

“After those tournaments, someone contacted us saying that they wanted to sponsor our team under TNC Gaming. Our contact eventually became our manager and trainer. We tried migrating to Dota 2 late 2011 but the game was still fairly new and it was hard to adjust. After PPC Girls Bracket for DotA 1, we migrated to Dota 2 in 2013.”

A competitive person by nature, Rae says that the hardest part of being a female gamer is the pressure of performing at a high level.

“Practice times are grueling sometimes and arguments between teammates can get stressful,” describes Rae. “In our first tournament, I was super nervous and scared. I was pushed into a role I wasn’t familiar with — mid laner — but I was originally practicing for the safelane.”

According to Rae, the worst part of her life as a competitive player so far has been dealing with communication issues in the team.

“Emotions tend to flare up when people miscommunicate, especially during that time of month,” she laughs. “Overall, it’s been a happy experience. Back in Bicol, you can barely find girls playing computer games. In 2011, there were barely five teams of girls playing tournaments. For PGF 2014, that number has doubled.”

One of the boys? No. Roses among the thorns.

Roses may imply the thoughts of beauty and grandeur, but its redness — cliché as it may sound — invokes strength and courage.

Amid social discrimination, female gamers strive not for popularity, but for their own right to recognition; that their prowess can compete at par with the men.

“I’m really someone who wants to prove [to] people, not just men, that I can do better than what they expect,” said Regina Regulacion, team captain of Team Kabute.

Regulacion got hooked on playing DotA 1 seven to eight years ago because of its “math, projectiles and timing” aspects or basically, the “challenge” that it brought upon.

“It never occurred me that it’s a boy’s game,” Regulacion said. “Come to think of it, playing Dota (2) in the sense that most people think it’s a male dominated game somehow boosted my interest to push myself into playing it not only for fun but also at a more competitive level.”

Ms. Regina “Nyaw” Regulacion of Team Kabute

For years, she sneaked out into cafes just to play some games, hiding her hobby from her parents. Amid the praises that she received from the gaming field, the discrimination and concerns hounded her — particularly the acceptance of her parents.

“It’s usual that parents see video games in general as “only for boys” so for years I had to sneak around to play Dota. Just about a year and half ago, they found out [that] I’ve been playing the game,” Regulacion said.

“My mom scolded me that it might ruin my studies just as it had for many others. The next challenge was how to hide the fact that I was actually playing competitively; Dota 2 was just not my pastime,” the graduating Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM) student added.

It was also the same scenario that Katherine de Lara, captain of Team Wargods.Defiance, faced in her competitive gaming career.

She started playing Dota when she was in elementary, which served as a pastime for her and her brother.

“It started when I was in fifth grade. If we wanted to play late at night, we have to first find the computer parts because my mom disassembles our computer set and hides each part in the house so that we couldn’t play during dawn time,” the future accountant said.

Aside from hidden computer parts, the worst thing about her gaming life is the criticism she received from her parents.

“Sometimes, I would receive negative comments such as allegations that I’m lesbian,” the 17-year-old gamer said. “My dad always told me that I’m not a kid anymore to play games and playing computer games is not good for a girl because it could ruin one’s education.”

De Lara, before getting into DotA 1 and 2, used to play other online games together with her siblings. Meanwhile, Regulacion views the game as her true love —  aside from minesweeper.

Both may have started playing games as part of their leisurely activities, but both have undoubtedly been changed by their experiences; the two turned from roses into thorns — fierce competitors in local tournaments and raising the bar of female gamers.

“I once thought that I should stop playing because of my grades and I don’t want to get scolded anymore,” de Lara said. “Perhaps, the reason why I love this game (Dota 2) is because I’m happy playing together with my friends and I get to meet and know different people.”

“What also pushes me to continue playing is my team,” she added.

Ms. Katherine “Kath” de Lara of Team Wargods.Defiance

“Well, DotA has been a good friend [to me] for years now. The game continuously opens a wide range of target participants. So it’s like another shot of hope for me too to get to higher levels of the competitive scene; it’s always giving me more challenges,” Regulacion said.

On what lies ahead of them, these girls have a wealth of experience to share with future female gamers willing to join the fray.

“Just make sure you are very clear with your priorities first. Allot the right time and plan how you would pursue and handle your gaming career. Decide if you want it competitively or just for fun,” Regulacion said. “Being responsible for yourself will help you get through any situation.”

“Most of all, be a true sport in every game and stay happy for whatever the results are.”

“Let’s do our best in every tournaments and have some fun!” De Lara said.

Both captains expect to have some fun and an enjoyable competition in PGF this coming Saturday.

“We expect to have some bonding with other teams and hope to enjoy PGF,” de Lara said.

“The whole team is very excited for Saturday. It’s a once in lifetime opportunity for every one of us and we believe it will be a chance for us to get to see each other and actually have some bonding moments as well,” Regulacion said.

Catch the ladies of Dota 2 at the PGF 2014 at SM Megamall Mega Trade Hall this weekend! The following teams will duke it out for prizes and glory!

Captain: Kathlene Mendoza
Members: Gillanne Delos Reyes
Nicka Maye
Tin Imperial
Apol Cinco
Naomi Estillore

Captain: Jelyn AliÑo
Members: Sunshine Borja
MaryGrace Gomez DelaTorre
Erika Mae Velasco
Grayserr Geronimo Labiaga

Captain: Maricris Dionisio
Members: Em Villanueva
Maria Isabel Narciso
Michaela Rae Oteyza
Czarina Fernandez

Captain: Aia Abogada
Members: Jean Garcia
Billie Buenafe
Lilet Daplas
Danielle Inocillas

Captain: Eulla May
Members: Karizza Natividad
Maria Isabel del Rosario
Inma Lim
Sharon Yopo

Captain: Karren Anne C. Zafra
Members: Cariz Dela Fuente
KC Alinea
Inah Gendrano
Marganda

Captain: Tonya Dela cruz
Members: Luna Dela cruz
Jhenicka Soliven
Andrea Clarice Giron
Colleen Tecson

Captain: Katherine Giron
Members: Amm Perales
Ellaine sumera
Erika Joy Garcia
Khaye Andaya Cruz

Captain: Monique “JP” Cruz
Members: Ashley Sy
Kim Pacheco
Justine Contacto
Asami Okuno

Captain: Lala Rys
Members: Angel Guarico
Rianne Lejano
Stefanie Arguelles
Gwen Daguimol

Captain: Regina Regulacion
Members: Xin
Shaira Tanzawa
Ayane Hirashima
Ycia

Bonus shout-outs!

DE LARA: “THANK YOU KAY MA’AM AND SA WARGODS! LOVELOTS.”

REGULACION: SHOUTOUTS TO (SIC) MY WONDERFUL TEAMMATES! SORRY FAILED ‘YUNG PLANO NATIN. NO MORE KABUTE FOR OTHER TEAMS. SWIMMING TAYO AFTER! READY NA KAMI! OF COURSE, WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR SPECIAL SPONSOR. YOU’RE THE BEST! LOVE, LOVE, HART, HART! EXCITED NA KAMING LAHAT, SANA PO MAY FREE PLUSHIES!

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