Malaysia’s Esports Event Crisis: When Posters Replace Planning

Malaysia’s esports industry has reached a strange crossroads. On one hand, the nation has a robust Esports Blueprint, thriving communities, and some of the region’s best talent. On the other hand, the scene is increasingly plagued by a disturbing trend — events that begin and end with a poster.

What was once a professional ecosystem built on structure, rules, and experience is now being diluted by poorly designed tournaments with little to no operational grounding. Registration links that lead nowhere. Prize pools that don’t add up. Rulebooks that don’t exist. Organisers who vanish after the event. This “poster-first” culture is driving the industry backwards.

🎨 The Rise of Poster-First Organising

It’s never been easier to design a flashy esports poster. With AI tools and Canva templates, anyone can create something that looks official. The problem? Many of these events are conceptualised purely for attention — not for execution.

Dozens of so-called tournaments flood social media every month, offering vague prizes, inconsistent team formats, and zero oversight. The only thing consistent? Bright colours, stock images of heroes, and the words “ARE YOU READY?” plastered across the bottom.

Without structure, verification, or quality control, these “poster tournaments” confuse players, discourage sponsors, and undermine the hard work of legitimate organisers who follow proper licensing and event standards.

🚫 The Cost of Credibility

The damage isn’t just aesthetic — it’s systemic. When events collapse or fail to deliver on their promises, trust erodes. Sponsors grow skeptical. Players hesitate to sign up. Media partners stop covering small tournaments altogether. The result? A perception that “Malaysia’s esports scene is messy.”

Even worse, these low-effort events drown out genuine efforts by universities, communities, and professionals who actually invest in infrastructure, safety, and experience. Every failed event pushes the industry two steps backward.

🧱 What Real Organisers Do Differently

• They have a proper event brief and rulebook before the poster is even designed.
• They use verified registration systems with transparent communication channels.
• They secure venue partnerships and approvals before promoting.
• They provide clear prize distribution, SOPs, and safety measures.
• They document results and issue proper post-event reports using standard KPI templates.

Good organisers treat events as projects, not posters. They understand that credibility is earned — through structure, not social media buzz.

🔍 The Role of Verification & Data

Central Esports and KITAMEN are advocating for the use of publicly verifiable event listings — where organisers must declare basic information such as their company, contact, format, and prize structure before promoting a tournament. This model, already outlined in the Malaysia Esports Data Index 2025, aims to create transparency and traceability for every registered esports event.

The goal isn’t to gatekeep — it’s to safeguard. To ensure that when players see a poster, it represents something real.

🚀 The Way Forward

Malaysia has the infrastructure, talent, and creative energy to be an esports powerhouse. But if the culture of “poster before planning” continues, the scene risks collapsing under its own noise. Real growth comes from discipline — not decoration.

KITAMEN calls for organisers, sponsors, and players alike to prioritise substance over flash. The next generation of esports fans deserve events they can trust, not just posters they can share.