Esports is a rapidly growing industry, especially in East Asia, but the framework needs to catch up with the cultural dominance. Just as a football team needs a stadium and practice facilities, esports competitors need events, content, and high-speed internet.

East Asian telecommunications companies seem to agree. Six of these companies have penned an official Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dedicating their commitment to the growth of the esports community. The agreement directly references distribution, marketing, and growing ties to the gaming community at large.

Telkomsel, Globe, Airtel, AIS, Singtel, and Optus are the six companies who worked on the memorandum. These groups have a reputation for combining their efforts to make digital services and economies less competitive. In this case, it seems they want to focus on outward development as well as inward development.

They’re not just focusing on East Asia, either. The agreement specifically names Southeast Asia, India, and Australia as well—regions in desperate need of esports support, especially with rapid online growth.

These regions are expanding fast. Teams and recruiters are targeting these areas in the search for new talent to take part in globalizing the esports movement.

Hopefully, this will elevate these areas out of “minor region” status. Before, you had to have a significant number of pros and tournaments come out of an area before it was considered “important” (Dreamhack for Sweden and players like Zer0 for Chile). If the support is there, though, we might not have to wait for breakout stars.

This is an incredibly smart business move for all companies involved in the agreement. The goal is to recruit as many mobile users as possible into the esports scene, making it a potential goldmine for everyone involved.

The agreement also focuses on development at all levels—globally, regionally, and locally. This move shows the world that these companies are taking their development process very seriously.

They’ve done their homework, and they’re ready to show the world esports still has room to grow.

Singtel, the company at the head of this vanguard, has made statements about their stance on gaming and its continued rise. The company is already a major organizer in the region with control of the PVP Esports Championship and several events surrounding PC and mobile MOBAs. They broadcast in nearly every major language of Southeast Asia.

“Gaming is part of a digital world without borders, where fast network speeds, connectivity, and local market knowledge are critical. It is a natural and perfect fit for Singtel and our partners,” said Singtel CEO Arthur Lang. “We are committed to working as a group to better serve the gamers in our networks, and in the region. We hope to play a major regional role as an enabler of esports, to collectively grow the gaming ecosystem, and give gamers the support and recognition they deserve.”

What does this mean for the long term?

It’s hard to speculate about this memorandum without a concrete business plan and some data to back it up. Basically, this is a declaration stating that companies like Singtel are throwing their hat in the ring for future endeavors, but it’s not clear what that means for consumers.

Southeast Asia taking a larger role esports would help unify the Eurasian continent. Cultural and language barriers cause a massive disconnect throughout the region. A weak connection between these countries is a huge problem for the health of both games and their communities. Thankfully, this memo signals the end to those issues. We just hope it’ll be sooner rather than later.

What can other regions do for similar expansion?

Cable television is much larger in the West than in most Eastern countries. Watch out for the parallels to how media has been handling esports. Overwatch League was on ESPN, after all, and ESPN2 has been broadcasting esports tournaments and events for years.

Europe and South America have some catching up to do. On that front, internet marketing and geography may be the best route. Tournaments need to be easily accessible for everyone in the country, something North America has yet to achieve.

Consoles and PC gaming dominate Western esports. There are very few mobile esports in general, and statistics tend to show that mobile makes up a very small percentage of streamers. Mobile consumption is critical to the growth of the Western esports industry. In the Asian markets, it’s vital.