PUBLISHED ONJune 07, 2023 10:30 AM
My Gamer Life is an AsiaOne original series where gaming professionals and aspirants in Singapore share the highs, lows, successes, and failures through personal stories on how gaming has defined the course of their lives.
It started out as a simple hobby to pass time, but he's hoping to turn it into a full-time career.
Robert "Oh Deer Bambi" Boon shared in an interview with AsiaOne for our new series, My Gamer Life, that he's on a journey to forge a career in the gaming industry, even if it's not as a competitive player.
"The decision I made back then (during my studies) was really to focus on esports, which is why I've pivoted more towards the esports space right now — and that's why I am also looking for a job here," Robert, 27, said.
Robert kicked off his esports career in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang after National Service, eventually participating in his first competition in 2018 — the second season of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) — with a team of online friends.
His team was the runner-up that year, but they later took home first place — and a $32,000 prize — in the tournament's fourth season in 2019.
Looking back on his varied victories, Robert, who has a degree in pharmaceutical science, shared that his biggest achievement was playing in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
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"I never really imagined esports being a game in the SEA Games. Having it up there for the first time and being able to represent Singapore... that was quite a bit of an achievement," he added.
Although he has his eye on esports, he's also balanced out his passions with realism.
Objectively regarding the growth of esports, Robert said that he's hoping to remain a part of the esports industry in the future, even if he's not a professional player.
He's looking to find work with gaming-related companies adjacent to esports — although he might not have the hard skills for doing so just yet, that's not stopping Robert from trying.
"What I've been doing currently is really just going for different courses online and trying to improve myself, so that I can stay competitive in the job search."
Adding that his skills have "dropped quite a bit" compared to the past, he advised: "In Singapore, it's definitely smarter to have a proper career... I mean, you have to look out for the future as well."
Watch our video for the full interview with Robert.
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