eSports: A Career That Makes Millions

• By CompareHero.my
• November 14, 2019

How many of you know what a Micro Genius is?

If you do, you had an awesome childhood! Remember games like Super Mario, Donkey Kong, and (my absolute favorite) Contra? And if you were the younger sibling, chances are you were either Luigi in Super Mario or the dude with the blonde flat top hair for Contra. Does bring back some sweet memories, right?

Video games used to be something that we play during breaks or on weekends. Most of the time my video games would be kept under lock by my parents, and too much of it would end up in some serious grounding. I’m sure plenty can relate! 

Over the years we’ve witnessed the evolution of video games by welcoming Game Boy Advance consoles and PlayStations into our homes. Then as we stepped into the digital era, games too, made its way to the online scene. That’s when we learnt about games like Counter-Strike and Dota, where you get to compete with friends or even strangers. 

This borderless possibility have changed the way consumers engage with games. It is no longer used as a tool to pass time, but has become a huge part in the lives of many. Today, this mere ‘hobby’, also best known as eSports, has grown in ways unimaginable. If you are serious about gaming, it’s possible to make a living out of it. In fact, you could even be a millionaire. 

Unbelievable as it sounds, this article will take you on a journey to see how eSports can rake in the big bucks and how it is possible to turn it into a career. 

(Image Source: augray.com)

Contents

• Welcome to the world of eSports
• Final thoughts?

Welcome to the world of eSports

eSports is huge in today’s world, especially in countries like South Korea, China and the United States. Don’t take our word for it, take a look at the statistics and figures compiled by MoneyPod on a global scale. 

… and if you are still not convinced, take a look at what went down during the League of Legends 2019 World Championships late last month. 

In case you didn’t know, League of Legends (or better known as LoL) is one of the world’s biggest eSports. This multiplayer online battle arena game draws in as many viewers as the Super Bowl and has just given away a $2.5 million in prize money as well as a 70-pound trophy with a case designed by giant fashion house Louis Vuitton! 😱

But where does Malaysia stand? Are we a nation that recognizes eSports? What is the government’s take on this? Or are our parents even receptive to the idea? Try telling them that you’re about to quit your job to become a full time gamer, and see what their reaction is like! 😂

Since we were curious to know what Malaysians think about this, we carried out quick dipstick surveys in the past two weeks to see what Malaysians think about eSports. Based on the results, it’s clear that Malaysians are on the fence. 

Based on that, we probed further. We wanted to know if Malaysians think eSports should be contested as a medal sport in the Olympics. This is in light of the recent announcement where eSports will be a part of the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games as sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee. 

These were the results. 🤔 

While gaming has always been popular, the rise of eSports and its potential beyond just our bedrooms comes as something new to many of us. 

To better understand the potential and the challenges of eSports in Malaysia, we spoke to one of the country’s popular online gamer, Tan Li Shan or better know by her In-Game-Name (IGN) as @Sugar.T. 

This Platinum-ranked League of Legends gamer girl is also the author of “How Big is eSports?”. 

In an exclusive interview with CompareHero, she shared some valuable insights into the local gaming arena and made it easy for a non-gamer like me to fathom its mechanics. 

So if you’re a noob like me, here’s her very interesting perspective. 

Vino: How big is the potential of eSports in Malaysia?

Li Shan: Think of it this way. Imagine how big football is. It is probably the biggest sport in the world. Think of the World Cup, or Copa America or even the Barclays Premier League and your La Liga. Now replace the word football with eSports. That’s how huge it is. Now, look at how we are faring locally in the global football arena and that is exactly how the Malaysian eSports situation is as well. Truth be told, we have amazing players which I believe would succeed on a global level but unfortunately, the challenges that we have ahead of us curb our potentials.

The moment she tied it in with football, it instantly made sense to me. 

So, we’ve decided to put the well-known game of football side by side with eSports to better illustrate her point. We compared the English Premier League with League of Legends. 

Vino: What are some of the challenges that you mentioned?

Li Shan: Again, let me use football as an example. We have programmed in our minds that the Malaysian football team can never match that with the likes of Brazil, England, and Argentina. Why is that? Don’t we have good footballers? I’m sure we do. But why can’t a Malaysian footballer play for Manchester United? Herein lies the issue of talent scouting. Likewise with eSports. Throughout my years in gaming, I have played with amazing players but due to the lack of or no talent scouting at all, we will forever just play in our own cocoon. Talent scouting remains the biggest obstacle in the local gaming arena.

Vino: What do you think of the Government’s allocation of RM10million in the recent Budget for the local digital economy to MDEC, which part of it will be utilized for eSports?

Li Shan:  In my opinion, RM10 million isn’t enough. This is because if we look at some of the other countries that are leading this industry, for example, they have an advanced infrastructure to accommodate eSports. This requires more support from the Government. We need talent scouts so that good players in Malaysia can join good teams on a global scale. We must have the platform to at least connect to Garena, a digital services company that engages in gaming and eSports based in Singapore. This will enable Malaysia to then be more exposed, thus making it easier for our local talent to be scouted. On the note about the budget allocation, I believe that this allocation is for the development of the digital content scene which also includes animation and digital arts; not purely for game development and eSports.

Vino: Can you make money by playing games?

Li Shan: Basically there are two ways in how you can earn in eSports. The first is streaming and the second is if you become a professional gamer and if you are good enough, you could get signed up by a team. But let me also share with you that in order for you to stream to make money, you first need to spend money first. A proper streaming set would cost up to RM10,000 paired with the local industry that is not fully recognized. In my opinion, until and unless we beef up our eSports industry to match that of the more advanced countries, I don’t think eSports is the right career choice for Malaysians.

Final thoughts?

While I remain hopeful about the progress of e-Sports in Malaysia, there is still little to show for in terms of developing a complete ecosystem for the cause. As e-Sports is close to the hearts of many youths in the country, I strongly feel that more emphasis be it financial or other means or support is much needed to boost the industry.

While we are still in the infant stage of eSports, things might change in the near future at the backdrop of a robust industry that we are optimistic will soon make its wave into the local arena.

The Best Islamic Personal Loans in Malaysia

• By CompareHero.my
• November 7, 2019

*Updated: Nov 7, 2019

Are you in need of financial assistance, but want it to be Shariah compliant? Or are you looking for more financing options? Why not consider Islamic personal loans? Lets see what exactly is an Islamic loan?

An Islamic personal loan is one that follows the Islamic banking principles. An Islamic personal loan, also known as an Islamic personal financing, is issued by Islamic banks in Malaysia. The financing tool uses the concept of Bai’ Al-‘Inah, making it Shariah compliant. Being Shariah compliant means the loan does not have fixed or floating interest rates or fees (also known as RIBA, or usury) for the loan of money. This is prohibited according to the Islamic banking principles. We’ve done the work for you and sorted out the best Islamic personal loans in Malaysia below. (more…)

Commuting Affordably In Kuala Lumpur On Rainy Days

• By CompareHero.my

Remember the good ol’ saying “Save up for a rainy day”? 

We hear that advice so often but nobody ever told us not to spend all our ‘rainy day’ savings on rainy days. 

Among the many ways the monsoon season affects us, one of the more prominent areas include commuting around. There’s a tendency to spend more on transportation to avoid getting caught in the rain. What more when the rain hits us towards the evening during the rush hour? Those living in Kuala Lumpur will be able to relate since the annual monsoon has been hitting us pretty bad since October.  

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Commuting around town doesn’t have to be expensive if you practice the following budget hacks for traveling around the Klang Valley. 

The revolutionary introduction of e-hailing platforms have undoubtedly changed how we commute around today. Back then, it was more reliable to own a car, but today that isn’t necessarily the case. Think about the amount of time and money you can save from not having to hunt and pay for a parking slot. You also get to finally sit back and relax during traffic congestion. 

But in recent months, the popular e-hailing giant Grab have been the talk of the town in not the most positive note.  

GrabRewards Points

On October 1, 2019, Grab implemented a huge change in their popular rewards scheme that garnered a lot of mixed reviews. GrabRewards points no longer have an expiry date as long as the user continues to use Grab services. However, they have increased the threshold for its rewards points as you are required to spend more to earn points.

Government Requirements 

Back in July, the Ministry of transport announced that new e-hailing regulations would come into full effect on October 12, 2019. Under this new regulation, all e-hailing drivers are required to obtain two new licenses to continue operating.  This is the public service vehicle (PSV) license and the e-hailing vehicle permit (eVP). 

However, due to the lengthy process, only 4 out of 10 drivers have obtained it as of October 9, 2019 as reported by Grab. 

This lack of drivers on the road has caused longer wait times and increase in prices, resulting in numerous complaints. 

But while there are 42 e-hailing companies in Malaysia to choose from, there are also plenty of other ways to save cost when commuting around Klang Valley — especially during the rainy season. 

A recent survey conducted by The Centre for Governance and Political Studies (Cent-GPS) found that 87% of Malaysians residing in Klang Valley drive alone to work, which makes the rate the highest in the world for the single commuters category. 

But just imagine the luxury of commuting home in your own space after a long day at work. It’s a luxury that most of us would prefer, but comes at a higher cost. However, we have compiled a list of ways you can save money if you still prefer driving. 

Download and use the Touch N’ Go eWallet app

Although the government has announced that there would be an 18% discount off tolls beginning next year as part of a Belanjawan 2020 initiative, tolls can take up quite a bit in our monthly budget. Thankfully, the Touch N’ Go eWallet has plenty of cost-saving benefits we can adopt.  

• Earn unlimited free toll rebates when you invite friends to use the app. 
• You no longer need to pay for reload fees if you top up via the app. 
• The app allows you to check the balance in your card. No more traffic-causing low-balance surprises at toll plazas!

 On top of that, this is the best time to start learning how to use the app now that PLUS Malaysia Berhad have decided to abolish most Tambah Nilai lanes across highways nationwide effective November 5, 2019. 

Save more with petrol cash backs and points

Kuala Lumpur is well-known for its nerve-racking traffic congestion. And did you know that most of our fuel is consumed in traffic? So, what does that tell you about where most of our money allocated for transport goes to? 

But there are ways to earn cash backs or points on petrol if you use the right credit card. Browse through the list of best credit cards for petrol savings which we’ve prepared. The HSBC Amanah MPower Platinum Visa Credit Card-i offers up to 8% cash back for petrol that is capped at a maximum of RM50 whereas the Petronas Maybank Visa offers up to 8X TreatPoints on weekends. Compare between cards and select the best for your needs. 

Also, check out our weekly-fuel price updates. Monitor the fluctuating prices and fill your tank accordingly. 

Carpooling 

I personally have not seen anyone that I know of carpool, although I have to admit that I am guilty of doing it myself. Sometimes after a long day at work, we just need our own personal space to recharge our social battery. 

True enough, the Cent-GPS survey revealed that some of the reasons why the 87% preferred driving alone were due to comfort and alone time which gives them the freedom to listen to their choice of music or podcasts without feeling the need to entertain other passengers in the car. 

But here are some of the benefits of carpooling if you’re strapped on cash but still prefer driving as your main mode of transport. 

• You get to save money when you share the cost of driving with other drivers. 
• You get to sit back and relax during traffic if you’re carpooling someone else’s car. 
• You get to help save the environment because carpooling creates cleaner air and safer communities. 
• You get to prolong the life of your vehicle because shared driving puts fewer miles on your own car. 
• You get to help reduce the number of cars on the road and ease traffic congestions.  

More often than not when people mention public transportation, we groan at the thought of having to squeeze in a crowded train or bus after work.

But think about the amount of money you get to save on petrol, tolls and car maintenance. Or even time spent going through hours of traffic. While I may be bias, I believe public transportation is a convenient and pocket-friendly alternative to get around town if you’re on a budget. 

Paired with the MY100 or MY50 passes, you get to enjoy unlimited travel passes for 30 days on Rapid KL rail and bus network. Just by traveling with public transport, I get to save up to 2 hours commuting back home from work. That’s a whopping 44 hours saved a month (if we’re calculating based on 22 days of work per month). 

5 Lowest Interest Rate Personal Loans in Malaysia

• By CompareHero.my
• November 4, 2019

Updated 4th November 2019

During times when you need some extra cash you would want to get it at the best possible rate. Look no further, because we’ve done the work for you. Here is a list of personal loans with the lowest interest rates for you to consider.

If you are interested in any of these personal loans, do check out our personal loans comparison page.

You can contact our Customer Heroes too if you have any questions regarding the personal loans mentioned above (Facebook Messenger):
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5 Best Credit Cards For Travel Insurance

• By CompareHero.my
• November 3, 2019

(Updated November 3rd, 2019)

Traveling is one of life’s events that bring joyful memories and unique experiences to all of us. But that does not mean it is a risk-free activity. Today, with the recent unfortunate events around the globe, Malaysians are more aware of the importance of travel insurance whenever they travel. What if you could get travel insurance for free? Wouldn’t that be awesome?

Why Is Travel Insurance Important?

By taking out travel insurance you are essentially covering yourself against travel risks such as lost or stolen luggage, cancellation cover (should you not be able to travel due to unexpected medical reasons) and most importantly, unexpected medical costs abroad.

Travel insurance comes in handy when you face these issues while traveling:

• Personal accident
• Loss of baggage, documents, and expensive personal items
• Medical expenses (overseas)
• Travel delay
• Travel overbooked
• Missed flights

Different insurance companies may offer more coverage and benefits, but it really depends on what you are looking for. The cost of travel insurance also varies based on the location and length of your trip too. For example, travel insurance for an individual to Australia for 14 days can cost between RM30 to RM80, subjective to coverage and provider.

However, you can get travel insurance with up to RM 2 million coverage for free if you have the right credit card and purchase your flight tickets with the same card.

Here are the 5 best air miles credit cards that offer free travel insurance and a whole lot more:

Ambank Visa Signature

Up to RM1 million insurance coverage.

Eligibility:

• Minimum Income: RM80,000 per annum
• Minimum Age: 21 years old
• Annual Fee: Free for life

You may not think of travel insurance when you think of AmBank, but this will change your mind. With the AmBank Visa Signature credit card, you can enjoy up to RM1 mil insurance coverage including death and total and permanent disability pay-out when you buy your flight tickets to the same card.

• Further compensation benefits are as below:
• Lost Luggage (more than 6 hours) – up to RM1,600
• Delayed Luggage (more than 6 hours) – up to RM800
• Flight Delay (more than 6 hours) – up to RM800
• Missed Connection (more than 4 hours) – up to RM800

AmBank Visa Signature is also a great Air Miles credit card where you can convert AmBonus Points to Air Miles with 3 world class Frequent Flyer / Travel Reward Programs such as Enrich, Asia Miles, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer and AirAsia BIG and redeem free flights for your next getaway with over 50 airline partners.

Added Premium benefits converts your AmBonus Points to redeem discounts up to 50% with the Hilton Premium Club Membership Card. Open up a world of 5-star luxury dining and lounge experience.

Alliance Bank Visa Infinite Card

Travel insurance by MSIG Insurance (Malaysia)

Eligibility:

• Minimum Income: RM150,000 per annum
• Minimum Age: 21 years old
• Annual Fee: Free for life

Is it best to have a credit card with strong banking or good insurance benefits? Why not have both? Enter the Alliance Bank Visa Infinite card – a card that does more for your finances and travel insurance. Aside from the 5x Timeless Bonus Points for overseas retail spend and 2x Timeless Bonus Points for local retail spend, you also enjoy these features:

• Complimentary Supplementary Card
• Lifetime Annual Fee Waiver
• Free Flights with Enrich Miles and AirAsia BIG Points redemption
• Access to KLIA Plaza Premium Lounge

Don’t forget the travel insurance. Complimentary travel insurance coverage is issued by MSIG Insurance (Malaysia) Bhd with Alliance Bank Malaysia Berhad. Benefits are as follows:

• Lost Luggage – up to RM5,000
• Delayed Luggage – up to RM2,000
• Missed Connection – up to RM2,000
• Medical Expenses Coverage – up to RM50,000
• Death or Total Permanent Disablement – up to RM2,000,000

Citibank Citi Rewards Card

Insurance coverage  by CHUBB insurance.

Eligibility:

• Minimum Income:
  • RM60,000 per annum (Visa Signature)
  • RM90,000 (World Mastercard)
• Minimum Age : 21 years old
• Annual Fee: RM600 for Principal card

One of the biggest players in the credit card line-up is Citibank. A global leader, the Citi Rewards Card allows for 5x Rewards Points on everyday spend plus an additional 5x Rewards Points on overseas spend. Premium lounge, 24/7 worldwide concierge and VIP privileges at luxury hotels are all part of the perks of this exclusive card. Insurance coverage is provided by CHUBB insurance. Benefits are as below:

• Accidental Death or Total Permanent Disablement – up to RM50,000
• 30 Days protection up to maximum RM10,000 per item or RM25,000 per occurrence for personal items. This includes accidental loss, damage and theft.

Although the insurance coverage may not seem as great as other cards, you get a world of benefits such as converting your outstanding balance into monthly instalments, converting retail transactions into monthly instalments and cash from credit card online.

Exclusive Promo for Citibank – Click here!

CIMB World Credit Card

Up to RM1 million insurance coverage.

Eligibility:

• Minimum Income: RM90,000 per annum
• Minimum Age: 21 years old
• Annual Fee: Free for life

It’s always best to support our local banks. Thankfully, CIMB offers good remunerations with its CIMB World Credit Card. You’ll be able to enjoy exclusive regional golf privileges along with accumulated bonus points whenever you spend and World Mastercard Concierge Services. You also get airport premium ride deals, regional dining privileges and food and beverage privileges. Insurance coverage is the icing on the cake.

• Lost Luggage – up to RM12,000
• Delayed Luggage – RM1,000 or up to RM2,000 per family
• Flight Delay – RM1,000 or up to RM2,000 per family
• Missed Connection – RM1,000 or up to RM2,000 per family
• Accidental death or total permanent disability – up to RM1,000,000 lump sum.

Maybank 2 Platinum Card

Up to RM1 million insurance coverage.

Eligibility:

• Minimum Income: RM60,000. per annum
• Minimum Age: 21 years old
• Annual Fee: Free for life

The list wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t add Malaysia’s favourite bank – Maybank. If you are a Maybank 2 Platinum Card holder, you get to enjoy complimentary insurance coverage up to RM1 mil involving death and total and permanent disability. This applies when you use this card to purchase your flight tickets in full.

You are also entitled to coverage on these travel inconveniences:

• Lost Luggage (more than 48 hours) – up to RM2,500
• Delayed Luggage (more than 6 hours) – up to RM800
• Flight Delay (more than 6 hours) – up to RM800
• Missed Connection (more than 4 hours) – up to RM800

On top of this feature, you can earn 5 x TreatsPoints with your American Express card by spending in Malaysia or overseas and get extra 5% cashback during the weekend.

Exclusive Promo for Maybank – Click here!

If you have any of these credit cards, you don’t need to spend any more on travel insurance. Keep in mind that the free insurance is typically only for the primary cardholder, even if you buy tickets for multiple passnegers.

Now that you know travel insurance can be free, do not forget to share this article with your friends and family so they can enjoy the same perks too!
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