From Van Driver to Esports Champion

Smart awards Gamelab Team as Street League Tournament champ.

Esports champions are made, not born: they train and challenge themselves with consistency and dedication, stay up to date on the latest gaming strategies, and give importance to unity and teamwork to achieve their goal. 

This is what 26-year-old former van driver Mark Ferry “Dokmen” Nazar, along with his Gamelab Team, have proven when they emerged as the winners of Smart’s Street League Tournament for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) last December, taking home the P50,000 cash prize.

Gamechanging game

Dokmen had been a regular van driver for years before he took a chance to pursue his love and passion for gaming. He may not be the typical brawny, but he has the drive and commitment to succeed in every game that he plays.

“Throughout my gaming journey, I have tried my hand at a variety of different games, but ultimately I found that Mobile Legends is the one for me,” said Dokmen, who then spent years learning the game and training to be the best MLBB player in the country.

Matter of fact, he is one of the firsts who played the game, which gave him a huge advantage of honing his skills and mastering the game. He also had the opportunity to compete for two seasons in the biggest league in the country, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League Philippines, where he was exposed to the best of the best in ML gaming.

Not a walk in the park

It was not a walk in the park for Dokmen and his teammates at the beginning of their gaming journey. Although they have always been a formidable team even when they were just starting, they found it consistently difficult to close out games and secure victory.

“After losing a game, we review it to identify where we went wrong and know what adjustments we should make for the next game.  We are committed to learn and win as a team. This approach has helped me and my team to bounce back from defeats and come back stronger,” said Dokmen.

With the help of their coaches and management, Dokmen and his team were able to turn things around. With constant training, Gamelab has now evolved into one of the best amateur teams in the country, clinching the top plum at Smart’s Street League Tournament which gathered hundreds of teams from all over the country during its six-month run.

“Initially, we just wanted to see how far our skills could take us, but we were pleasantly surprised that we dominated the tournament week after week. We are thankful to Smart for giving amateur teams and players this platform where we can experience competitive gaming,” Dokmen said.

“We are so proud to witness the journey and growth of Dokmen as an Mobile Legends Player. He and his Gamelab Team have proven that through dedication and hard work, nothing is impossible, and you can be the best,” said Melvin C. Nubla, FVP and Group Head of Smart Go-To Market and Subscriber Management.

“Dokmen’s story is what Smart GIGA Arena is all about, empowering mobile gamers by allowing them and giving them opportunities to compete regularly in leagues and tournaments. So, expect better, bigger, and bolder Smart GIGA Arena events this 2023.” 

Smart GIGA Arena for every mobile gamer

The Street League tournament held on Smart GIGA Arena at gigaarena.smart is in line with Smart’s long-standing support for Philippine esports to cultivate the passion, skill, and talent of Filipino gamers.

Smart GIGA Arena is the country’s first all-in-one esports platform for Filipino mobile gamers. The platform is open to all Smart and TNT customers and lets users match up with fellow players to compete in daily, weekly, and monthly tournaments for prestige and cash prizes.  Aside from live tournaments, Smart GIGA Arena also comes with features that allow mobile gamers to set up tournaments, stream live competitions, play arcade games, purchase e-load, and conveniently link their e-wallet to secure their tournament winnings via GigaPay with Maya, among others.

Aside from organizing the country’s biggest esports events and backing Filipino esports athletes, Smart also supports gamers with relevant data offers and services, such as the enhanced GIGA Games, a data-packed offer that enables Filipinos to play their favorite games, such as Mobile Legends. Subscribers can register to GIGA Games by logging into the GigaLife App, or by dialing *123#.

Advocate for Safer Online Spaces

Alongside its support for esports, Smart is an advocate for safer online spaces especially within the Philippine gaming community.

As part of this advocacy and in time for the global celebration of Safer Internet Day this February, Smart and its parent company PLDT are launching a program consisting of a series of conversations on internet safety among gaming industry experts and advocates through Better Today PH.

Philippines’ fastest and best mobile network

Gamers can enjoy leveled-up gaming experiences powered by Smart, which is recognized as the Philippines’ Best Mobile Network by Ookla, the global leader in mobile and broadband intelligence.

Smart received this accolade after dominating two crucial Ookla Speedtest Awards categories, the “Fastest Mobile Network” and “Best Mobile Coverage”, from Q1-Q2 2022.

To continue enjoying the best gaming experiences powered by Smart, subscribers are encouraged to register their Smart and TNT SIM at http://www.smart.com.ph/simreg.

Know more about how Smart enables subscribers to level up their gameplay by visiting https://smart.com.ph/Prepaid/whats-new/gigagames