Stranded and confined in a military camp fulfilling his national service, Andrew “Potato” Lim found his esports calling, despite a lack of gaming devices in sight.
This led to the unexpected encounter with the world of mobile gaming and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang(MLBB), the origin story of the legendary player that we all love and support today.
“After I found out about the game, I practically spent all my free time MLBB, probably 6-8 hours a day,” added the 26-year-old.
Fast forward a few years, the captain of Evos SG now stands as one of the most experienced and deadly players in the land of dawn. Slaying enemies, farming jungle creeps and simply wreaking havoc for his competitors, he has proven himself as a threat to teams everywhere. Recently, he was even awarded MVP in the regular season of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) SG.
However, the humble player attributes most of his victories and success not to his talents but the support of his teammates.
“I believe it’s the team’s effort overall, being crowned as the MVP does not mean that I solo carried the team,” shared Potato. “It is with the team’s effort and help, that I am able to clinch the MVPs.”
Not all smooth sailing
Pursuing his love for the game has been a long and tumultuous journey. Worries about finances and criticism from the community often weigh heavy on the esports player’s mind. But his passion for the game continues to push him forward.
“I try to ignore what others say, knowing that I tried my best,” added Potato. “Many would die just for the chance to play in MPL or international tournaments.”
Struggling to survive on his lacking esports earnings, Potato’s is supplementing his income by streaming his games on Facebook. So far, so good. Potato has already amassed an average of 50,000 views on his live streams and a whopping 151,200 viewers on his most popular live stream.
Onwards and upwards
Participating in the ongoing Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Southeast Asia Cup (MSC) 2021, the veteran is unfazed about going up against crowd favourites Evos Legends and Blacklist International. For him, it’s just another game to win.
“We still train like how we used to,” he shared. “I don’t have much of an expectation, we are just trying our best and putting on our best performance.”
Regardless of his team’s performance in the MSC, Potato believes that more can be done to improve the MLBB scene in Singapore. For one, having a proper stream of income or even a dedicated training area or gaming “office”. These would go a long way to legitimising the gaming scene.
Not that he minds. Potato is just happy and content doing what he enjoys best: killing his enemies.
“Enjoy your time as an esports player, you will never regret it!”