AGES 2016 winners rachet up the heat on organisers to pay up

• Winners of AGES 2016 are still not paid after 10 months
• eSM calls on second meeting between all parties to resolve matters
• 

THE on-going debacle surrounding eSports competition AGES 2016, that has damaged Malaysia’s reputation as an international eSports hot spot, has flared again as disgruntled prize winner Amirul “Am Tuah” Afandi voiced his dissatisfaction over Facebook on Thursday, calling on competition organiser Platinum Eden’s founder and director Muhammad Taqiudin Halim Saad to pay up. Taqiudin is the son of a once prominent Malaysian businessman Halim Saad.

Subsequently, Amirul has lodged a police report as well.

DNA reached out to an eSports event organizer and to a senior executive in government promoting the gaming ecosystem for their reaction to the ongoing debacle but both declined to comment.

The AGES 2016 competition, held last year in May, was dubbed as the first major Southeast Asian games tournament for FIFA 16, Dota 2 and CS: GO with a massive RM1 million (US$226,014) prize pool.

However, 10 months after the end of the competition, the prize money has not been released to the winners.

Amirul, who was the champion of the FIFA 16 category in AGES 2016, was to take home a total of RM34,000 in prize money.

In his Facebook post, Amirul stated that the situation still remains hazy as Platinum Eden has all but disappeared after repeated calls by prize winners to pay their dues.

He added in his post that the wages of those working throughout the competition including the marshalls, casters and other members are still not paid.

As of this report, the Facebook post has been shared a total of 560 times.

A meeting to address the issue of the prize money disbursement was held in late Dec last year between players and the organisers Platinum Eden and Friends Worldwide. Governing body for electronic sports in Malaysia eSports Malaysia (eSM) facilitated the meeting.

However, little headway was made as players were advised by Platinum Eden’s lawyer to issue a letter of demand to Taqiudin, asking that he respond within five days from the date of the letter. However, Taqiudin did not respond favourably to the demands of the winners.

eSM in a statement said it would be calling on another meeting with all parties and hopes that Platinum Eden will respond positively to its invitation by March 24.

“We agree that it is time to resolve this matter once and for all and hope that Platinum Eden will respond favourable to our invitation,” said eSM secretary general Rinie Ramli when contacted by DNA.

A quick check on AGES 2016’s official webpage shows that the site has since been taken down.

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