“As a kid I was so poor I shared a bed with 7 siblings – now I'm worth $300,000 thanks to esports”
RIYADH: When it comes to rags to riches stories, that of Rowgien “Owgwen” Unigo is hard to beat. As a child, he shared a bed – not just a room – with his seven siblings. Now a 23-year-old professional esports player, he has career earnings of $300,000.
“I grew up in a very poor family,” says matter-of-factly Owgwen, from Quezon City, Philippines, and the world champion Falcons of Saudi Arabia in “Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.”
“We are seven siblings and we were just staying at our grandparents' house. All seven of us shared one large bed. I am the oldest. Sometimes my other siblings woke up in the night because the bed wasn't big enough for all of us. It meant we were sleep deprived.”
The family also struggled to make ends meet. His mother, who ironically worked in a restaurant, and unemployed father divorced when he was young.
“We were so poor that we only had broth and rice to eat—broth and rice every day, every week,” says Owgwen. “The broth was free from a neighbor. The rice was from our grandmother, in whose house we all lived. It wasn't enough with seven siblings. It was really hard.”
Despite all this, he developed a passion and talent for gaming, playing whenever and wherever with friends and people he met who saw his skills.
Owgwen, whose incredible gaming moves are adored by millions of fans around the world, remembers very vividly the first time he won the amateur tournament “Mobile Legends: Bang Bang” in the Philippines.
“I was like, 'here's the money,'” he recalls. “I won – I won money for winning these tournaments and that helped me a lot when it came to providing for my family. As the eldest son, it helped my family survive everyday life.”
His dream was to become a professional esports player. The hurdle, as a 19-year-old who had yet to apply, was getting time off from his job as a call center agent to compete as much as possible and get noticed.
“Fortunately, Coach Ducky scouted me,” Owgwen says of Francis “Ducky” Glindro, a Filipino who coaches the Falcons. “He got me a place in esports and the rest is my journey.
Owgwen adds: “I support three siblings. They are only children — aged 14, 12 and 11 — and still going to school. I help my family provide what they need. And of course also the accounts I help with.
“It means a lot to me to be able to do this. Life is hard when you have nothing and you have to survive in your life. It helps my family and I experience a normal life.
“I made about $300,000. It was a life changer for me and my family. I feel really good about giving my family whatever lifestyle they want.
“What motivates me the most is that I came from poverty. It really drives me to compete and play competitively against my opponents.”
Besides supporting his family, he also recently started his first business — an Internet cafe and gaming center in Binangonan, about 30 km from Manila, the capital of the Philippines. His father helps him run the game center.
“Business is booming,” smiles Owgwen.
Growing up, Owgwen couldn't even dream of the places his gaming exploits would take him around the world. He traveled by plane for the first time two years ago when he was 21 years old, since then he has been to Cambodia, Indonesia, Romania, Japan and Saudi Arabia.
The latest venture is the Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia, the largest gaming festival in the world, which runs for eight weeks from July 3 to August 25 on Boulevard Riyadh City.
The elite competition is where the best players and clubs on the planet battle it out for the Esports World Cup. The tournament has a $60 million prize pool, the largest in esports history, and truly life-changing money.
With Owgwen in great form, Team Falcons qualified for the “Mobile Legends: Bang Bang” finals earlier this month at the Esports World Cup. However, in an incredible performance for the ages, they were beaten 4-3 by Malaysia's Selangor Red Giants in front of a raucous crowd at a packed Saudi Esports Federation Arena.
As disappointed as Owgwen was, overcoming setbacks is something the Filipino knows very well. He also sees the big picture and has been carried away by the passion for gaming and esports in the Kingdom.
“It's so big here,” says Owgwen. “Saudi Arabia supports esports. It really helps us shine as athletes who might not otherwise have the opportunity. It really means a lot to me. I think it's a pleasure to serve Team Falcons here.
“They trusted us with their name. We made it to the grand final but unfortunately we didn't win the championship. But it was still a great experience for us on our trip here to Saudi Arabia.”
When asked if he wants to become a millionaire through esports, Owgwen says, “I'm not focused on money. I'm much more focused on winning esports games and helping my teammates be better in our 'ML:BB' journey.”
And his message to those who were once just like him, who were supposed to live only with their dreams and love of family?
“Don't stop,” he says. “Don't stop chasing your passion.” If you really love your passion, you won't regret it, and you can go that far.”
