VPBank Presents T1 in Vietnam: The Promise Fulfilled took place over two days on December 20 and 21 in Hanoi, not just as an Esports event but resembling one of the largest “off-fan” festivals in Vietnam for LoL fans, T1 fans, and fans of Vietnamese All-Star players… Therefore, alongside the moments that made fans ecstatic when they met the legendary esports team T1 in full for the first time, the event also became the center of debate regarding the program’s script, organization, and the sense of regret for the All-Star Vietnamese players. In response to mixed feedback, VPBank has taken responsibility and clarified some misinformation circulating online.
The Most “Grand” eSports Event in Vietnam
First of all, it cannot be denied that VPBank Presents T1 in Vietnam: The Promise Fulfilled has created a sensation among gamers as this bank brought the entire T1 team to Vietnam for a fan meeting for the first time. For fans, T1 is not merely a team; T1 is a cultural icon of League of Legends (LoL), where the images of players, their stories of victory, and the team’s identity are followed by millions of Vietnamese gamers every day. Moreover, the presence of the entire T1 roster in Vietnam also serves as an implicit affirmation that Vietnam is capable of becoming a global eSports destination.
Second, the program was festivalized. Instead of just setting up a stage for T1 to interact with fans, the organizers turned the event into an eSports festival for the community with many activities such as showmatches, cosplay, trophy exhibit, interactive experience zones, and fan spaces… The series of events was also held over two consecutive days, creating a fresh, complete, and grand emotional journey for the community. This aligns with the characteristics of eSports fandom: they do not come just to watch a match; they come to immerse themselves in the experience—meeting their idols, connecting with like-minded fans, creating memories, and generating personal content.
Third, the program showcases the potential of eSports culture in Vietnam. When an event can attract a large audience, generate significant discussion, and capture the interest of various public groups (hardcore fans, casual viewers…), eSports has emerged from the “niche” category to become a mainstream entertainment product. However, due to its “niche” nature, this market requires more specific approaches regarding the expectations and desires of eSports audiences, as well as particular organizational standards.
Finally, symbolically, the idea of a historic showmatch between an All-Star Vietnam team and the six-time world champion T1 is a very significant choice. The organizing committee selected the All-Star Vietnam roster from top names across several generations in the LoL community such as Teacher Ba, Archie, Levi, SofM, and Kiaya, placing them alongside world champions, sending a proud message about Vietnamese eSports.
Controversies Erupting After the Event
However, while the event was explosive, it also led to many debates, the largest topic being that many audiences felt the All-Star Vietnam team was not given their deserved position in an event held in their homeland, with one key point being that the organizers did not arrange for the players to interact or shake hands with T1 on stage.
Furthermore, another eSports event is different from concerts in that it has a competitive element. While concerts typically involve direct interaction between the “star” and the audience, eSports involves interaction between two competing teams and the audience enjoying that interaction. Therefore, in organizing eSports events, teams are always the center with their unique “cultures”; if the organizers lack experience, breaking the “rules” can easily provoke audience reactions. And this indeed happened.
Complaints and outcries also revolved around other issues such as misnaming player Peyz when introducing him on stage; food and drink from the stalls not meeting demand; and the cameras receiving criticism for being inappropriate for an eSports event, often focusing too much on the audience while what they needed were moments and activities from the players…
Social media quickly became a “hotbed” for fans to vent their anger. There were valid, constructive opinions, but also extreme interpretations from the outraged crowd, causing debates to stray far from the original essence.
Additionally, it is important to consider the characteristics of the gaming community in general and LoL fans in particular, who exhibit high emotional intensity and a very direct feedback style. This characteristic leads to post-event feedback being easily “amplified” in both speed and intensity, sometimes shocking outsiders.
VPBank Officially Responds
In light of the mixed feedback, the organizing committee has taken responsibility for the lack of professionalism and sensitivity in some arrangements and the operation of a two-day eSports festival with diverse activities, acknowledging their limitations in experience when organizing a large-scale and complex eSports event for the first time.
“This is our first time venturing into the eSports field with a very large task of bringing the most legendary team in the world, T1, to Vietnam for an event attended by nearly 20,000 people over two days, especially on the second day with the team performing and interacting continuously for 7 hours on stage, hence there were inevitable shortcomings in the organization. We sincerely apologize to the All-Star Vietnam players, the Tứ Hùng team, and the audience for the less-than-satisfactory experiences. The organizing committee absolutely respects the players and highly values the opportunity to accompany everyone, from players to casters, hosts, and the audience in this event.”…. shared the VPBank representative.
The organizing committee also stated that they have listened to and noted all feedback from the community, especially the constructive opinions from the T1 fan community, and will quickly address these within their capabilities. “We always listen and actively adapt and adjust within our means to provide better experiences.”
Simultaneously, the organizing committee officially addressed some inaccurately spread information. They affirmed that there was no failure to pay the participating players in the showmatch as some posts claimed, treated all fandoms fairly, and had absolutely no intention to profit from event-related items. According to the organizing committee, this information stemmed from misunderstandings, extreme interpretations, edits, or out-of-context communications.
Looking at the bigger picture, VPBank Presents T1 in Vietnam: The Promise Fulfilled is not only a memorable milestone but also a significant test for a brand organizing a large-scale eSports event in Vietnam for the first time. In a context where eSports operates under completely different characteristics compared to traditional entertainment events, the “breakdowns” at certain audience experience touchpoints can occur.
Opening up a new market inevitably comes with risks, controversies, and requires a lot of effort to improve. If the experiences from this event are taken seriously along with a humble, dedicated attitude and appropriate investment from major brands, Vietnamese eSports can definitely enter a new stage of development—a place with more and higher quality events and build sustainable trust from the community.