Grills Gaming’s Tiffani Lim on charting her path to victory in the esports arena and beyond

Aug 15, 2024

Tiffani Lim, as the chairperson of the Athletes Committee at the International Esports Federation (IESF), is actively working to promote esports and advocate for athletes within the global esports community (Photo: Fady Younis)

Cover As the chairperson of the Athletes Committee at the International Esports Federation (IESF), Tiffani Lim is actively working to promote esports and advocate for athletes within the global community (Photo: Fady Younis)

As the chairperson of the Athletes Committee at the International Esports Federation (IESF), Tiffani Lim is actively working to promote esports and advocate for athletes within the global community (Photo: Fady Younis)

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In this Tatler Gen.T Crazy Smart Asia podcast, Tiffani Lim, an esports manager, discusses how she’s not just levelling up her game, but also leading the charge for women in esports

Tiffani Lim’s journey into the world of esports was anything but conventional. Born and raised in Malaysia, Lim’s parents had envisioned a prestigious career for their Asean scholar daughter who studied political science in Singapore. However, her true passion lay elsewhere.

Growing up, Lim was always fascinated by games. She spent hours playing Pokémon on her Game Boy and it wasn’t until her university days in Singapore that she discovered the world of competitive gaming. Introduced to Dota 2 by her coursemates, Lim was immediately hooked on the competitive online team game. She immersed herself in the esports community, researching strategies, watching tutorials, and eagerly joining tournaments.

As she delved deeper into the world of esports, Lim took a bold step forward and formed an all-girls team to compete in local Singapore tournaments. The team, Grills Gaming, quickly gained recognition, winning several regional women’s championships. Despite their success, they faced rejection and discrimination from sponsors and brands, who preferred them to live stream rather than compete in tournaments.

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Undeterred, Lim continued her pursuit of a career in esports. After retiring from competitive gaming, she transitioned into a team management role and is now the Athletes Committee Chair at the International Esports Federation. In this role, she advocates for the global recognition of esports as a legitimate sport and encourages more women to go pro.

Throughout her journey, Lim has faced numerous challenges, including a painful family rift caused by her parents’ initial disapproval of her career choice. Over time, her parents have come to accept and support her passion for esports.

In the latest episode of our Crazy Smart Asia podcast, Lim shares with Tatler Gen.T’s Chong Seow Wei more about her journey, the challenges she faced and her advocacy for women in esports.

Here are the highlights from their conversation or click the audio player below to listen to the full episode.

On the discrimination in esports

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“Though Grills Gaming was performing well in the competition scene, we weren’t able to find any sponsors who had faith in an all-female esports team. Most of them just told us to stream rather than train. We were very disappointed, very disheartened and we recognised that this is the current reality in esports for female players.”

On family rejection

“Coming from a traditional Asian background, my parents had big dreams for me, especially after I became an Asean scholar in Singapore. However, when I decided to take up my first esports job in Malaysia, it sparked a fierce family dispute that would take years to heal.”

On staying true to her passion

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“I still remember sitting on the pavement crying all night after a heated argument with my mother. I wondered if I made the right decision. But I didn’t give up. I continued to pursue my passion for esports and it has paid off.”

On her father’s secret support

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“I found out that my father had actually been collecting newspaper clippings of my team’s journey. I didn’t know he had a Facebook account, but once I added him, I found out that his past likes on his account were all news and posts related to me and my team.”

On her advice for young women in esports

“Always do it for the players and not yourself. Always do the right thing, even when nobody’s watching. You have to maintain integrity and focus on the collective success of the team, rather than individual achievements.”

Quotes are edited for clarity and brevity.

See more Gen.T Leaders of Tomorrow in Sports.

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Gaming Esports Podcast Crazy Smart Asia