“The enemy has been slain!”

             Mobile Legends is undebatably one of the most successful mobile games developed these days with over one billion installs and a hundred million monthly active users around the world. This game has captured the interest not only of the youth but adults as well since pandemic started. It is an entertaining and addicting game, so much that time becomes irrelevant to most users.

             According to AFK Gaming, a home of quality esports content that provides the latest news, as of March 2021, Philippines alone had over 100 million registered users and has 25 million monthly active gamers. Moreover, Moonton E-Sports manager Jingjie Lin admitted that the Philippines is one of the top playing countries. In fact, the Philippines is one of the very few countries to hold three official tournaments namely MPL (Professional League), MCL (Competitive League), and MSC (Southeast Asia Cup). Philippines already included Mobile Legends and League of Legends as one of the sports during SEA games held in the country.

             The game is quite simple and easy to understand. There are five players in a team with different heroes and roles to play. The ultimate goal of each team is to destroy your enemy’s base while trying to defend yours. Naturally, in order to easily destroy the enemy’s ground, you must first kill the defenders (which will respawn after a period of time) and make use of that opportunity to push forward.

             In this game, there is a strategy known as delaying the core. A core is a hero, usually one with high damage and mobility, that has the highest chance of getting stronger earlier in the game because of its ability to farm (kill jungle creeps to gain gold that is used to buy items), thus, giving it the capability to kill enemies and give its team a higher chance to secure a victory. Delaying the core simply means delaying its farming, therefore preventing it from getting stronger.

             Does it ring a bell? Exactly, this is the same strategy that our enemy is using to prevent young Christians from finishing the tasks God has given them. The game itself became one of the many shackles that immobilize and keep young Christians from doing what they are called to do. A single match of this game averages 20 minutes to end, and this isn’t some kind that you can pause anytime as it is played in real time. Most gamers play at least three matches before discontinuing, any disturbances within this period such as calls, errands, and conversations become too much to handle because the game requires your full attention. Consequently, the game will have significant effects on a player’s character. Many testimonies from Christian youth claim that they have indeed become easily irritable, short tempered, and relatively lazy than they were before being introduced to the game. All of which they weren’t able to realize until somebody points it out . At times, it’s too addicting that it turns out to be the first thing you would think after you wake up in the morning and keeps you wide awake late at night. As a result, it grabs your devotional and quality time with God, friends and family.  It could even affect one’s language as trash talking is rampant in this game. Moreover, it can also lead to stress especially if a player is teamed up with some toxic gamers.

             Pastor Adrian Rogers says, “If Satan can’t make you do bad, he will make you busy” and how convenient is this game for him to wield. The game, along with other forms of entertainment such as social media and film series can certainly be Satan’s delaying the core strategy. He sees young Christians as capable individuals, as threats, as people who possess strength, talent and infinite possibilities. What could be a better way to slow down the work of God than to delay them?

             Indeed, the youth should be scrupulous and guarded when using these games. Use your time wisely and honor God absolutely. As the verse in Colossians 3:2-3 says,

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.