By Kristine Anjela C. Pablo 

BuzzBeat Productions will finally enter the rift as they premiere Love or Lose, a multimedia program produced by fourth-year Communication students exploring ideas of love and gaming through the online game League of Legends (LOL) at 8:00PM today, December 13 via FEU Studios. 

Entering the world of an online game is like entering the lottery–you do not know if you are going to lose, but the chance of attaining a win is also not out of the question. 

The program will provide its viewers an answer to whether their strategy as a couple would work, as it will feature six long-term partners and players of LOL namely: Mel and Alexis, Jewel and Niño, and Eru and Ryu. 

A journey to the Summoners’ Rift 

Bounded to showcase impeccable stories, BuzzBeat Production’s Facebook page was created in November 2022 under the supervision of Mr. Nico Hernandez as part of their Multimedia Production requirement. 

But contrary to the word requirement, the show's production manager, Sophia Era, shared that they do not want to provide a program for the sake of compliance, but to end their graduating year with a production to look back on even after they graduate.

Era also talked about the program’s unique concept that playing games can be deeply correlated with the idea of love.

“League of Legends is a game that requires patience, guidance, and understanding to achieve your goal or at least to win. Funnily enough, that is just how love is like,” Era highlighted. 

To love or to lose? 

During the show’s pre-planning, the production was assigned to a technology show. Dedicated to making people relate to their production and move away from the complex gadgets and technological innovations, the team decided to incorporate LOL because they found its players passionate and committed. 

Through the participation of other organizations and Esports Teams like FEU’s Tams FX, Holy Angel University’s (HAU) Valiant Esports Club, and De La Salle University’s (DLSU) Viridis Arcus Esports Club, the six couples are going to face the representatives in a friendly match to test if playing with your significant lover is indeed a good game or a wrong pick. 

As part of his final production in FEU, Alexander Galera, the director of Love or Lose, reiterated that the rise of modern technology has aided in the way people build relationships and interact with others in an online setting. 

It is something that the Tamaraw community can look forward to–a show with the kilig moments and a gripping gameplay experience. 

“As I was writing the pitch, I wanted it to be fresh and ambitious, so I incorporated gaming into it. I want to witness real-life love stories of how gaming spaces provided an avenue for them to get to know each other and express their love languages,” Galera expressed. 

The fourth-year Communication student also asserted that his familiarity with LOL piqued his interest in his pursuit of the show. He was also inspired from an episode of the variety show, Run BTS, wherein the known Kpop group Bangtan Songyeondan (BTS) battled against professional Esports player, Faker. 

The League’s Challenges 

Like any other college student who juggles personal life with academic requirements, Era and the entire BuzzBeat crew also had their fair share of challenges. As seniors, they were also facing the completion of their thesis–making their workload heavier. 

But like teams in the league playing in the area, they were able to overcome it. BuzzBeat did not think of the production as an ambitious project, but something that they can be proud of no matter what department you are from.

Composed of various student leaders, and courses under areas of media like Journalism and Film, Dizon believes that Communication students like them have a role to share in the continuously thriving Esports industry. 

Bearing the Department of Communication’s creed, “May Alam, May Pakialam”, the production manager delved into the importance of Communication majors having the edge in marketing and how it can be relatable to the audience, mixing in the element of love. 

The Spectators’ Edge 

This edge was strengthened with working with both FEU Studios and DepComm, bringing something that they can be proud of after four years of being in the green-and-gold community. 

Cliche for some, Era said that the whole production was the most memorable experience for her. Working with people with an immense talent, collective effort became the backbone of their program’s ‘buff’. 

If given the chance to redo the show, she did not hesitate to answer that she would repetitively pick the people she has worked with. 

The student-made content, Love or Lose, will not only bring the Tamaraw community to the Esports industry but also to witness real-life romantic stories promoting interaction and exploring other love languages using a curation with a fresh and new take on technology.