ONE Esports Partners with Tinder

The world’s most popular app for meeting new people teams up with ONE Esports
to bring members new shared experiences

Gen Zers are big on finding their tribe, seeking a sense of belonging and looking for shared experiences. When lockdowns saw IRL turn to URL, and with more time on their hands and fewer ways to meet people, Gen Z turned to streaming platforms, new game releases, as well as old favourites – as well as Tinder – to bond with friends and socialise.

Virtual hangouts peaked in March 2020 as mentions of ‘Animal Crossing’ dates debuted in Tinder bios whilst mobile games in particular saw a big rise in popularity among Gen Z, with almost two-thirds playing games on their phones daily. In addition, ‘Gamer’ has consistently ranked as one of the Top 10 Passions* on Tinder among Gen Z in Southeast Asia as members search for a Player 2.

In support and celebration of this community, Tinder is launching a new Esports Passion, enabling members to connect over a shared love for gaming. It is also partnering with ONE Esports to bring to its members a series of experiences for MLBB and mobile gaming fans across Southeast Asia exclusively accessible through Tinder. This follows an earlier collaboration between the two brands at the DOTA 2 Singapore Major earlier this year.

Southeast Asian members on Tinder have been declaring their passion for mobile gaming. For example, mentions of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) increased two-fold in Tinder bios in Indonesia and Philippines between February 2020 and February 2021.

“More than half of our Tinder members globally are Gen Z between the ages of 18 and 25, and we know that many of them are now spending more time exploring their passion for gaming online in the aftermath of the pandemic. The introduction of the Esports passion will give Gen Z gamers another way to present themselves authentically as they look to connect with others. By giving our members more ways to share their interests and values, we are building Tinder to be a place of possibilities for Gen Z, inspired by Gen Z,” said Gaurav Girotra, GM Southeast Asia at Tinder & Match Group.

Tinder first introduced Passions in the summer of 2020 to offer members a new way to share more about themselves. Members can add up to five Passions to their profile, creating a better matching experience by connecting over common Passions.

*Data from Tinder activity amongst Gen Z in Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam; April 1, 2021 – April 30, 2021