Enter the world of gaming 'playpals' – age, sex and skills matter

When an iPad was delivered to her home, Ruan Tian's parents grilled the 18-year-old student on how she could afford the expensive gadget.

Ruan, who had been working as an online gaming “playpal”, had kept this a secret because she was afraid her parents would misconstrue it as something sexual.

However, the student told Malaysiakini that when she explained the matter in detail, her parents understood.

“My mom said, 'Wow. I never thought playing games can earn money, it is so cool.' She joked about becoming a playpal as well,” Ruan added.

Online gaming playpals mushroomed after e-sports grew in popularity over the years. Their role varies from assisting clients in scoring points to just chatting with them in exchange for...