Day: October 28, 2021

Written by: Aiya Rodjel

Mobile legends players are everywhere. Since its launch in 2016, Mobile Legends has taken the world by storm. Developed and published by Moonton, a subsidiary of ByteDance, it is the most popular mobile game in SouthEast Asia. In fact, this multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) is so popular. It had been chosen as one of the Esports games for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).

Because of its popularity and the wide availability of fast internet, a lot of talented elite players have made a name for themselves. Some people have made a lot of money and garnered millions of followers around the globe.

In this article, we’ll discuss some of the best professional Mobile Legends (ML) players in the country. We’ll also talk about the elite teams that all ESports aspire to join.

The Eight Teams of MPL Philippines

There are eight elite teams that participate in the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League Philippines. These talented mobile legends players are in the following teams: Blacklist International, Bren Esports, Onic PH, RSG PH, Echo Philippines (Formerly Aura PH), Nexplay Evos (Formerly Nexplay Esports), TNC Pro Team (Formerly Work Auster Force), and Smart Omega.

In the regular season, these eight teams duke it out in a round-robin format. After the regular season matches, six teams advance to the playoffs. The two teams that top the playoffs proceed to the championship. The team that wins gets the crown as the champion of the league.

It is also notable that in each match, these players were together in the players’ room, equipped with high-speed internet. This is to avoid losing connection. Even split seconds of buffer time is crucial to the game, as there can be a quick turnaround.

You can also check out these related articles:

• The Rise of Esports in the Philippines
• What are the most popular mobile games in the Philippines?
• 5 Reasons Fiber-Optic Internet is Best for Gamers

BlackList International

Formerly known as SXC Imbalance, Blacklist International is an Esports team owned and managed by Tier One Entertainment. It has won the MPL title for two straight years, cementing its dominance amid the pandemic.

Blacklist International consists of OhMyV33nus, the Mid-Laner, and Captain, and DEX STAR as Tank/Support, 6th Man, and Analyst. Wise serves as the Jungler while OHEB is the Non-Turtle Lane. Edward is the Turtle Lane while ESON participates as Tank/Support.

Bren Esports

Another dominant team that has control over the local scene is Bren Esports. BREN is known internationally as the MSC 2018 Champion and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang M2 World Champion. One of the strongest teams that have ever logged in the country, this team is big is the first time winner of the local professional league. They have a total of six championship titles.

A lot of elite athletes have played for this particular team. Now, roles in the team go to Karl ‘KarlTzy’ Nepomuceno who is a Jungler, Carl Charles ‘FlapTzy’ Canon as Fighter, and Carlito Jagdon ‘Ribo’ Ribo Jr. as Offlane. The list of gamers is topped off by Angelo Kyle ‘Pheww’ Dalagan Arcange as Midlane and Allan Bancio ‘Lusty’ Castromayor Jr. as Roaming.

Efphraim Jueinno ‘Ehjay’ Sambrano is also on the roster to provide as another Roaming player. Ralph Mico ‘Coco’ Sampang, Raven ‘L3bron’ Alonzo, and Dwine ‘Rimuru’ Enriquez sometimes enter the game as Offlane players. Maj ‘Malik’ Malik is listed as Jungling of the team.

ONIC PH

Previously known as Dream High Gaming, ONIC PH has been participating in the ML league since the 4th season. Onic has other teams in the region, including Indonesia. ONIC PH is the team that participates in the country. Their goal is to become the best team in the region.

Some of the athletes that play for this elite team include Allen Jedric “Baloyskie” Baloy, Gerald “Dlar” Trinchera, Jaylord “Hate” Gonzales, Mark “Markyyyyy” Capacio, Kairi “Kairi” Rayosdelsol, Karl Mico “Mico” Quitlong Tarala, Paul Ian “Beemo” Sergi0, and Nowee “Ryota” Cabailo.

NexPlay Evos

Southeast Asian organizations Nexplay Esports and EVOS Esports have joined forces to play in the ML League. Their team is called NexPlay Evos. Evos fielded a team in 2019, but it has disbanded already.

One of the pioneers of the Mobile Legends esports scene in the Philippines, Setsuna “Akosi Dogie” Ignacio, participates as the team support. Nexplay’s “Big Three”,” Renejay “RENEJAY” Barcarse, Tristan “Yawi” Cabrera, Jhon “H2wo” Salonga, along with James “Jeymz” Gloria join the lineup.

Two promising rookies, Sanford “Sanford” Vinuya and Jhonwin “Hesa” Vergara have signed on to play for the Nexplay EVOS roster. Meanwhile, former Omega Esports pro player Jeniel “Haze” Bata-Anon was brought in as the team’s Tank/Support.

RSG PH

Widely known in the game as Resurgence, RSG PH is a Singapore-based esports organization. The team markets itself as being fueled by a relentless pursuit of excellence. The team boasts of five Mobile Legends esports veterans. They are joined by three rookies and the popular streamer turned pro player, Elyson “Wrecker” Caranza.

The current team is comprised of Brian “Panda” Lim (Coach), EJ “Heath” Esperanza, Kenneth Jiane “Kenji” Villa, Christian “Iy4knu” Manaog, Elyson “Wrecker” Caranza, and Dexter “Exort” Martinez. They are also joined by Arvie “Aqua” Calderon, John Cedrix “Demonkite” Caranto, Nathanael “Nathzz” Estrologo, and Eman “EMANN” Sangco.

Omega ESports

Alsofamous in the game as Smart Omega, Omega Esports was founded in 2020. While it is a strong contender in ML, at the same time, it fields athletes in other games. It also participates in Dota 2, CODM, Wild Rift, and Tekken 7.

Its Mobile Legends players include Billy Jazha “Z4pnu” Alfonso, Renz Errol “Renzio” Cadua, Kiel Vj “Kielvj” Cruzem, Grant Duane “Kelra” Pillas, Patrick James “E2MAX” Caidic, and Joshua “Ch4knu” Mangilog.

The team has also committed to developing four rookie players Robert Remar “Hito” Candoy, Dian Felix “Dian” Cruz, Dean Christian “Raizen” Sumagui, and Romeire “Allidap” Padilla to complete its 10-man team. The team’s coach is Jaime “Pakbet” Abalos.

ECHO

Formerly known as Aura PH, ECHO has been participating in the ML league for three straight seasons. Notably, Echo is a standalone Filipino team and Aura Esports supports it. The team is not in any way related to Indonesia’s ECHO Esports.

The revamped squad’s heads are veterans Chan “Rafflesia” Fajura, Benedict “Bennyqt” Gonzales, and Mark “Lord Hadess” Lazaro. These old-timers are joined by Jankurt “KurTzy” Matira, Jay “Jaymeister” Torculas, Joshua “Aspect” Tating, Kenneth “Flysolo” Coloma, Aaron “AaronQT” Lim, RK3, and Invoker.

TNC

The Work Auster Force has rebranded itself to form TNC. However, core members of the team have remained on the roster. Coach Laurence “Lift” Ruiz remains as the team’s mentor and tactician.

Now, the squad comprises Frediemar “3MarTzy” Serafico, Daniel “Chuuu” Chu, Clarense “Kousei” Camilo, Patrick “Rtzy” Ibarra, who now goes under the IGN “P-God”, and Dylan “Unravel” Catipon, now with the new IGN “Light”. Joining them are veterans Douglas “ImbaDeejay” Astibea s well as former Omega Esports mainstay Adrian “Toshi” Bacallo. They have also welcomed two rookies on the squad: Der and Benthings.

Elite ESports athletes to take note of

While a lot of people have used their resources to better their gaming skills, some athletes are a cut above the rest. Armed with their fast internet connection, they have broken barriers and risen among the ranks. Here are some of the best ESports athletes in terms of match results and ranking.

Karl ‘KarlTzy’ Nepomuceno

SEA Games gold medalist Karl ‘KarlTzy’ Nepomuceno has made a name for himself in the world of ESports. At 17 years old, he has dominated both in national and international competitions. This young superstar in MPL Philippines is the only Filipino nominated for Pro Mobile Player of the Year in the 2021 Esports Awards.

In the local scene, he represents Bren Sports, one of the most dominant teams in the country. He is also famous as one of the most technically sound carry players in the Mobile Legends Professional League Philippines.

He has millions of followers on social media as a result of his excellent skills in mobile gaming. In addition to playing professionally, he also streams some of his matches for the whole internet to watch. Given how young he is, there are a lot of expectations for more from KarlTzy. He continues to elevate the MPL Philippines scene with his elite-level gameplay. His ultimate goal is to become the number one Mobile Legends player in the world.

Ralph Mico ‘Coco’ Sampang

Ralph Mico Sampang, who is famous in the Esports universe as Coco, also plays for Bren Sports. This 22-year old elite Esports athlete performs as the team’s marksman. He has been playing for the team for six seasons, cementing his position as one of the best gamers in the country. He also earned a gold medal in the 2019 SEA Games.

Since 2017, he has been making his mark in the local Esports industry, which is why he has been one of the men to beat. Aside from playing professionally, he spends a lot of time streaming and imparting his knowledge in ESports. He has millions of followers on social media. He gives his fans tutorials on how to improve their skills and answers questions his fans may have.

Efphraim Jueinno ‘Ehjay’ Sambrano

Another Bren ESports member that has made his mark in the country is Efphraim Jueinno Sambrano. This veteran gamer is famous as Ehjay to his fans.

Like KarlTzy, he represented the country in the 2019 SEA Games. He has been so dominant in the local Esports scene that the Department of Education (DepEd) has expressed its goal of discovering talents like him.

This 23-year old Esports athlete usually competes as Tank for his Mobile Legends team. He may not be into streaming his matches in his free schedule, but he usually shares updates on his social media pages.

David Charles “FlapTzy” Canon

Another Bren ESports member that is famous as one of the best ESports athletes in the nation is David Charles ‘FlapTzy’ Canon. He is famous as KarlTzy’s partner in crime in the Mobile Legends arena. His fans call him Flap Tzy or just Flap.

Before he became a professional ESport athlete, he was a streamer who showcased his skills on YouTube. Passionate about the game, it didn’t take long before he got the attention of professional teams.

This 17-year old started at the bottom of the food chain, playing in pub games just like other typical mobile legends players and honing his game through ranked games. Indeedn, all his hard work has paid off. Nowadays, Flap is famous as Bren Esports’ go-to fighter.

Despite his reputation to win in the local and international scene, he still remains active, streaming his matches. He also posts a lot of updates on the regular season and playoffs as well.

Salic “Hadjizy” Imam

Finally, Salic ‘Hadjizy’ Imam plays for Blacklist International. In the recent MPL PH season, he got the crown for being the regular season’s most valuable player (MVP). Interestingly, the 18-year old was a newcomer to the team’s solid lineup.

Indeed, like most heroes of the game, he started off by posting content on his streaming pages. His growth throughout the years attracted the attention of professional squads. He took his moment by storm by his stellar in the season.

Building Champions in ESports

Some people have yet to accept ESports as an actual sport. However, these elite teams and mobile legends players have demonstrated that the game can pave the way for endless possibilities. With more athletes rising in the ranks, we don’t have to wait long until we have an international champion.

If you’re passionate about Mobile Legends, you should invest in a stable and high-speed internet connection, like fiber. After all, how will you be able to beat the creme of the crop without a reliable internet provider in the Philippines?

That’s why you should invest in Stremtech Fiber Internet. One of the newest internet providers in the Philippines, Streamtech lets you exceed your limits in gaming and beyond. Certainly, you and your whole squad can enjoy fast internet through its Extendifi Wifi Extender.

In summary, the country has a lot of promising ESports athletes, and you can be one of them. That’s why you should trust the powers of Streamtech. Explore our official Facebook page for more details.

Written by: Maine Dela Cruz

More than 43 million Filipinos participate in esports, with annual growth of 12.9% since 2017. Smartphones and mobile internet are making this expansion more accessible. That’s why it is no doubt why there is a recent rise in mobile gaming, particularly, esports in the Philippines. And this is most especially true now that we have fast internet at home.

The Telegraph described esports as “competitive gaming at a professional level” in 2017. It is a spectator sport that has a global audience via streaming sites such as Twitch or YouTube. Esports is a well-oiled ecosystem that includes professional players, game developers, professional teams, and tournament organizers.

Multiplayer online battle arena games, first-person shooters, and real-time strategy are all popular esports genres. These are typically played on high-spec PCs. Such explains the rising gaming desktop and laptop accessories markets. And it includes the demand for a stable and fast internet connection. Certain games have been adapted for mobile devices as well.

Esports has emerged as a result of the popularity of video games as a worldwide entertainment medium. One of the factors contributing to the popularity of video games is their competitive character.

Ever wonder how esports start in the country? Or when did it come into being? How has esports or the online gaming industry shaped the world we live in today?

So, without further ado, let’s get started and explore the rise of esports in the Philippines.

History of Esports

We’ve been captivated and fascinated by gaming since video games first debuted on television. Let’s take a trip down memory lane on how the esports ecosystem came into existence.

In the 1970s and 1980s, as video games became increasingly popular, esports emerged. A year’s subscription to Rolling Stone magazine was originally the prize for the inaugural video game competition. In the 1980s, a slew of firms was formed to keep track of high scores in video games. And such would go on to help popularize competitive gaming throughout the world. These businesses made an effort to make as many high scores public as possible. This is in order to pique people’s interest in video games and lure them in. As esports tournaments became increasingly popular in the early twenty-first century, more media attention was paid to them.

First Esports Tournament

The first country to hold competitive esports contests was the United States. Stanford University hosted the first competition. Due to the huge success of this event, individuals all around the United States have begun to organize esports events pitting professional gamers against one another in games such as Space Invaders and Spacewar. Esports sparked a nationwide craze for video game teams since it debuted in 2009. The sport remained popular among Americans, who began watching it on television so that more people could see it. Esports only became widely popular throughout the world once they were moved online.

Esports first gained traction in the 1980s, when the Guinness Book of World Records began publishing top scores for various video games. It was only with the advent of worldwide video game competitions that esports ratings began to climb, as more people became interested in the sport. There are now many agreements between professional esports teams and video game corporations in esports, making it at its peak. Due to its growing popularity, video game contests have lately started giving prize pools exceeding $30,000,000.

You can also check out these related articles:

• What are the most popular mobile games in the Philippines?
• 5 Reasons Fiber-Optic Internet is Best for Gamers

Inventor of Esports

Manufacturer of videogame hardware and software, Atari, pioneered esports. The Space Invaders Championship was held in 1980, and they were the organizers. Nearly 10,000 people entered this contest. To assist push video game records into the Guinness Book of World Records, Walter Day founded Twin Galaxies in 1981, a firm that kept track of video game records. If this were to happen, esports would gain traction across North America and beyond. Esports was revolutionized in 1988 with the release of Netrek, the first game played online with a multiplayer component.

Esports as of 2017

According to esportsearnings.com, a total of $110.6 million in esports prize money was given last year from 3765 competitions. What’s the single tournament’s largest prize fund? The International 2017 raked in a stunning $24.6 million.

As the gaming industry continues to develop, so will the popularity of esports. To put that in perspective, esports income is expected to reach $1.55 billion by 2020, with no other insights of abating. In the same way that fans have flocked to overcrowded stadiums for decades to see a select group of top athletes compete, esports has grown in popularity, both as a participant and as a spectator, over time. Everyone, it seems, enjoys a little friendly rivalry and a little well-earned success.

How Did Philippines’ Esports Industry Begin?

The introduction of competitive video gaming to the Philippines is difficult to track, although it has been here for the better part of the last decade.

South China Morning Post reports from February 2020 that according to the We Are Social survey conducted in 2019, 32% of Filipino Internet users participate in online gaming through streaming, while 42% watch live feeds from these gamers. In August 2017, the Gaming and Amusements Board granted athletic licenses to professional esports players, recognizing esports as an official sport.

Let’s look back at the history of esports in the Philippines:

The start of Mineski Philippines and TNC

Mineski founder Ronald Robins founded his first Dota 2 team in 2003, and he was already playing in regional and international gaming contests at that time.

A year ago, Robins said in a lecture to an audience at a conference that he witnessed how outmatched Filipino players were when they played in Dota 2 events abroad. In 2008, he opened the first Mineski Infinity cybercafé, which he attributed in large part to his transformation from being a professional player to a businessman.

Another local cybercafé chain, Eric Redulfin’s The Net Café or TNC, had established its first store a year earlier and was beginning to gather traction by then. Because its first locations were near campuses, Mineski and TNC quickly became popular among college students who sought to play PC games competitively during and after class.

After more than a decade, the two companies now operate over 100 Internet cafés around the Philippines. Other nearby nations including Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia have also created outposts of their companies as well.

Global success

Mineski and TNC aren’t the only cybercafé chains in the country giving local players the venue to hone their esports skills, but the two are major reasons for getting the Philippines on the radar of the global esports community.

Aside from their Internet café business, both Robins and Redulfin established their own professional esports teams under the Mineski Pro Teams and TNC Pro Team brands respectively. Both organizations compete in various international tournaments of several competitive video games and started getting attention because of their performance in the Dota 2 tournament scene.

Both teams have already taken home championship trophies in prestigious Dota 2 tournaments, with Mineski placing first in the 2018 Dota 2 Asian Championships and TNC emerging as the winner of the 2016 World Electronic Sports Games. As well, the two teams placed within the top 20 of The International 2018, a global Dota 2 tournament with a total prize pool of $25.5 million (P1.3 billion), the largest for any esports event ever.

In 2019, Southeast Asia recognized esports as a competitive sport in addition to traditional sports. The following year, the Philippines bagged its first-ever esports gold medal in the 30th Southeast Asian Games thanks to Sibol Mobile Legends: Bang Bang team, beating world champion Indonesia. The country took home three gold medals in total for that run; the two medals came from wins in DOTA 2 and Tekken 7 games.

For the 2021 season, two divisions were introduced opening The Nationals to non-professionals; These divisions are The Challenger Series which was open to amateurs, and the Academy Series which was for players who are enrolled in schools at the time of their participation. The Nationals Draft Series will be introduced with the top players of the Challenger and Academy series eligible to enter.

Esports Philippines Tournaments

Gariath Concepts is a Philippine-based esports and gaming organization, owners of award-winning esports IPs like ESGS, Rev Major, and PGF. Gariath Concepts usually handles the operations and logistics of the country’s players. Here are some of the esports titles played in the Philippines:

1. Dota 2

You might recall DOTA from your high school days, and yes, the PC-only game now has a sequel. In DOTA 2, you have to gather gold, gain experience, and destroy the rival team’s Ancient to win the game. It’s often said that DOTA 2 is quite complicated and has a steep learning curve, so it’s recommended to get started with Single Draft, where you choose three random characters, which limits the pool selection (DOTA 2 features over a hundred heroes) and makes it less daunting for beginners. 

2. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is a multiplayer-online-based arena game that came out in November 2016. The usual game mode has two five-member teams competing with the objective of destroying the base of the enemy before they do. Each player can control a selectable character or Hero, each with individual abilities and traits. There are 103 heroes (with some that have to be unlocked) to choose from and they can either fall under any of these six classes: tank, fighter, assassin, mage, marksman, or support. 

3. League of Legends (LOL)

League of Legends is one of the world’s most popular video games, developed by Riot Games. It features a team-based competitive game mode based on strategy and outplaying opponents.

How to play League of Legends? Players work with their team to break the enemy Nexus before the enemy team breaks theirs. LOL is a complex game that involves both high-level strategy and fast-paced gameplay. Skilled players know how to beat the opponent in front of them while keeping the macro-elements in mind to support their team to victory.

Key Takeaway

If you think you have the potential to be a pro-gamer, or have a huge following to be a streamer, you can earn while playing online games. As of writing, Twitch remains to be the leading live-streaming platform for gamers, with tens of thousands of viewers each day.

While video games provide a good distraction from the stresses of the outside world, be wary of its health risks. As they say, “Too much of everything is bad.”

According to a Harvard article, too much gaming can cause repetitive stress injuries, or overuse injuries, obesity, vision problems, and addiction or internet gaming disorder (IGD). As with many other activities that have potential benefits and harms, moderation is the key.

Parents with minors should be wary of the gaming habits of their children.

Most of the harms that come from online games can be improved, if not avoided altogether, by developing healthy gaming habits. 

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