Reminiscing the Prodigious Tale of 23savage: Southeast Asia’s Greatest Potential

When it comes to games and sports that require their players to think strategically, some people are simply built differently. In games like Chess and Go, these people are dubbed “prodigies” — extraordinary players who excel as if their DNA was meant for the game. Esports is no exception to this, especially in highly complex titles like Dota 2.

We have seen numerous players with such an outstanding capability: Miracle-, Topson, ana, you name it. These players came into the scene as a nobody and somehow managed to leave a lasting legacy throughout their careers. While the aforementioned prodigies have carved their mark in the history of Dota 2, there’s still one whose prodigious chapter is yet to be unleashed.

That person is no other than 23savage, an 18-year-old Thai player who’s currently enlisted in the roster of the South Korean organization, T1. Time and time again, we constantly witnessed how this miraculous boy magically attained the highest of Match Making Rating in the Southeast Asian server. Because of that, large organizations alike are constantly on the hunt for this young pub star.

However, 23savage’s journey hasn’t always been as smooth as many had expected. In order to achieve where he is now, 23savage had to start small and begin his journey in his homeland: Thailand.

Chapter 1: Homeland

23savage began his competitive Dota 2 career with a local team called ALPHA Blue, a subsidiary roster to the main organization ALPHA Pro Team. 23savage was only 16 years old when he kickstarted his journey in 2018 together with other Thai senior players as his teammates. The roster didn’t hold for long, as 23savage was only enlisted officially for only four days.

Several ALPHA Blue players decided to depart the organization and join a team called Reaper, whose roster became the basis of the establishment of MSCerberus. The initial lineup consisted of Thai players Whatthe, tnt, Feimao, 23savage, as well as the Laotian player, Nevermine.

Before the team could make their international debut, they had to undergo several roster changes due to the retirement of their captain, Feimao, and the departure of Whatthe. Catering to the vacant slots, MSCerberus enlisted the help of the Filipino player RAN, the Malaysian player ADTR, and a secondary Thai Offlaner Seri.

MSCerberus’ first recorded international debut was in Sin Esports Dota 2 League Season 1, where they faced off against other Southeast Asian underdogs. MSCerberus and 23savage managed to qualify to the event’s Upper Bracket Semifinals, but had to fall to the Lower Bracket after losing 0-2 against Neon Esports and was later eliminated by PG.Orca.

MSCerberus. Source: MS Chonburi Dota 2’s Facebook Page.

Despite their loss, 23savage’s major potential began to take place in the international scene. His signature heroes like Morphling and Juggernaut put up a great fight against the Filipinos, proving that he’s capable of playing on such a high-stake event.

Unfortunately, the team struggled to secure a commendable victory in the events that followed after. It surely was difficult to cope up against older organizations whose roster are much more stable and had greater international experience. As a result, 23savage took the opportunity to further explore the international scene by becoming a stand-in player for neighboring teams.

Chapter 2: Standing on the Shoulder of Giants

To obtain greater exposure, 23savage played as a stand-in substitute for teams like the Filipino squad of Clutch Gamers and the Indonesian roster of EVOS Esports. He did so while going into inactivity with his main team MSCerberus. Although his addition wasn’t enough to bring home the trophy, the experience was enough to gain recognition from other more established organizations.

Furthermore, 23savage had the chance to represent Thailand in World Cyber Games 2019 APAC. Accompanying him in this competition are other senior players Jabz, Seri, BungsellRotee, and tnt. Initially, the team played under the name of Thai Style, before finally playing under the banner of MSCerberus TH during the offline Finals held in Seoul.

With this temporary roster, the squad secured a second-place finish, bringing home $1500 as a prize. Once the event ended, 23savage spent some more time with his main team before deciding to try out with other teams and officially go inactive in MSCerberus, which rebranded to MS Chonburi not so long ago.

It was perhaps 23savage’s visit to South Korea where he decided to pair up with three veteran South Korean players, Forev, Febby, and March, for The International 2019: Southeast Asia Open Qualifier. To complete the lineup, Team Jinesbrus summon the aid of another prodigy player from the United States, Gunnar.

Team Jinesbrus. Source: Dota 2 Thailand.

Jinesbrus was utterly dominating the entire bracket, losing close to zero games throughout the Open Qualifiers. They were among the three teams which qualified for the Southeast Asian Closed Qualifiers of TI9.

In the Group Stage, Jinesbrus remained unstoppable, dropping only a single best-of-one loss against Team Amplify. As for the other matches, their playstyle is famous for being fierce and aggressive, essentially reminiscent of the olden days of MVP Phoenix. Surely enough, three out of five of their players were MVP Phoenix players, so that shouldn’t be surprising.

However, their Playoffs bracket started badly, losing 0-2 to Mineski right off the bat. Nonetheless, Jinesbrus and 23savage persisted through the Lower Bracket, eliminating Team Amplify and Team Adroit in the process. Again, they faced off against Mineski in the Grand Finals, with an even higher stake. Whoever wins the series secures their ticket to the most prestigious Dota 2 event of all: The International.

We could go over all the games that took place in the intense best-of-five series, but to sum it up, it kept everyone on the edge of their seats. The first four games went back-and-forth between these two rivals. The two teams took turns which ultimately led up to a 2-2 score and a deciding game five.

Chapter 3: So Close, Yet So Far

The deciding match kicked off almost evenly, with Jinesbrus securing a minimal 2000 gold-lead. At about the 30-minute-mark, Mineski wiped the entire roster of Jinesbrus, snowballing the advantage to their hands this time around. It was this point onwards that Jinesbrus was hanging on their last TI9 lifeline.

Sadly for the boys, Mineski had the upper hand in that match, and so ends their hopeful TI9 run of the year. Arguably, 23savage’s run with Jinesbrus was the best achievement thus far in his career. As much as he and his teammates failed to secure their victory, joining Jinesbrus was the leap 23savage required to enter the realm of giants, marking the commencement of his next competitive chapter.

23savage’s respectable TI9 attempt catapulted him into popularity and the international spotlight. As many had predicted, the Southeast Asian giant Fnatic quickly incorporated him into their main roster. On September 4, 2019, 23savage joined the ranks of Moon, iceiceice, DJ, and fellow Thai player Jabz. Together, the revamped Fnatic roster was ready to shake up the Southeast Asian stage.

They wasted no time to achieve such a title, by not only finishing second in Midas Mode 2 – Asia, but also qualifying for MDL Chengdu Major and DreamLeague Season 13.

Thailand’s Dota 2 Representatives at the 30th Southeast Asian Games. Source: Nation Thailand.

Amid these qualifiers, 23savage had another chance to represent his nation in the 30th Southeast Asian Games where the Thais finished second. It was also during this event where 23savage could once again pair up with his former MSCerberus teammates and the new contenders of MG.Trust.

Chapter 4: Fnatic’s Rise to Glory

After successfully qualifying for these Major events, Fnatic, in fact, struggled in these first few international events, perhaps due to adaptation reasons. In MDL Chengdu Major and DreamLeague Season 13, they finished 9th-12th in both events, losing out to their Southeast Asian counterparts, TNC Predator.

Fnatic winning Summit 12. Source: Beyond the Summit.

Before they could shine on the international stage, however, the COVID pandemic took place and halted virtually all international LAN events, including today. Nevertheless, several tournament organizers decided to shift their events online and divide participating teams into their respective regions.

Back in their region, Fnatic became the new Southeast Asian giants. They came out as champions in Summit 12, BTS Pro Series: Southeast Asia, ESL One Birmingham 2020 – Online: Southeast Asia, and World E-sports Legendary League. Afterward, they finished third in BTS Pro Series Season 2: Southeast Asia and second in ONE Esports Dota 2 SEA League thereafter.

It was quite evident that Fnatic was pretty much unstoppable in their region, and not even the best teams around could overthrow their throne. 23savage displayed his marvelous Position 1 carrying abilities throughout these events and truly proven that the mix of seniors and newcomers is amongst the strongest strategy in all of Dota 2.

For the young Thai, it seemed that his career was pretty much on the right track. It was until Fnatic abruptly decided to replace their new-found prodigy with a more stable veteran and senior Position 1 player, Raven. Only a week after their run in ONE Esports Dota 2 SEA League ended, 23savage’s Fnatic chapter is brought to an end.

Chapter 5: Auspicious Vici

Now teamless, 23savage became a hot target for big organizations willing to integrate this prodigy from Southeast Asia into their mix. Many were expecting teams from around the globe to add 23savage into their lineup, including Western teams who were open for such a ride. It was Vici Gaming, in the end, who picked up 23savage in replacement of their star Carry Eurus.

At first, the pasture seemed all too green for 23savage. His removal from Fnatic was a mere pinch while his purchase by Vici Gaming meant a huge leap in his career. Even so, because of the COVID19 travel restrictions, 23savage had to wait for his time to shine. As a temporary replacement of 23savage, Vici Gaming summoned the help of Erica while hoping for a better COVID situation.

For the time being, 23savage continued to stand-in for several casual teams such as Among Us and the newly formed Thai squad MG.Trust. With Among Us, 23savage attained a third-place finish in BTS Pro Series Season 3: Southeast Asia, even beating Fnatic, his former team, in the process.

Team Among Us Dota 2 Roster. Source: Team Among Us.

What else could go wrong for 23savage? He is performing relatively well in these casual teams, while an organization like Vici Gaming is waiting for his arrival. Well, that’s the case until Vici Gaming decided to part ways with 23savage without even playing a single match together with him. Although the main reason is likely due to the worsening of the global COVID situation, Vici Gaming seemed all-too comfortable with Erica, given their achievements without 23savage.

Chapter 6: T1 Onwards

After what seems to be a fresh start to a bitter end, 23savage finds himself teamless once again, with a similar aftertaste. With the Dota Pro Circuit Regional Leagues taking place and 23savage still teamless, all he’s open for is stand-in opportunities.

Unsurprisingly, his assistance was called upon by the Indonesian-Thai-Korean roster of HOYO for DPC Season 1 – Southeast Asia Lower Division and later by the Indonesian squad of BOOM Esports for DPC Season 1 – Southeast Asia Upper Division.

Thereafter, participating DPC teams were looking to alter their rosters, especially for those who qualified through the Major. In the end, it’s the South Korean giant of T1 who decided to add 23savage into their mix, replacing their former Carry player, JaCkky.

T1 welcomes 23savage. Source: @T1 Twitter.

Regardless of whether or not the move was deemed ethical, it seemed logical that T1 would do such a critical move. T1 barely qualified for the Major Wild Card, and their best bet is to go all-in if they’d like to advance further, one of which is by purchasing a star player like 23savage himself.

Closing

Together with four former Geek Fam players, 23savage and his new shiny T1 squad are expected to put up a powerful battle in the premiere 2021 Dota 2 LAN Event, ONE Esports Singapore Major 2021. From this point onwards, what lies in the next chapters of 23savage’s career is nothing but a wild guess.

Featured Image by Dreamhack.

Wild Rift Esports in the Indonesian Esports Ecosystem: Players’ Views, Challenges, and Expectations

League of Legends: Wild Rift, which launched its beta phase in September 2020, has been hyped up in the gaming community for quite a while now. Furthermore, to Indonesia’s local esports ecosystem, Riot Games’ reputation as an esports company instils the belief that the game will have a promising future. Players who have failed in going pro in other MOBAs immediately grind their way to the top to attract future pro teams. Many fans simply can’t wait to see the future of Wild Rift esports. A few esports organizations also took this early bird opportunity and began recruiting players and establishing their roster.

After the beta release and running Wild Rift SEA Pentaboom title, what will be the next step for Riot in Wild Rift? Players, fans, esports organizations, and even I will continuously be curious about Wild Rift’s esports plans.

Therefore, let us investigate the extent of the development of Wild Rift esports in the local ecosystem so far. What are actions that local esports organizations are executing and planning to do with Wild Rift? What are the appropriate steps that Riot Games should take for Wild Rift’s esports in the future? Let’s try to answer these questions one at a time.

Regional Beta and Wild Rift Pentaboom (Development from the aspect of the game)

From investigating Wild Rift’s three-month journey since its release, we can say that they have been rapidly developing. The number of Champions has been growing consistently. Patches are also continuously released to improve and balance the game.

Riot Games is also slowly releasing Wild Rift in various other countries after the first regional beta in 7 Southeast Asian countries (including Indonesia) last October 2020. However, during the three months of its development, the game had one missing feature desired by many players: Spectator Mode.

Without this feature, the stretch of Wild Rift esports in the first few months of its release has been slightly hindered. Even though players can create a custom room, the community cannot broadcast Wild Rift matches to the public because there is no Spectator Mode.

However, several organizers from the Wild Rift community are still determined to broadcast Wild Rift tournaments. One of them is a content creator called Assassin Dave. He still organizes Wild Rift Asia Brawl even though he has to accept the limitations of the absence of spectator mode. Of course, Assassin Dave went through a lot of technical challenges to make all the broadcasting possible without spectator mode.

Tournaments initiated by Riot Games also experienced similar difficulties. Wild Rift Pentaboom, for example, also uses a similar viewing method by requiring players to stream their smartphone screens. Despite being able to broadcast matches and inviting many well-known streamer figures in the MOBA scene, the tournament is not very enjoyable to watch due to its limitations that it experiences.

Fortunately, Riot Games recognized the problem and soon responded. Riot Games announced patch 2.1 on February 1, 2021 yesterday. The patch finally provided several desired features from the Wild Rift community, including Spectator Mode. In addition, the patch also contained several regular contents such as new champions, skins, and balancing.

The State of the Wild Rift’s Esports Ecosystem in Indonesia

Let’s now discuss the interest of Wild Rift in the local esports ecosystem. This discussion was important because of the presence of several well-known teams and the increase of fans’ interest in watching esports matches.

In discussing Wild Rift in the local context, four major Indonesian esports teams need to be highlighted. The teams are EVOS Esports, Bigetron Esports, BOOM Esports, and Alter Ego. I will explain why I chose these particular teams later. In addition, I also interviewed a representative from Yamisok as one of the third-party tournament organizers who have held the Wild Rift tournament in the past 2 months.

The first to be discussed is EVOS Esports. We actually have not seen the blue tiger making any moves towards Wild Rift esports. They have not held an open recruitment, let alone a roster announcement. However, their fans really hope that EVOS Esports will join the Wild Rift community in the future, especially after the AOV roster (Wirraw, Pokka, Carraway, and friends) were seen playing Wild Rift several times.

Aldean Tegar Gemilang, as Head of Esports EVOS, was my source in answering the questions regarding the team’s interest in Wild Rift. In general, Aldean said that EVOS Esports is still “waiting and observing” the whole Wild Rift esports scene play out. This strategy is quite reasonable considering that the Wild Rift ecosystem is not yet fully developed, and the game is still in its beta phase.

Sumber Gambar - YouTube Channel — Aldean Tegar, Head of Esports of EVOS Esports. Credits: YouTube Channel Jonathan Liandi.

“Honestly, we haven’t had any plans to enter the Wild Rift. We tend to observe beforehand how Wild Rift will develop in the Indonesian esports scene. If the game will have a big impact on the scene and has a promising ecosystem, we will then start diving into the game.” Aldean says.

Out of curiosity, I also asked about the possibility of the AOV roster being the pioneer of Wild Rift EVOS Esports. If the speculation is correct, then Wild Rift esports will certainly be even more exciting due to the outstanding achievements that EVOS’s AOV roster has accumulated in the past. However, Aldean said, “We still have no comment regarding this matter. The answer could be yes or no.”

Next up is Bigetron Esports. The red and white robot is the leading esports organization in the Wild Rift scene thus far. They are the first team to have a Wild Rift division in Indonesia. Their roster is also quite promising as it features former professional League of Legends PC players, such as Rully “Nuts” Sutanto.

Thomas Vetra, as Head of Esports Bigetron, is my source in examining the team’s journey in the Wild Rift scene. “We had participated in an Asian level tournament called Wild Rift Asia Brawl. We admit that the results have been considered as less than optimal.” So far, Bigetron Infinity (the name of Bigetron Esports’ Wild Rift division) has successfully passed the Wild Rift Asia Brawl group phase and is competing in the Playoff round.

Thomas Vetra, Head of Esports Bigetron. Sumber Gambar - Bigetron Esports. — Thomas Vetra, Head of Esports from Bigetron Esports. Credits: Bigetron Esports.

Because Bigetron Esports was incredibly quick to announce their Wild Rift division, I became curious about the team’s activity and their management’s view regarding this decision.

“When it comes to activities, our players are currently obliged to practice at the gaming house because most players are retirees from the last generation of esports League of Legends. When it comes to tournaments, it is not easy to find competitors to match our Wild Rift team, from what I have noticed so far. I think that investing in a premature esports ecosystem is considered a big investment instead of a loss. Moreover, I personally also feel that Wild Rift has a big opportunity in the Asian market and other regions.” Thomas said.

Next is BOOM Esports. The team with the jargon #HungryBeast has just recently announced the Wild Rift roster. BOOM Esports also plans to present the documentation of their roster selection process. BOOM Esports screened more than 3000 registrants. With insights from Leonard “OMO”, a League of Legends coach in Asia, BOOM Esports selected 5 talented young players and announced their roster on February 1, 2021 yesterday.

To investigate BOOM Esports’ decision in jumping into the Wild Rift esports scene, I interviewed Gary Ongko, Founder and CEO of BOOM Esports.

Gary Ongko Putera, Owner dan CEO dari BOOM Esports. Sumber Gambar - YouTube Channel HybridIDN. — Gary Ongko Putera, Owner and CEO of BOOM Esports. Credits: HybridIDN

“We strongly feel that League of Legends is a franchise that has a good reputation in the esports ecosystem. We can also observe how mobile MOBAs are doing very well in Indonesia. With these two reasons, we feel that Wild Rift has high hopes of achieving similar or even greater success than its counterparts.” Said Gary Ongko to me.

Gary Ongko then also talked about the selection process carried out by BOOM Esports, which lasted for about two months.

“Talking about recruitment, we are very fortunate to be assisted by the coach OMO who has profound knowledge in League of Legends. Thanks to him, we are able to select very talented players. Our players are still relatively new, but I feel they have great potential. Their scrim results are also excellent, and they have a high motivation to improve and learn, which is crucial for becoming a successful pro player.” Gary discusses the selected players from more than 3000 contestants.

“When talking about challenges, one of the difficult problems that we face is finding qualified people from the LoL scene. The reason behind this problem is that the game is relatively undeveloped in the Indonesian esports ecosystem. Therefore, it was difficult to hire experts in the game until finally, we decided to recruit OMO (LoL trainer from Singapore). The current pandemic situation also poses another challenge. At first, we planned to do a boot camp during the selection phase. However, due to the pandemic, we were forced to perform our screening online. ” Gary continues his story discussing the challenges he faced when building the roster.

Finally, there is Alter Ego. This team is also equally important to be highlighted because they, and ONIC Esports, have just received a direct invitation to compete in the inaugural Riot Games official Wild Rift tournament: Wild Rift SEA Icon Series: Preseason. The invitation is quite surprising because Alter Ego doesn’t have a Wild Rift division until this moment.

In an interview I conducted a few days ago (04/02), Indra Hadiyanto, as COO and Co-Founder of Alter Ego, also spoke about the Wild Rift roster and the story of Alter Ego being invited to the Wild Rift Icon Series tournament.

“We speculated that we were invited because Riot noticed our achievements in the VALORANT pro scene, which is another one of Riot’s games. When asked why Alter Ego was invited, the developers actually have their own criteria, starting in terms of players, rank, and even interviewing the team’s management. When Riot invited us, they also explained to us (the team owners) about the roadmap of their games. ” Said Indra.

Indra Hadiyanto, COO and Co-Founder of Alter Ego.

Regarding the roster, Indra also explained that “Even though Alter Ego hasn’t made any announcement, they have actually signed an official roster since December 2020. Alter Ego has not gone public with their roster due to the combination of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the renovation of our gaming house, and the condition of their Wild Rift players domiciled outside Jakarta. The five players from the roster all come from Indonesia, some of which are former League of Legends (PC) players. Our Wild Rift Division has also dominated the local competitive scene that has existed so far. One of them is the community tournament called IEC, which we managed to win on several occasions. ”

Finally, to complete my investigation of the state of the Wild Rift Indonesia’s ecosystem, I also interviewed one of the representatives of third-party tournament organizers, Putri Fauziah, the Project Manager of Yamisok. Yamisok is a technology-based esports tournament platform and regularly held tournaments despite not being able to broadcast Wild Rift due to the absence of spectator mode.

“The missing Spectator Mode feature has profoundly affected the community because tournaments can’t be broadcasted and players cannot interact. In fact, according to my experience, new games are usually crowded with viewers when they are live-streamed, especially if coupled with some giveaway event.” Putri told her experience.

Putri Fauziah, Project Manager dari Yamisok. — Putri Fauziah, Project Manager from Yamisok.

“Regarding the extent of enthusiasm in the community, I observed that the reception that the game received has been overall decent. Many players are interested in participating in the tournament. When we opened the tournament slots, players and teams immediately took their opportunity to register. If there are no tournaments within the span of a month, players will immediately start asking questions. Most of the players that participate in our tournaments are ex-LoL PC players who are currently playing Wild Rift. Perhaps this is because LoL PC tournaments are becoming rare these days. As far as my observation goes, Wild Rift does have a good impact on the ecosystem because it adds some enthusiasm and variety to the MOBA game spectrum. “Putri continued her story discussing the community’s enthusiasm.

All Hopes for the Wild Rift in 2021.

Closing the conversation, five of my sources also expressed their hopes for the future Wild Rift scene in 2021.

“I hope that Riot Games has a solid strategy so that the community can develop and hopefully can compete with other popular Mobile MOBAs in Indonesia. I am actually quite confident that Wild Rift will be promising in the SEA region.” Aldean Tegar from EVOS mentioned.

“I think Riot Games might be able to take advantage of League of Legends’ popularity and give big prize tournaments in the Asia region. Beyond that, I feel that Riot Games already has a solid foundation in the esports ecosystem,” said Thomas from Bigetron Esports.

“In the short term, I strongly feel that Riot Games should continue to promote Wild Rift. For the long-term future, I hope that Riot Games can provide support and constantly improve the Wild Rift esports ecosystem. From what I see from LoL and VALORANT, I’m very sure that Wild Rift will also have tremendous success. Lastly, I hope that Wild Rift will keep their high skill ceiling so we can differentiate or separate the pro players from casual players.” Said Gary Ongko.

Worlds 2019 — The presence of Worlds in the League of Legends scene has become a phenomenon in itself. Credits: Riot Games

“I really hope Indonesia can dominate the international Wild Rift scene in the future. Moreover, I also notice that Riot Games provides an incredibly big opportunity for SEA players in Wild Rift.” Indra from Alter Ego added.

“Personally, I only hope that the Wild Rift ecosystem can develop well and can remain popular for a long time. I also hope Riot will keep the game light so that it is compatible for all ranges of devices.” Putri also added.

League of Legends: Wild Rift itself is still in beta status at the time of writing this article. When I spoke with the Wild Rift development team last October 2020, Brian Feeney, the Design Director of Riot Games, shared how making mobile games is an incredibly challenging process. He also mentioned that Riot Games tends to prioritize game development and takes care of the esports section in a later stage

However, since the game is still far from being finished, the conversations above suggest that the Wild Rift ecosystem will develop much faster than expected. Although, indeed, most of the esports initiatives were taken by third parties. For example, many local teams are very confident in forming rosters even though Riot Games has not clearly disclosed Wild Rift’s esports plan. Moreover, several third-party organizers are also determined to host tournaments for the community despite all the limitations they will face.

Sumber: YouTube Channel League of Legends: Wild Rift — Approximately 3 months after Wild Rift was release, it’s safe to say that the game’s development process is relatively fast. Credits: League of Legends: Wild Rift YouTube Channel

Approximately 3 months after Wild Rift was released, it’s safe to say that the game’s development process is relatively fast, especially for developers with minimal mobile game development experience such as Riot Games. Image Source – YouTube Channel League of Legends: Wild Rift

In the future, as an observer and a fan, I have the same expectations as Gary Ongko: hoping that Wild Rift will have an international-level tournament like LoL and that teams from Indonesia participate in those tournaments. But from the point of view of the ecosystem, I hope that Riot Games can learn from Tencent in managing PUBG Mobile.

Tencent’s approach in closely being inlined with the community that flows towards the pro scene could be the sole reason why PUBG Mobile has managed to take root in Indonesia. Throughout its development, we can observe how the PUBG Mobile ecosystem pays attention to its pro scene and other esports’ ecosystem.

We can take the example of tournaments such as PMCO (community level) and PMCC (University level) which are accompanied by activities such as Caster Hunt and Campus Ambassador. After all, the esports ecosystem is not just about the pros. Instead, the whole community also plays a critical role in keeping the esports ecosystem at the top-level relevant and successful.

Translated by: Ananto Joyoadikusumo

5 Things You Can Do to Get Recruited by a High-Tier Esports Team

We usually play games to spend our free time and as a means of entertainment. However, for some individuals, playing games is considered their real job. Being a professional esports player who competes in big tournaments and has a lot of fans is definitely a feat that many want to achieve. However, not everyone actually knows how to become a legitimate professional esports player. If you really do have all the skills needed to become a pro, here are some ways you can get recruited by an esports team.

1. Climb up the leaderboards and become one of the top players in the game

Sumber: Dokumentasi Resmi PMPL ID 2020 Season 1 — Source: PMPL ID

Climbing or pushing your in-game rank is commonly assumed by gamers as the initial stage to prove your skill in the game. If you want to be a pro, you should strive to enter the highest rank in the game, such as Immortal in Dota 2 or Mythic Glory in Mobile legends.

In the upper echelons of the leaderboards, you will have the opportunity to meet real professional players. Play with your best effort to attract the attention of the pros. The important thing to note is that you have to showcase all your skills and prove that you are capable of becoming a professional player. One of the ways esports teams usually find new talents is through recommendations from players inside the organization.

Moreover, you can try to get into the highest rankings, such as Top Global for MLBB. Pro teams often scout young talented players in the top leaderboards of the game.

2. Participate in tournaments and acquire notable achievements

Sumber: InvenGlobal — *Source: InvenGlobal*

Apart from recommendations, esports teams usually also have specific departments that scout for talents in the amateur scene. These talent scouts will monitor esports matches in detail. They will examine the way you play, the decisions you make during the match, the mentality and behaviour when competing, etc.

Therefore, you have to give your utmost best when you compete to win and attract the scouts’ attention.

It should be noted that esports organizations can scout for full teams (five for MOBA or four for Battle Royale, for example) or just a single player. Thus, there is nothing wrong with creating or having your own team. Apart from honing your individual skills, you will also learn to work together with your teammates. Even if the esports organization is only looking for one player, they will also consider your team working abilities as it is an essential value to have as a pro player.

3. Search for opportunities in the pro teams’ social media accounts

Sumber: TEAMnxl> Facebook — *Source: TEAMnxl> Facebook*

Many esports teams have opened player recruitments in their social media. Therefore, you will frequently need to check esports teams’ social media. Always be on the lookout for opportunities to sign up as a recruit.

However, as mentioned before, having a track record of achievement in tournaments or a high rank in the game is key in being successfully recruited through social media. Thus, these open recruitments are only suited to players who have high expertise or experience.

In addition, you can also follow popular figures in the esports industry such as AP from RRQ, Aldean Tegar from EVOS, Owljan from BOOM Esports, or other players from Bigetron, Alter Ego, and their friends to get more information. However, I genuinely don’t recommend contacting these people if you do not have the necessary expertise to attract their attention. The last thing you want to happen is getting blocked by these major players in the Indonesian esports ecosystem.

Unless you are as good as Muhammad “inYourdreaM” Rizky in Dota 2 or Hansel “BnTeT” Ferdinand in CS:GO, your chances of getting recruited become far greater if you have more acquaintances in the industry- besides having skills, of course.

4. Live streaming

Sumber: Liquipedia — *Source: Liquipedia*

If you feel that you possess the necessary skills to compete in the competitive world of esports, and have achieved a high rank in the game, an equally effective way to attract the attention of pro teams is live streaming. Register yourself on live streaming platforms such as Youtube Gaming, Facebook Gaming, or Nimo TV. Live streaming will allow you to broadcast your gameplay and skills to the public.

Furthermore, even if you do not succeed in getting into the professional scene, you can at least continue your career as a live-streamer. There are several examples of live-streamers who managed to enter the pro scene, such as Alex “Entruv” Prawira, who is now the PUBGM and Free Fire coach for the Aura Esports team.

5. Attending an esports academy

Several professional esports teams run their own esports academies, such as PUBGM RRQ Academy from the Rex Regum Qeon. At RRQ Academy PUBGM, players will be trained by RRQ PUBGM players and coaches, namely Michael “StMichael” Chandra. Esports academies provide an incredibly valuable opportunity for amateur players to get trained by pros and potentially enter an esports organization.

If you are offered to join a professional esports team, a tryout period is usually carried out. This tryout period will typically take months to analyze if your gameplay meshes well with the existing team.

There will also be an interview session. Pros are not only assessed through the ability to play but also their behavior in front of Indonesian esports industry figures. Do you really deserve the title of a professional esports player? Do you have the mentality of being a pro? Discipline is also a key attribute in being a pro player. According to TechRadar, professional players from Gen.G Esports Korea usually train for 15 hours every single day.

Conclusion

Being a professional esports player is a real job, and you cannot assume it to be always fun. Like any other jobs, being a pro requires responsibility, the willingness to learn, and the ability to work with your peers.

If you feel that you already have the skills to compete at the highest level, you can use these 5 tips as a pathway to the pro scene. Otherwise, it is imperative that you continue honing your skills.

Translated by Ananto Joyoadikusumo

Moonton: Esports Science is Definitely One Aspect that We Will Be Looking to Invest

A while ago, Esports Insider reported a partnership between JOIDATA and Moonton. This three-year deal means that JOIDATA will provide data design and support services for the MPL (Mobile Legends Professional League). JOIDATA will build an integrated esports data system for MLBB, providing live broadcasts with real-time data and highlight packages. JOIDATA, which also has partnered up with LGD Gaming and Fnatic, will collaborate with teams to provide data from competitive matches.

In a release, Xu Qian, CEO of JOIDATA, gave his comment regarding this partnership: “Over the recent years, the increasingly picky taste of the players has driven the maturation of esports data development, while the growingly rich and professional presentation of data also improves the players’ understanding of professional tournaments.

Mobile Legends Profesional League — Source: MPL Indonesia

For years, JOIDATA has been immersed in the study and learning of esports tournament data system. By exploring the commercial values of players, teams, and tournaments, it is dedicated to promoting the systematisation and specialisation of esports data, connecting enterprises at both upper and lower reach, and injecting more energy into the esports ecosystem.”

I am really curious about this partnership. Since Indonesia have the first MPL in the world and the game has the biggest player base in this country, I contacted Moonton to dig more information about the partnership. Through Azwin Nugraha, PR Manager of Moonton Gaming, I sent my questions and received some answers.

Hybrid (H): About the data-focused partnership with JOIDATA, what kind of data are we talking about? Will the data be available to the public or is it the kind of business data where it’s only accessible to certain parties?

Moonton (M): Data collected for the initial phase will be focused on game stats for our esports ecosystem to have the flexibility to create more stats for storytelling and provide our fans with a more in-depth presentation of the microelements of competitive MLBB. The data will be used by the league, and we are in talks internally on how all these stats can be shared later on with the public for API integration.

Sumber: Dokumentasi Hybrid - Akbar Priono — Source: Hybrid – Akbar Priono

H: What is the significance of the data for the esports ecosystem according to Moonton?

M: As we move on to the next phase of our esports journey, these statistics help provide our teams with another set of resource to increase their competitive gameplays and better evaluate talents. This is a very natural next step for the continuous growth of MLBB esports.

H: Sports science plays a crucial role in sports development and it involves a lot of data. What does Moonton think about esports science?

M: Moonton is a company that consistently thrive for innovation, (e)sport science is definitely one aspect that we will be looking to invest in to expedite our growth in this sector.

H: Esports science, theoretically, should be easier than sports science considering all the data is already digital. What makes esports science seems a bit slow?

M: Priority differences. as we creating something new in the region, i.e. our franchise league model in Indonesia, our focus would be first to build up our team both internally and our franchise league teams with regards to production capabilities, content creation etc.

H: Compared to PC esports, collecting data for esports mobile by the public or third party is harder since it has to be done manually (while PC esports could use API). Is it possible that we could see similar access to mobile esports?

M: Definitely. In fact, MLBB esports was already developing some in-house API. This partnership would be a step towards a more API driven method of collect stats for our leagues and tournaments.

—

This is very exciting. Personally, I’m really bored with esports condition nowadays with so many personal drama and cheesy contents. Esports science could definitely provide new perspectives and make it fresh again — at least for me. Let’s hope Moonton could take a lead in this mobile esports field!

3 Features that Should be Standards for a Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

The last couple of months, when my SteelSeries Apex 7 started to show a problem with its Enter key, I have a new obsession — finding a perfect mechanical gaming keyboard. Sadly, even with so many variants of mechanical and gaming keyboards in the market, it’s not that easy to find an accessible product that has all the features that I need.

Fortunately, after wasting money buying another keyboard that I don’t really like and spending time to research, I find a perfect gaming keyboard for me that I will disclose at the end of this article.

I know that every user has different needs and tastes regarding their perfect gaming keyboard but I believe these 3 features will benefit every gamer and it should be new standards.

FYI and for a justification, I really like testing gaming peripherals and it’s kind of an obsession for me. Previously, I have reviewed dozens of gaming peripherals when I worked for a printed magazine. Right now, I also have 4 keyboards (SteelSeries Apex 7, Razer Blackwidow V3, Dareu EK840, and Tecware Phantom Elite). For keyboard accessories, I have 2 additional keycap sets (from Tai Hao and Tecware) and 3 wrist rests.

For mice, I have Razer Naga Pro, Razer Basilisk V2, SteelSeries Rival 500, Logitech G703, ROG Strix Claw, and Dareu EM 901. For headsets, I have Logitech G431 and HyperX Cloud Flight with 3 additional pairs of earcups from Brainwavz.

With that out of the way, let’s get to the main discussion.

Hot-swappable Switches

This is the first precious feature that every mechanical gaming keyboard should have.

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As I said before, I used a SteelSeries Apex 7. Sadly, it hasn’t been a year when the Enter key shows an intermittent problem. Sometimes, I have to press the key a couple of times before it works. I could fix it temporarily by cleaning the switch with a contact cleaner and an air blower. Yet the problem came again after a month, more or less. Until one day, the switch is just stuck.

I honestly like the Apex 7. It has a solid build quality, better than Razer Blackwidow V3 that I bought after, in many aspects (base, stabilizers, keycaps, and wrist rest). However, it’s really such a waste when I have to replace an entire keyboard just because of one problematic switch.

I also feel conflicted because of the problem. On one hand, I will try to avoid SteelSeries keyboards for a while — I don’t have any problem with their mouse since I have a working Rival 500 even after using it for more than 2 years. On the other hand, I might be just super unlucky to have that problem. Mass-produced goods tend to have hiccups in some of the units. It’s just statistics.

Nevertheless, this won’t be a problem if hot-swappable switches are standard in gaming keyboards. I could just replace the broken switch and continue using the keyboard.

I know there are some mechanical keyboards with hot-swappable switches but they lack other features that I need or it’s not distributed/produced as good as big gaming brands. Because I live in Indonesia, non-mainstream premium products such as DROP Shift or Mountain Everest Max are not easy to get. For those 2, last time I check, there is no stock either on their official websites.

Mainstream gaming brands such as Razer, SteelSeries, Logitech, or Corsair, usually, don’t have the same problem because they already have good networks of distribution and big production capacity.

However, from those 4 brands, I could only find a hot-swappable switches keyboard from Logitech, Logitech G Pro X. Sadly, it doesn’t have standard bottom rows that I will discuss later. There are also available hot-swappable keyboards in Indonesia such as from Keychron but, sadly, most are missing a deal-breaker feature for me: a macro and rebinding keys software.

Logitech G Pro X with swappable switches. Via: PC World — Logitech G Pro X with swappable switches. Credit: PC World

Macro and Keys-Rebinding Software

I know that most people don’t use this because it’s really useful for specific needs. I am a lazy gamer, writer, and editor… lol… I always have an Auto Walk (Hold W) macro on my mouse and keyboard. I even put CTRL+I in a macro function and put it in a key.

Regarding this feature, it’s already a standard from mainstream gaming brands. Razer Synapse, SteelSeries Engine, Logitech G Hub, and Corsair iCue are good enough for me. On the other hand, smaller and non-mainstream gaming brands usually don’t have this feature.

Again, I agree that it’s not a feature for everyone. However, with growing needs or trends for digital content creators, a macro feature could be very useful for many video or graphic designers.

Some people maybe will argue that there are rebinding keys and macro software out there. I know that since I also researched that too thinking about sacrificing this feature for a hot-swappable keyboard. However, I can’t find a software that as easy to use as Synapse or SteelSeries Engine. AutoHotkey allows really complex macro or even scripts but it’s not that easy to use. There are also rebinding key softwares such as Key Remapper, KeyTweak, or SharpKeys but they don’t allow macro AFAIK so I have to use additional software for macro.

Razer Synapse (without the annoying online feature) and SteelSeries Engine are the best for me (UI and features) and I think the others should take a look at those for the new standard.

Standard Bottom Row and Keycap Stem

This is the last feature that should be a standard for gaming mechanical keyboards. As I said previously, during my search, I found that Logitech G Pro X has a switch hot-swap feature. I also know that Logitech G Hub is a decent software for macro and rebinding keys. Sadly, G Pro X doesn’t have a standard bottom row. Its spacebar even has a really weird size.

The standard bottom row is important because of changeable keycaps. Keycaps may sound trivial but they have significant impacts. First, aesthetically, it could give different looks for a keyboard. I love pudding keycaps on my keyboard. Second, it also gives a different feel when used because our fingers touch the keycaps. There are keycaps with a rough surface or keycaps that are not easily dirty. ABS and PBT keycaps also feel different on my fingertips. Last but not least, different keycaps also produce different sounds. If you are using clicky switches, there are 2 sounds produced when you are typing. The switch sound and keycaps sound (when bottoming out fast). While it depends on the keyboard base material too, some keycaps may produce bad ‘thock’ sound.

Speaking of keycaps, thankfully, most mechanical keyboards have a standard stem so we can switch keycaps around easily. I remember when Logitech had roamer switches on their keyboard which don’t have a standard stem. Thankfully, they already change it with their current products.

My SteelSeries Apex 7 with pudding keycaps

Regarding standard bottom row and keycap stem, mainstream gaming brands are already walking in the right direction. Corsair keyboards for example. Its newest keyboard, K100 has standard bottom row while its previous products (K95 or K70) don’t. Razer and SteelSeries also offer a standard bottom row on their current products. However, I really think it’s still worth noting so that gaming brands don’t make silly decisions regarding changeable keycaps in the future.

Final Words

I am a fanatic fan of desktop PC Gaming because of its modularity feature. I could customize so many things according to my needs and taste (and budget, of course). That spirit of modularity should be brought into gaming keyboard too.

About the hot-swappable feature, I know that making a product that could last forever doesn’t make sense for some business perspectives. However, creating products that are easily broken is also bad, if not worse, for business.

Upgrading modularity on gaming keyboards may have another business opportunity too. For example, gaming brands could also sell keycaps, wrist rest, switches, and others. Razer already sells PBT keycaps and wrist rest separately. Logitech also sells switches. Better modularity could bring benefits to both users and brands.

Last but not least, as I said earlier, I already found and bought a perfect keyboard for my needs. It is Tecware Phantom Elite. It has a hot-swappable feature, standard bottom row, full-sized (since I also need a Numpad), and macro software (although its software is not as good as Razer’s). It’s also available in Indonesia, unlike DROP or Mountain brands.

Keep in mind, this article is not sponsored by Tecware. I don’t even know people from Tecware… On the contrary, since I have been in the industry quite a while, I know people from Logitech, SteelSeries, and Razer.

With this article, I just hope the mainstream gaming brands could start implementing hot-swappable switches on their keyboard in the future. On the other side, smaller brands could find a way to provide great macro software.

The Reasons Behind Watching Esports and Its Impact on Game Consumption

Lately, the growth of esports has cemented itself as an industry that looks really promising. Newzoo, one of the leading esports and gaming market research companies, predicts that esports will become an industry worth US$ 1.1 billion by 2020. Seeing this, it is not surprising that many people decide to venture into the esports business. In addition, the pandemic situation also boosted the popularity of gaming as everyone spends most of their time in their homes, and outdoor activities are prohibited.

However, we should realize that esports is considered a vertical development of the gaming industry. Although esports is predicted to become an enormous industry, not all gamers follow, understand, or have full knowledge about esports. Therefore, it begs to ask the following questions: why do people watch esports? And if the industry is expected to be incredibly successful, what makes esports so interesting for its many followers? Finally, how effective is esports at becoming a marketing tool for developers?

A Brief Discussion on the History of Using Esports Tournaments as a Means of Marketing

Before going to the main discussion, let’s take a step back in time to see the history of competitions in the realm of video games. Even though the esports scene may look very new or young, video game competition is a phenomenon that has been happening since the 1990s. If you want to know more, you can read the following articles discussing the history of esports on the international scale or the history of the development of Counter-Strike esports in Indonesia.

One aspect that distinguishes between today’s esports and the video game competitions in the ’90s is the purpose behind creating those competitions. Back then, video game competitions were held as a marketing tool for game developers and publishers. If you want to know this history from a western cultural perspective, I would advise you to watch the riveting Netflix documentary, High Score.

(Spoiler alert!) The documentary introduces the video game competition ecosystem in the 1990s USA. It started off with Nintendo, a game console company, creating a tournament called the Nintendo World Championship in the United States. Several years later, SEGA, another Japanese game console company, soon followed and created the SEGA World Championship.

Just a few years later, the video gaming competitions have matured into the full-fledged esports scene we see today. However, the essence and purpose of esports as a video game competition has not changed. But, slowly and surely, esports is experiencing a shift in its function. It developed from a simple marketing tool to an independent industry that will change gaming forever. We can see this from Riot Games, which makes esports a pillar of their business.

With these changes, esports is no longer tied to the monopoly of game developers. Today, many parties continue to cultivate the competitive side of gaming so that the esports industry can survive and keep developing. Therefore, in an effort to reach this goal, we must investigate the reasons behind why people watch esports.

Furthermore, what are the answers to the questions mentioned previously? Can esports still be an effective marketing tool? To answer this, let’s move to the next discussion.

Reasons Why People Watch Esports

To tackle this topic, we need to take a look at a scientific journal titled Does esports spectating influence game consumption (Tyrväinen, Pirkkalainen, and Hamari 2020). As the title suggests, the journal will give us insights into the correlation between watching esports and the consumption of video games.

More specifically, the journal tries to find out the relationship between the level of esports consumption and the level of in-game content purchases, as well as the relationship between the level of video game consumption and the level of in-game content purchases. Lastly, the journal also discusses the possible reasons why people watch esports.

The scientific journal mentions 9 possible reasons why people consume esports content. These factors were adapted from a theory called the Motivation Scale for Sport Consumption, often used in traditional sports.

Sumber: Official Riot Games — Credits: Official Riot Games

The first possible reason why people watch esports is to witness the highlights and achievements of our favorite team. The second reason is the acquisition of knowledge or our desire to gain information, techniques, and tips from the professional. Another reason is the aesthetic appreciation of the nuances and artistry of a competition.

The fourth reason is witnessing the drama occurring in the dynamic stories and relationships between professionals. People also use esports as an escape or a method to unwind from their routines. Friends and family can also influence someone to follow and watch esports. The study also found a positive association between physical attraction, or the admiration of professionals’ skills, and the desire to watch esports. Spectating and studying pro players’ skills can also be an incentive for many who watch esports. Lastly, people watch esports to benefit their social interactions as it can be an easy way to connect with other like-minded esports spectators.

The research used 222 respondents who were F2P game players. These players are gathered through social media and online forums. The research has succeeded in finding several correlations or positive associations from the indicators used. It found that watching esports is correlated with the desire to play the spectated game. However, the research has failed to find the association between watching esports and the desire to buy digital content from the games you watch. On the other hand, players with a drive to play games are most likely to purchase the games they desire.

Therefore, the research is relatively successful in answering our question at the beginning of the article. Undoubtedly, esports is still quite effective when used as a marketing tool. However, we know that purchasing digital content is not necessarily correlated with esports but rather the intensity or desire for playing games. Therefore, some tweaking will be needed for esports to have an impact on the sales of digital goods in-game (or in-app purchases).

So what makes someone watch esports? The research only found 3 of the 9 factors to have positive associations with esports watching intention. The three factors are the acquisition of knowledge, family and friends, and escape.

As mentioned previously, the acquisition of knowledge means that the audience watches esports to gain some knowledge or information about the game from the professionals. We can then use this newfound knowledge as our new in-game repertoire or share it with our friends.

In terms of the factor of family and friends, the research found that watching esports can be used as a method to strengthen social relationships. This finding is quite interesting because watching esports has either no or negative effects on social interactions, as many people claim. However, the research implies that one of the goals behind watching esports is strengthening existing relationships with people you know (family/friends) rather than making new relationships with new people. The last factor, escape, proposes that watch esports to relax from their daily routine fatigue.

Sumber: DSResearch — Credits: DSResearch

As we have seen from the scientific journal, there are a variety of reasons why people watch esports. Hybrid.co.id together with Dailysocial.id also conducted research related to the 2019 Esports Market Trend 2019. From this research, we found that the 3 biggest reasons people watch esports are for entertainment, supporting their favorite team, or their favorite player. Of the 1,445 participants of the research, 57.2 percent watched esports as a means of entertainment, 43.1 percent admitted to watching esports to support their favorite team, and 42.1 percent watched esports to support their favorite players.

Battlefy, an esports platform based in Canada, also conducted similar research shown in the figure above. 89 percent of the 345 respondents, the largest percentile, claimed to watch esports because they want to improve their gameplay. The second-largest percentile of the correspondents, 83 percent, watch esports as a means to participate (play and compete) in the esports games they spectate. Lastly, as many as 58% of the total respondents admitted to watching esports because they like the surrounding culture and community.

Observing the results above, the reasons people watch esports can be narrowed to three things. First, people watch esports to learn how the professionals play and apply it in their own gameplay. Secondly, people watch esports for leisure and entertainment. Thirdly, watching esports is used to improve social life and interactions

If you are an esports industry practitioner, these three reasons might be things that you ask yourself before planning to make an esports show. Are your esports shows entertaining? Can your esports show be used as a learning tool for other players? Do your esports broadcasts encourage social interactions between the spectators?

I cannot say with full confidence that accommodating these factors is the right recipe for creating a successful esports event. However, at the very least, it can be used as a general guideline to make your esports event much more entertaining for the viewers.

Personally, I feel that one of the factors above accurately described my reasoning for watching esports. Let’s take my example of watching Worlds 2020. Even though League of Legends is not very popular in Indonesia, I still followed the Worlds 2020 event a few months ago simply because some of my friends participate in the League of Legends scene. As part of the FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), I try my best to follow League events. Fortunately, watching Worlds 2020 also helped inspire my work to discuss why South Korean youth are so good at playing League of Legends.

The Impact of Watching Esports on Game Consumption

How about the relationship between watching esports and the level of game consumption? To answer this question, we need to observe another study and example, this time from the PUBG Mobile scene.

From the data of the most popular esports broadcast in August 2020, PUBG Mobile ranks first with a record of 1.1 million peak viewers. We also see that the number of PUBG Mobile game players continues to grow as Tencent continues to improve the competitive aspect of the game. Data shows that PUBG Mobile has been downloaded 400 million times with a daily active player count of 50 million people in June 2019.

PUBG Mobile Global Championship — The cohesiveness of PUBG Mobile and its esports allows the game to dominate the market for years.

Of course, this figure alone cannot fully prove that esports broadcasts will attract new players. In fact, it could be argued that most PUBG Mobile esports viewers already played the game beforehand. But even with this argument, esports events can, at the very least, help the game developers keep their player base entertained.

Let’s now try to figure out the correlation of watching esports with the consumption of digital goods in games. Data from research has actually shown that there is indeed a positive association between the two subjects. Returning to PUBG Mobile as an example, we can see how the game has earned over US$3 billion after its 2-year run. Esports may not have an immediate impact on the sales, but it definitely has played a significant role in keeping it popular for years.

As we have seen from the studies previously, there are countless factors that incentivize someone to play games and buy in-game purchases. It is not easy to say how big of a role esports plays in this matter. On the one hand, we can see Ubisoft’s success Rainbow Six: Siege more attractive to players because of esports. But on the other hand, Mihoyo is able to successfully earn US$ 100 million through Genshin Impact without taking any initiatives on esports.

The genre of the game could be yet another additional variable that potentially complicates this discussion even further. In the end, I think it is safe to say that esports can create many opportunities in this modern era. Thanks to the massive technological advancements in the past few years, esports is no longer just a marketing tool but also an independent industry with a lot of potential and room to grow.

The Love-Hate Relationship between Esports Fans and Organizations

The esports industry has developed rapidly in recent years and is estimated to continue to grow in the future. One of the reasons why esports is expected to become a big industry — with a value of nearly US$ 1 billion — is that competitive gaming is believed to be the new form of entertainment in the future. Just like all forms of entertainment, fans also have a crucial role in the world of esports.

For esports organizations, winning tournaments is no longer their only objective. They must also be able to cultivate the loyalty and enthusiasm of their fans. Therefore, it is not a surprise when teams like EVOS Esports and FaZe Clan have exclusive entertainment divisions.

What Makes Someone a Fan of an Esports Organization?

Esports is now often juxtaposed with traditional sports, such as football. However, the reason someone chooses their favorite team is different in the world of esports and football. In football, fans will usually decide to support their local team.

When I lived in Jakarta, I often saw The Jakmania parade to Gelora Bung Karno when Persija was competing. When I was living in Yogyakarta, I often saw Slemania. Indeed, PSS Sleman is not considered a top team in the Indonesian League. However, that notion does not stop the people of Sleman from supporting their team.

The esports ecosystem is different from the world of traditional sports, such as football. In esports, almost all professional teams are based and established in Jakarta. Despite this, a large portion of RRQ or EVOS Esports’ fans still come from many regions outside of Jakarta.

Fans RRQ berasal dari berbagai kota. | Sumber: Indosport — RRQ fans come from various cities | Via: Indosport

Interestingly, according to the research on football fans conducted by John Williams, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Leicester, it is actually not a guarantee that today’s football fans support their local teams. With the existence of television and the internet, people today can effortlessly observe and find out about any football teams around the world. Williams said people today most likely will support football teams that are considered strong.

In esports, a team’s performance is definitely a factor that is taken into account before someone decides to support that team. The team that often wins in tournaments will usually have a larger following of fans. Apart from strength and performance, another aspect that encourages someone to become a fan of an esports team is the identity or image displayed by that team.

Alex Aune, a Cloud9 fan and moderator of the Cloud9 subreddit, said that he liked the organization because of its humble attitude. He also admires how Jack Etienne, owner of Cloud 9, treats esports athletes under his auspices.

Tim League of Legends Cloud9 pada 2018. | Sumber: The Esports Observer — League of Legends Cloud9 team in 2018 | Via: The Esports Observer

According to OpTic Gaming owner Hector “H3CZ” Rodriguez, the most effective way to attract fans is to create some intimacy between them and the organization. For that reason, he uploads daily videos that introduce his life and family to his viewers. According to Rodriguez, the videos provide an element of familiarity so that the viewers will, ultimately, be willing to support him and his team.

In addition, Rodriguez mentioned that esports organizations could also get fans by recruiting well-known figures to create content such as interviews or live streams. After a successful team builds a fanbase, they can then focus on strengthening their roster.

In Williams’ research, he also found that a person tends to support a team simply because their idol is in that team. For example, a person can be loyal to FC Barcelona because he likes Lionel Messi. In the world of esports, someone can become a fan of RRQ because they admire Muhammad “Lemon” Ikhsan. Moreover, in esports, a fan can easily communicate with their idol through social media.

Unfortunately, the ease of communication offered by social media and the internet can also act as a double-edged sword. On the one hand, professional esports teams can build a fanbase and communicate with them more easily. On the other hand, fans can also use social media to attack or send hate to teams losing teams.

The Characteristics of Esports Fans in Indonesia

In Indonesia, RRQ is one of the esports organizations that prioritize tournament wins or victories. As the name implies, RRQ wants to be the “king” of the Indonesian esports scene. This strategy has succeeded in attracting a lot of RRQ fans. Even the CEO of RRQ, Andraline Pauline, or AP, said that RRQ fans in Indonesia are quite loyal. However, there is a price that RRQ must pay in using this approach: they must be able to meet the high expectations of their fans.

“The greatest risk that a large team with a large fanbase has is the high amount of pressure set on their shoulders,” said AP. “If we do not perform well, the fans will never hesitate to criticize us. But, of course, all fans will always want their favorite team to win.”

The CEO of BOOM Esports, Gary Ongko, expressed a similar notion: esports fans in Indonesia are very loyal. “Mobile Legends fans are usually die-hard RRQ fans, similar to Dota 2 fans and BOOM Esports,” he said to Hybrid.co.id. “The same trend also occurs between Free Fire fans and Aura. The team will always have a large following of fans regardless if they win or lose in tournaments.

Furthermore, Gary revealed, “There are also fans who are loyal to players, like traditional sports. An example of such players is InYourDream. Another example is Khezcute; his fans will always support the organization he is playing in. If Khezcute decides to move to EVOS tomorrow, his fans will undoubtedly start supporting the EVOS organization.”

Alfi Syahrin Nelphyana alias Khezcute. | Sumber: Liquipedia — Alfi Syahrin Nelphyana A.K.A Khezcute. | Via: Liquipedia

However, Gary did not deny that there are also bandwagons in the esports ecosystem. These are individuals who only support a team when it is winning tournaments or is performing tremendously well. “Just like in traditional sports, when you win, people will support your team, or at least pretend to,” Gary said jokingly.

Despite their loyalty, Indonesian esports fans are quite demanding, according to Gary. When a team loses, it is not uncommon for fans to be critical of the team and feel like ‘they knew better’. However, Gary feels that this is not something too bizarre, considering the same phenomenon happens in the world of traditional sports. “When the team loses, their fans frequently pretend to be the team manager. However, they have to understand and realize that everyone in the organization always gives their best. These tournaments are consistently filled with competent and skillful teams. The difference between winning and losing is always incredibly slim,” he mentioned.

Furthermore, if a team chokes or loses in an expected win situation, their fans might also attack, send hate and flame them. Gary said that BOOM gets these threats quite often, especially when they are underperforming.

Gary explained that the players were asked to filter the messages and threats coming from these netizens. “It is very normal to have haters if you are successful. If you don’t have any haters, you are simply not yet successful.”

He added that the BOOM organization also reminds the players that they are very proud of their achievements. “We, the management, your family, and your friends, are 100% proud of you. You don’t have to listen to the haters out there.” Lastly, he revealed, the players would always be reminded that “Netizens are just netizens.”

Gary admitted that he didn’t really care about these sorts of threats. Unfortunately, threats and hate are commonplace in both sports and esports.

Case Example: T1

T1, an esports organization from South Korea, recently received some harassment from their fans. The reason behind this harassment is their failure to enter the League of Legends World Championship. Many fans see this failure to reach Worlds 2020 as a choke because they recently won the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) Spring 2020 tournament. They also have one of the best League of Legends players of all time, Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok. T1 has also accumulated the most wins at Worlds, three to be exact. It is safe to say that T1 is not a team you expect to be absent from Worlds.

Tim League of Legends dari T1. | Sumber: InvenGlobal — T1’s League of Legends team. | Via: InvenGlobal

However, a good marksman may still miss; nobody is truly perfect. T1 lost to Afreeca Freecs in the LCK Summer Playoff in early September 2020, which means that they have to win the Regional Qualifiers to get a slot in Worlds 2020. Unfortunately, they fell short in their battle against Gen.G. As a result, T1 failed to participate in Worlds 2020.

According to Dexerto’s report, many of the fans’ protests started in August 2020 because T1 benched Faker. Unfortunately, T1’s defeat at the Regional Qualifiers further enrages the fans. Some of them vented their anger and disappointment by sending threats to the T1 staff and players. As an attempt to contain this problem, the organization decides to discuss this issue on Twitter.

“T1 does not tolerate harassment of any form between players, coaches, employees, League officials or fans. We value our community’s fandom and acknowledge that criticism comes with the territory of professional gaming,” T1 CEO Joe Marsh wrote on Twitter. “However, recent incidents have threatened our team’s health and safety – overstepping the lines of fandom with violent threats and hate speech”

Furthermore, Marsh revealed that they are willing to take legal action if the fans continue to attack the T1 team and staff, “The health and safety of our players remain our top priority,” said Marsh. “There’s no place for hate in esports.”

How Can Fans Become So Loyal To Their Favorite Team?

Whether we realize it or not, the definition of our identity is usually tied to several external factors, such as nationality, ethnicity and gender. Interestingly, according to various studies, the status of being a fan of a particular team can be part of a person’s identity. Daniel Wann, Professor of Psychology, Murray State University explained, fans of a sports team usually feel that they have some psychological attachment to their favorite team. Not only that, they sometimes believe that a team’s performance is self-relevant.

“People are tying up a lot of who they are in their identity as fans of X-team,” says Edward Hirt, Associate Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University-Bloomington, quoted from Psychological Science. “A huge part of who they are, where they derive a lot of their positive and negative affect, is from what their team is doing.” Therefore, it is not a surprise that people have a tendency to support stronger teams.

However, all teams will eventually lose, no matter how strong they may seem. This fact applies in both the world of esports and traditional spots. I have frequently seen many championship teams lose in the finals or semifinals. But the real question that needs to be answered is how the fans can stay loyal even if their favorite team loses?

Para fans sepak bola di Indonesia. | Sumber: Kompas — Football fans in Indonesia | Via: Kompas

Based on the research Wann conducted, a person wants to be a fan because they want to get affiliated with their favorite team. When someone supports a local sports team, they can meet and socialize with other like-minded fans, which will benefit psychological health.

Wann also conducted various studies to determine the correlation between a person’s pride as a fan and their mental health. He found that people are less likely to feel lonely if they take pride as fans of their favorite team.

Moreover, the pride that someone takes in being a fan also affects their self-confidence. According to the study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology in the early 1990s, a person can see the success of his favorite team as personal success, if their identity is closely tied to his status as a fan.

Meanwhile, Robert J. Fisher, Professor of Marketing at the University of Western Ontario, explained that personal identity is correlated with our self-perception. Given that the status as a fan also affects one’s identity, pride as a fan will also affect how someone views themselves. Moreover, supporting a sports team can also be a way for someone to showcase their identity.

“We’re always trying to find people or organizations that can reflect our identity or personality,” Fisher said. “We want people to see us as someone capable of making smart decisions and be proud of them.”

Therefore, it is not surprising to see football fans boasting about their team’s achievements. They do this to boost their confidence and pride towards the team. However, what happens if their favorite team loses?

Interestingly, sports team fans also have their own methods of remaining loyal and coping with defeats if their team is underperforming. For one, fans like to blame external or uncontrollable factors such as referees. Fans will also boast past achievements of their favorite team and neglect the current losses. However, some fans might also turn their backs against their favorite team and support the winning teams.

Conclusion

There is a saying that goes: there is a thin line between love and hate. Indeed, scientifically speaking, both love and hate emotions trigger the same part of the human brain, namely the insula and putamen. Consequently, love can effortlessly turn into hate and vice versa.

The love of a fan is undoubtedly different from romantic love. However, it cannot be denied that a fan’s passion for their favorite team is a very intense emotion. Therefore, just as romantic love can turn into hatred, so can fans’ love for their team.

Source: theScore esports, Psychological Science. Feat image: Riot Games. This article is translated by Ananto Joyoadikusumo.

M2 World Championship META Analysis

Mobile Legends Bang Bang’s most prestigious tournament, M2 World Championship, may have ended, but the exciting memories that trail will forever be remembered. But it’s not just the adrenaline-filled games that we could talk endlessly about, we can learn a lot just by seeing which heroes were constantly picked, banned, and had amazing outcomes.

It’s apparent that some heroes became favorites of almost all teams, being constantly competed and even attained respect-bans from the world’s best teams around. What may be the reason behind such trends? Does the M2 META reflect where the game’s strongest potential lie?

In this article, we shall explore some of the most notable heroes, starting with the most picked, most banned, highest win rates, as well as the hero with the highest GPM throughout. Moreover, we will find out which player achieved the greatest number of kills during M2.

Most Picked Heroes

The following are the three most picked heroes throughout M2 World Championship. Multiple aspects contribute to the heavy favoritism towards these heroes, ranging from being an overall good and stable pick, to being an all-time powerful hero.

Lapu-Lapu

Since his revamp in the last patch, Lapu-Lapu became a top favorite pick among players in Ranked Matches and professional tournaments alike. In M2 alone, he was picked 40 times and had a pick rate of 58%.

Lapu-Lapu’s modified Ultimate Skill and Passive Skill is just too strong in the current META, especially against heavy Crowd-control Effects which is essentially the mainstream. The damage he can provide is also a threat to anyone he is going to face on the Offlane. Lapu-Lapu is almost good for every circumstance no matter what heroes the enemy’s team is going to be picking.

Lapu-Lapu. Source: Mobile Legends Bang Bang.

The Courageous Blade hero is virtually a complete hero, where he can provide Crowd-control Effects, a decent amount of consistent damage output from the early-to-late game, has Crowd-control Immunity from his Ultimate, has great durability from his Passive, as well as mobility from his second skill and at times of urgency. Indeed, Lapu-Lapu is a hero that anyone could definitely benefit from.

Nevertheless, some items could be used to counter this hero like Antique Cuirass as Lapu-Lapu relies on his Basic Attack at times. Another item to counter him during the late-game is either Sea Halberd or Necklace of Durance. These help to reduce 50% of his HP (Health Point) Regeneration from his skills, so he wouldn’t be able to survive for too long during team fights.

Chou is also a great counter-pick to Lapu-Lapu thanks to his Ultimate, The Way Of Dragon, that could set Lapu-Lapu asleep.

Benedetta

Benedetta is by far one of the strongest Assassins in the game, securing a 54% pick rate in M2 and was played 37 times. Her strongest ability is how versatile the hero is as she could be utilized in either the Gold Lane or the Experience Lane, even as a Hyper Carry in some cases.

She is indeed one of the most mobile heroes in the game, due to her Passive Skill, allowing her to Dash without using up any of her Mana. Furthermore, today’s META heroes have one thing in common: Crowd-control Immunity. You name it, heroes like Yi Sun-Shin, Lapu-Lapu, Chou, and many others share this similarity.

Benedetta counteracts such an ability with her second skill, An Eye For An Eye, by dodging Crowd-control effects. Likewise, it could double as a counter-attack thanks to its stunning capability.

For now, Benedetta is a very safe pick for most situations, but there is one hero that could stop her: Silvanna. Silvanna is an absolutely perfect counter against Benedetta, as her Ultimate Skill will be inescapable unless with help of the Purify Battle Spell. However, that is very unlikely to happen because Benedetta is most effective with the Execute Battle Spell.

Items like Antique Cuirass could also be used to counter her damage output, as well as Dominance Ice to slow her Movement Speed for means of chasing this agile hero.

Yu Zhong

Since his premiere arrival into the Land of Dawn, Yu Zhong has never left the META. Despite the nerfs that he got in the recent patches, he is still one of the top priority picks in Ranked Matches as well as tournaments. Such a trend is evident by his 51% pick rate in M2 where the hero was picked 35 times.

It’s safe to say that Yu Zhong is by far one of the most annoying Offlaners the game has ever had. His Passive Skill allows him to drain his enemy’s HP and regenerates his own, making it really hard to survive against him in the early-to-mid game. Another plus point that this Black Fierce Dragon has is his Ultimate’s Crowd-control Immunity, transforming him into a literal beast in team fights.

However, Yu Zhong is only very strong when going against Melee heroes. When it comes to dealing with Marksmen in the early-game, it’s quite challenging for him to remain dominant. Some great counter-picks include Wanwan and Claude, while items like Sea Halberd and Necklace of Durance assists in nullifying his HP Regeneration from his skills.

Most Banned Heroes

While the previous section discussed heroes that are frequently picked, others aren’t as fortunate. These heroes get constantly banned due to how dangerous it might be if ever set loose. However, there are items and heroes which could help counter these deadly heroes in the case of urgency.

Natalia

Natalia is the top banned hero for a good reason: her invisibility and silence ability. Basically, she is a rotation destroyer, disrupting the enemy team’s rotation by targetting the opposing Main Hyper Core. In M2 alone, she has an 88% ban rate, tallying a total of 61 ban-counts.

In today’s META, the Hyper Core will often be farming the Jungle monsters on their own and that is where Natalia comes to play by disturbing and possibly killing the hero. While the Hyper Core is struggling to get their crucial items, Natalia can come online earlier than they do. Simply put, she is the current META destroyer and is banned so that neither team will have the advantage against the other.

Natalia. Source: Mobile Legends Bang Bang.

Natalia is the only hero that can totally disrupt the present Hyper Core’s efficient ways of farming. Even if Natalia is not near enemy heroes, they still need to pay greater attention and thus require them to farm in a safer, yet slower, farming area. In the parallel world of Dota 2, Natalia is Riki, except she can snowball very early on.

Natalia is always used as a Support as it is the best position she could be tasked in. Effective counter-items against Natalia include Cursed Helmet, which is especially beneficial for Tank heroes to detect Natalia’s position. While for the squishy heroes like Mages and Marksmen, Antique Cuirass and Twilight Armor can be used to nullify her damage to avoid getting one-shotted.

Brody

Ever since his recent adjustment in the latest patch, Brody became a must-ban in almost every game. Trailing slightly below Natalia, Brody had an 84% ban rate in M2 and was banned 58 times. What makes this hero a must-ban, given that the new patch made him a different beast?

Before his buff, Brody was indeed strong during the early-game but struggled as the game progressed into the later stages of the game. What allowed him to re-enter the META is his increased Damage Growth per Level, making him all too powerful.

If you’re an older player, you might recall a similar characteristic to that of the good old Granger. Brody only requires a Blade of Despair, along with an Endless Battle to deal a significant amount of damage.

Despite such potential, Brody still isn’t the game’s best Hyper Core due to the lack of mobility. At the same time, Brody has a Stunning Skill while most Marksmen alike do not possess it. Plus, like Benedetta, Silvanna is a good counter against Brody due to her ability to further reduce his mobility and enter into a melee-distanced skirmish.

Otherwise, Chou could also be a very good counter against this must-ban hero, especially during the late-game. Items such as Dominance Ice, Antique Cuirass, and Twilight Armor are all great defensive items to counter Brody’s massive damage output.

Esmeralda

It’s actually no surprise to see this Astrologer remain as a top banned hero in this current META, despite receiving a multitude of nerfs in the last few patches. With a ban rate of 78% in M2, this hero was removed from the draft 54 times.

Aside from being one of the most durable heroes in the game, Esmeralda’s most annoying factor is causing her enemies to reconsider purchasing an Athena Shield. Although the item provides an additional shield for defensive purposes, Esmeralda can easily suck up all the shield to her advantage, translating a huge loss for the enemy team.

Esmeralda. Source: Mobile Legends Bang Bang.

What that means during the drafting phase is that whoever gets to play Esmeralda could easily outweigh the opposing team’s Magic Damage output — given that the hero is not banned for some reason.

Furthermore, Esmeralda can be utilized as a Hyper Core in the Mid Lane but is most effective when placed in the Gold or Experience Lane. Experience Lane is nonetheless more preferable as she struggles to man-fight Marksmen heroes which typically appear on the Gold Lane.

Wanwan, for instance, is the absolute perfect counter during the early-game. Like Yu Zhong, Esmeralda struggles to deal with Marksman heroes. Items like Sea Halberd and Necklace of Durance helps to counter her High HP Regeneration and Oracle is a great option to nullify her Magic Damage.

Heroes with Highest Win Rate

As much as there are heroes who get constantly picked, they might not be the best heroes to win the match nonetheless. Some heroes get picked rarely, but is proven to be amongst the most effective heroes during M2. The following are three heroes with the highest win rate, where the hero is picked at least 10 times.

Claude

Claude is the most successful hero throughout M2 for a specific reason: late-game advantage. With a whopping 71% win rate, Claude was picked for 31 times, that’s 22 wins in total. In fact, her 71% win rate is right below Diggie’s, Rafaela’s, Balmond’s, and Uranus’s 100% win rate, but they’re all played for less than 5 times.

Unlike other Marksmen or Assassins, Claude is by far the strongest late-game hero as long as you can keep his stack alive. Due to this, Claude requires great mastery of micro and micro knowledge in order to not only maintain a stack, but also to time his Ultimate perfectly.

His Passive Skill, Battle Side-By-Side, gives Claude the edge above all other Marksmen and Assassins alike, further strengthening the hero especially when facing enemy cores with a complete set of items.

In a nutshell, Claude’s Passive is like a bonus item that allows him to be a better late-game performer. That means, when the enemy core has a maximum of 6 items, Claude virtually has 7 items plus his 10-stack Passive.

Claude. Source: Mobile Legends Bang Bang.

Claude is certainly versatile in terms of choosing between becoming a Hyper Core or a Sidelaner, but it all boils down to which Hyper Core and Gold Laner the enemy team drafts. Players like Bren Esports’ Karltzy, Burmese Ghouls’ ACE, and RRQ Hoshi’s XINNN has displayed wondrous plays with Claude during M2.

Nevertheless, their builds do not differ as much. Items like Magic Shoes, Demon Hunter Sword, and Golden Staffs are mandatory, while the rest of the slots depend on what the situation calls for.

On the other hand, the Assassin Emblem along with the Killing Spree talent is the standard for whichever lane Claude is placed in. Otherwise, the Support Emblem could be its substitute to provide greater Mana Regeneration for Gold Laner Claude.

Atlas

Atlas made an unexpected return in M2 and is more often used during the Playoffs stage of the tournament. The Ocean Gladiator was picked 10 times, banned 9 times, and had a win rate of 70%. Such a commendable win rate is due to Atlas’ game-changing Ultimate Skill which could be the key to winning a major team-fight.

In this META, however, Atlas is somewhat underwhelming when it comes to invading enemy Jungle — a practice which many players still constantly do today. Yet the hero remains as a comfort pick for a few participating players of M2, such as Burmese Ghouls’ MayBe and Bren Esports’ Lusty. They both executed Atlas’ style of gameplay perfectly and secured multiple victories with this hero.

The Support Emblem goes well with this hero, providing extra Cooldown Reduction and further allows Atlas to spam his Ultimate Skill. There isn’t a de facto item build when it comes to Atlas as it depends on what counters are present in the enemy team. However, Fleeting Time remains compulsory to further reduce his Ultimate Skill, Fatal Links.

Alice

Unlike Atlas, Alice has been a favorite among professional players since MPLI Season 2 and numerous teams started to utilize her as an Offlaner ever since. Played 19 times in M2, Alice attained a respectable 68% win rate.

In the early-game, Alice isn’t as strong until she gets an Enchanted Talisman. With that one item, she could easily destroy any minion waves efficiently and obtain HP Regeneration by doing so.

Alice. Source: Mobile Legends Bang Bang.

Like Yu Zhong and Esmeralda, Alice doesn’t perform well against Marksman heroes during the laning phase. But as soon as she gets her Ultimate Skill, she can utterly dominate the lane. Despite not being able to take down the enemy team’s Marksman easily, she can quickly fly away with her first skill and avoid getting ganked.

Notable players of Alice include Bren Esports’ Ribo and RRQ Hoshi’s Wizzking, both of which may utilize the hero in either the Gold Lane or the Experience Lane. When it comes to the Emblem of choice, the Mage or the Support Emblem could come in handy. Demon Shoes and Enchanted Talisman are necessary for Alice’s early laning stages and rotations.

Top Kill

When it comes to finding out which hero had the greatest number of kills throughout M2, you’ll gradually conclude that one player racked up the top three on the leaderboard. And that player is no other than the Grand Finals MVP, Bren Esports’ Karltzy.

Karltzy has proven that he’s the world’s best Core in competitive Mobile Legends. He’s not only talented in terms of hero versatility, but also how he flawlessly executed heroes in different playstyles that the game calls for. His top three kills are as follows: 16 kills as Lancelot against Alter Ego, 13 kills as Harley against Omega PH, and another 13 kills as Lancelot against RRQ Hoshi.

Bren Esports’ Karltzy. Source: @mpl.id.official.

What then, enables Karltzy to achieve such a notable title? Aside from his undoubtedly excellent gameplay, the rest of Bren Esports paved the way by making impactful plays. For instance, Bren’s Offlaner Flaptzy plays a hero like Baxia, serving as a Secondary Tank whilst Supporting and providing the upper-hand kill-advantage for Karltzy.

But this isn’t always the case, especially when Karltzy opts for his key heroes like Lancelot and Harley. These require him to be more independent and steady to solo pick-off enemy heroes. In either case, Bren’s mindful draft consistently synergizes with Karltzy’s, and vice versa.

Like Karltzy, a good Hyper Core should survive and farm independently, before transforming into an unstoppable, late-game beast.

Top GPM

Like the Top Kill leaderboard, there’s a hero that becomes the highlight of this title: Yi Sun-Shin. The Paenlong Legend excels at gaining gold thanks to its player’s farming pattern, as well as the hero’s characteristic itself. Do realize that getting gold earlier than the enemy could mean a lot, especially when it comes to competing against the enemy’s Core and securing key items as soon as possible.

The reason behind Yi Sun-Shin’s highlight in M2 is because of his ability to farm with high efficiency and casually take objectives like Turrets and Turtles. What allows such a speed is Yi Sun-Shing’s Critical Damage ability — a skill which not all heroes possess.

After his last revamp that made him META relevant, Yi Sun-Shin can proc 100% Critical Damage most of the time, if not every single time for both farming and objective purposes as discussed previously.

Yi Sun-Shin. Source: Mobile Legends Bang Bang.

Another plus point of Yi Sun-Shin is his Ultimate Skill, Mountain Shocker. With it, Yi Sun-Shin could still get easy assist-counts even if he’s not present during the team-fight. That means, without jeopardizing his life, Yi Sun-Shin could still gain as many assists as a typical Tank or Support would.

The general playstyle for Yi Sun-Shin is usually starting the game off by taking both buffs and rotating to either the Top Lane or the Bottom Lane to get the Gold Buff. Then, as soon as he hits Level 4, he can definitely try to gank the lane that he’s at.

One major mistake which Yi Sun-Shin beginners often commit is not using his Passive efficiently. His Passive Heavenly Vow is very crucial because Yi Sun-Shin depends wholly on the skill to deal a significant amount of damage. Without it, Yi Sun-Shin could easily lose team-fights because of how irrelevant he will be.

The top three GPM leads in M2 were all secured by Yi Sun-Shin. At first-place is Karltzy with a 990 GPM rate, followed by Omega PH’s Hadjizy at 986 GPM, and finally Todak’s Ciku at 979 GPM.

Cover Image by Mobile Legends Bang Bang.

5 Hopes I Have for Elder Scrolls 6

A while ago, Bethesda teased us with a tweet about Elder Scrolls 6. I know it will be a long wait before we can dive into a new adventure in Tamriel again since Elder Scrolls 6 will be released after Starfield, which we know nothing about either. Nevertheless, I still have some hopes and some concerns about Elder Scrolls 6 considering Skyrim is one of my most favourite games ever.

I have to disclose that I am a fanboy of Bethesda games, particularly the single-player ones (yes, no Fallout 76). I know most people don’t like Fallout 4 but I love it so much. I also like Fallout 3 and think it’s on par with New Vegas, even many people will disagree with me.

Considering it will be at least 2 years from its release date, it’s still reasonable to have some hopes fulfilled– if by any chance someone from Bethesda Game Studios read this. With that being said, these are some hopes that I have about Elder Scrolls 6 (ES6).

1. Modding Access Tradition

I’m not sure if Bethesda agrees with me on this, but the main reason why people are still playing Skyrim almost 10 years after its release date is modding and its communities. This is also the case with Morrowind, Oblivion, Fallout 4, and Fallout 3. Those games are still being played years after its release date despite being single-player games. Usually, single-player games will have a shorter life-cycle compared to competitive multiplayer games or successful esports titles. However, with good modding access and its communities, we can have endless new contents to try as long as the communities are still active.

I might not be as worried as of right now if Bethesda, or rather ZeniMax (Bethesda’s parent company), hasn’t been acquired by Microsoft. Under Microsoft, it’s a hit or miss regarding modding access. Minecraft is still moddable. State of Decay 1 and 2 are also moddable. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 even has its official SDK to create mods.

However, modding access for The Outer Worlds (by Obsidian) is really pathetic when its previous game (Pillars of Eternity 2) — before acquired by Microsoft — have official mod support. To be fair, modding access also depends on the publishers too. Yet, Gears 5, made by Coalition, is not moddable and it’s published by Microsoft.

Fortunately, the jury is still out on this and, as far as I know, Microsoft does not actively forbid its developers to block any access to modding. That’s why I still have hopes regarding official modding access & support. Of course, it will be so much better if Bethesda could deliver a more comprehensive Creation Kit compared to the one for Skyrim. Yet, I will be content with the same level of Skyrim Creation Kit.

Bethesda already has a good tradition with modding for Fallout and Elder Scrolls series. Let’s hope it keeps the terrific tradition with Elder Scrolls 6.

2. Focus on Singleplayer

In my mind, giant game companies prefer to build multiplayer games rather than singleplayer ones. With Bethesda and ZeniMax under Microsoft and the latest terrible decision regarding Fallout 76, I honestly worried that Bethesda will force Elder Scrolls 6 to be a multiplayer game.

Surely, multiplayer games look more promising on the surface. However, singleplayer games could still make a lot of profit. The latest example comes from Cyberpunk 2077. Cyberpunk 2077 is a singleplayer game and its marketing team really do their job excellently — despite its product team couldn’t deliver the same level of excellence. Latest 3 games of Assassin’s Creed are also singleplayer games. Spider-Man (2018), Ghost of Tsushima, God of War (2018), and Horizon Zero Dawn are the most notable PS4 games and all of them focus on the singleplayer experience.

Meanwhile, there are also numerous multiplayer games that failed to impress many players — including Fallout 76. Battleborn is also another failed multiplayer game that comes to my mind. I do believe that the key is not that simple. It’s not just about singleplayer or multiplayer — it’s about the quality (idea and execution) of the product.

Moreover, the fact is, some developers have their own expertise and specialization. Bethesda is actually a very good example of that hypothesis. It is superior and should be included in the highest tier of singleplayer game developers. In contrast, it should be ignored if talking about multiplayer games. Obsidian is also a good example of a great singleplayer developer but not multiplayer. Meanwhile, Valve, Blizzard, and Riot Games are the superior developers in the multiplayer field.

If Bethesda is forced to make a multiplayer game with Elder Scrolls 6, I think it should take a look at Rockstar Games. GTA V and RDR 2, for me, are the perfect example to make use of both singleplayer and multiplayer modes. It’s perfect because the two modes are like different entities in a single game.

3. More Dynamic NPCs

One of the things from Skyim that impresses me is its dynamic NPCs. A city guard could say different comments depend on your character’s conditions (race, equipment, skill level, etc.). I also remember a quest where you have to save a child from a cult and she will notice the dead body.

It’s a great feature indeed but I think Bethesda could take this one step further. On Skyrim, you could become the leader of 5 factions but each faction is contained from each other. For example, members of The Companions don’t notice if you are the Arch-Mage of the College of Winterhold.

It certainly would be more immersive and exciting if all of the story elements could be interwoven and connected to each other for, at least, each major side quests (including faction or Daedra quests) and main story quests.

Considering the complexity and the sheer number of quests Skyrim has, it’s not an easy task to make all of them connected. However, I do think if someone could do it, it’s Bethesda. I won’t hope the similar feature from Ubisoft or CD Projekt, for example, because they have never done it before.

4. Fully Voiced-Acted Main Character

Some people might disagree with me on this but I love how Fallout 4 have a fully voiced-acted main character. Given how Skyrim has good character customization and quest complexities, I realize it’s an overwhelming task to do. They have to record so much more lines compared with other simpler RPGs.

However, for me, it’s so much better for the storytelling aspect when the main character could speak. Characters such as Cassandra (Odyssey), female V (Cyberpunk 2077), Commander Shepard (Mass Effect), the female Sole Survivor in Fallout 4, Geralt (The Witcher 3) and Alloy (Horizon Zero Dawn) are unforgettable because of their voice actors.

I don’t mind if Bethesda sacrifices some options in character customization in order to give a fully voiced protagonist. Skyrim has 10 playable races with 2 sex options. Which means if ES6 will have fully voiced protagonist with the Skyrim’s level of character customization, there will be 20 voices/speech varieties just for the main character. That hasn’t included all the possible lines from every side quests — if the main character is fully voiced. That’s why, if a sacrifice has to be made, I don’t mind lesser options for the character customization since quest complexity is more crucial.

Indeed, a fully voiced-acted protagonist could ruin the game too if they choose the wrong actors/actresses. However, in contrast, a marvellous voice acting could improve the storytelling aspect tremendously. I do believe that Ashly Burch’s voice acting is a significant factor in how HZD delivers its impressive story.

5. Better Skill, Build, or Battle Mechanics

Skyrim Weapons Expansion. Via: Nexus Mods

Although Skyrim has a good framework of gameplay for the modders to play around, in its original/vanilla state, Skyrim doesn’t have excellent skill/build mechanics. For example, when you take a look at its skill tree, you only have a few game-changing options. A game-changing perk that I mean is like Shadow Warrior in the Sneak skill that allows you to disappear when you are crouching even in the middle of combat.

Skyrim’s enchantment is also lacking. Compare the enchantment list from the default game with this enchantment mods by EnaiSiaion. Another game that I think has good mechanics in its equipment is Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire. There, a weapon could have an x% to proc a certain effect when hitting an enemy and that effect could trigger another secondary effect.

Right now, playing Skyrim in its vanilla state is just boring because it doesn’t have complex mechanics offered by the mods. Sure, if ES6 has a better modding capability, the modding community could create better mechanics for skills and equipment. However, if ES6 already has interesting mechanics from the start, it would make the game more exciting for the people who don’t want to (or can’t) use mods. In addition, interesting mechanics in its vanilla state could be an excellent framework too for modders — like what I did when modding new equipment in PoE2: Deadfire.

Final Words

There are some features and strengths from Skyrim that just need to be kept or improved a little bit. Great modding access and singleplayer focus are a splendid tradition of the Elder Scrolls franchise. Please, Bethesda (and Microsoft) don’t change that. Meanwhile, dynamic NPCs is a feature that could be pushed a little further.

A fully voiced-acted protagonist should be added as well since it could improve its storytelling aspect and, ideally, no sacrifice has to be made to implement this. Last but not least, I don’t think Skyrim has terrible gameplay mechanics in its vanilla state compared to many other RPGs. However, compared to its mods, it starts looking bland.

Feat Image: GTXFAN via Nexus Mods

M2 World Championship Playoffs Analyses: A Tale of Twists and Turns

After weeks of preparation, quarantine session, and a great show of team fighting skills, the M2 World Championship has finally come to an end, crowning the latest, world’s best team in Mobile Legends Bang Bang. More importantly, M2 marks the end of an era for multiple recurring themes, ranging from the newly crowned champions to those who retired with a quite bitter aftertaste.

Like a roller coaster, this event is filled with the most amusing moments, epic skirmishes, unexpected victors, and upsetting results — at least to some. Nonetheless, M2 proved that the weirdest, most absurd strategies, could very well be a death-blow, or a dangerous backfire when used incorrectly.

Should the competitive Mobile Legends scene continue after M2, there sure will be many improvements to be made and lessons to be learned, for this event is unlike what most had in mind.

Chapter 1: A Shaky Beginning

Coming into the Playoffs stage of M2, most viewers thought this tournament was going to be a breeze for the favourites like RRQ Hoshi, Alter Ego, and Bren Esports. This wave of predictions was indeed reasonable, especially seeing how these three teams performed in the Group Stage.

Even before the tournament commenced, multiple teams viewed these three teams as the toughest opponents to face. For instance, the Japanese representative from team 10 Second Gaming Frost, Obuyan, admits that “out of all the regions he has played against, Indonesia is number one.”

10 Second Gaming Frost. Source: @10sgamingfrost.

Aside from Obuyan, members of other teams similarly shared the same perspective towards these top MPL teams. Given how experienced these teams are and how individually skilled their players are, it’s no surprise that they came in as favorites of the tournaments.

Day 1 of the Playoffs started with the Lower Bracket matches, where, unfortunately, Obuyan and the rest of his squad are the ones who got eliminated first from the Playoffs. 10s Gaming lost against the giants of Alter Ego in a 0-2 match outcome.

If anything, 10s Gaming’s elimination showed how crucial prior MPL (Mobile Legends Professional League) experience really is — a system which the Japanese scene presently lacks.

This point was further emphasized by the very player that crippled 10s Gaming and forced them to leave the tournament early. After their victory, Alter Ego’s Udil shared his thoughts regarding the evident skill gap between teams with the MPL system and those who don’t.

In his opinion, “the Indonesian Mobile Legends scene implements a franchising MPL system, receives tons of excitement and support from the Indonesian fans, and thus have a more competitive scene.” These factors help contribute to the constant advancement of the Indonesian teams, which undoubtedly are one of the best when it comes to Mobile Legends.

Furthermore, the Singaporean fans had to swallow a bitter pill as they witnessed the only remaining Singaporean representative lose to the Malaysian counterparts once again. EVOS SG had their second chance of taking down Todak, a rival team which they lost to in the Grand Finals of MPL MY/SG Season 6.

EVOS SG Roster in M2. Source: @evos.sgmy.

Unfortunately, history repeated itself, and EVOS SG lost 0-2 against the Malaysian squad. Being their last tournament together as a roster, it was certainly a heavy blow to the Lions, especially being the home team in M2. As much as their disbandment could’ve ended with a sweet tone, EVOS SG didn’t have the upper hand on that day.

Portraying the melancholy of the Malaysian/Singaporean fans after seeing EVOS SG depart from M2, Gideon “GideonQ” Khew shared his thoughts regarding the matter. Being part of the M2 caster lineup himself, Gideon said that he didn’t expect this at all.

However, Gideon added, “how can you tell with a competition like this? Their best-of-three against RRQ in the Group Stages was an extremely impressive showing. Some of the best I have seen from them and what’s worse is that this is their last run. So it’s truly heartbreaking to see them go like this, especially against another MY/SG representative.”

Nonetheless, this was somewhat expected considering how far ahead the other competitive scene has developed compared to the Singaporean scene. M2 analyst, Caisam “Wolf” Yvez Nopueto, pointed out that he “doesn’t mean it in a bad way, but Indonesia’s and Philippines’ metagame is a little ahead. Then you have surprises like that of Myanmar. These regions are playing more Mobile Legends, so it looks like.”

Chapter 2: Rise of the Ghouls

On the other hand, the Upper Bracket matches told quite a different tale. Like Wolf hinted, the roster of Burmese Ghouls gave a pleasant surprise for the viewers back home. Burmese Ghouls was heavily underlooked by viewers and other teams alike, as they had very little exposure in the international scene.

In the same fashion, the Burmese MPL scene is, in fact, the youngest out of all MPL scenes. Despite their competitive age, ACE and his teammates managed to deliver unexpected results since their first Playoffs match against Bren Esports.

This element of surprise in the Playoffs is further enhanced knowing that Burmese Ghouls did not face any favorites during the Group Stage. Many viewers dubbed Group A as “the easy group,” unlike Groups C and D which were dubbed as “hell groups.”

Burmese Ghouls. Source: @burmese_ghouls.

What happened next pretty much carved the pathway for Burmese Ghouls for the rest of M2. They took down Bren Esports 2-0 mercilessly, with a unique, one-of-a-kind META that would later scare the remaining teams.

When asked about their opinion regarding Bren Esports’ strengths as a team after successfully conquering the Filipino squad, Burmese Ghouls’ Dee explained that, “they’re good. They got good teamwork, good composition, and good individual skills; but it’s just we’re better than them.” Little did we know that this rivalry would continue down the line.

Witnessing this potential cinderella-run from the Burmese squad, Gideon said, “I think most people counted them out. However, a lot of talk in the pro scene revolved around them and many are even worried about Burmese Ghouls. Something was known about them that the public wasn’t entirely sure about.”

Further, caster Gideon added, “once their showing against Bren in the groups happened, the question became ‘how high is their ceiling?’ more than ‘are they capable?’ I have always considered them a dark horse, a team that had immense potential. Not to mention that I said in M1 that this team was something to watch out for, just give them a year.”

Burmese Ghouls’ Mindful Tactics

Among Burmese Ghouls’ strengths lie their insanely large hero pool and how elegantly they can orchestrate the weirdest of hero combinations. In the first game, for example, Burmese Ghouls drafted a clever combination of Lunox and Mathilda, utilized as a Support in the Midlane and a Sidelaner respectively.

It has been quite a while since Lunox is used as a Sidelaner since it was last nerfed in the recent patches. Despite the nerf, she is intended to counter Bren’s Baxia since Lunox has high Magic Damage Penetration skills to win duels against Baxia. Lunox could also clear minion waves relatively faster than Baxia, which helps to counter Baxia’s free-roaming capabilities. Lunox proves to be an excellent pick for Burmese Ghouls as they won the game.

Secondly, an even more peculiar decision was made by the Burmese squad. They chose not to opt for any pure Tankers at all and played a double-support lineup consisting of Diggie and Selena instead. Also, they picked Sidelane Jawhead which was intended to counter-pick Bren’s Wanwan. These three heroes were the key behind Burmese Ghouls’ victory over Bren in the Upper Bracket match.

Diggie. Source: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.

Most notably, Diggie’s Ultimate Skill offers Crowd-control Immunity, Bonus Shield, as well as Movement Speed to help the team survive against Bren’s high Crowd-control Effects from heroes like Silvanna, Lapu-Lapu, and Pharsa. If you play Dota 2, it’s as if you had Abaddon’s Aphotic Shield in your team, except the skill affects an area rather than a single target. The Diggie pick would remain problematic for the rest of M2 and became one of Burmese Ghouls’ scariest draft.

Analyst Wolf surely became a fan after watching Burmese Ghouls’ match against Bren Esports. The sharp analyst “loves smart approaches to Esports” like that of ACE and his squad, and said that “Burmese Ghouls as a whole franchise is so far the best tacticians in M2!”

Chapter 3: Persistence of The Giants

While the new kid on the block is racking up popularity and winning unfavorable matches, the giants remain persistent nonetheless. RRQ Hoshi continued the Upper Bracket matches by facing up against Omega PH Esports. Being the entitled King of Kings that they are, RRQ Hoshi secured a 2-0 victory with ease.

They did so by invoking one of the oldest tricks in the book: a duet between Rafaela and Bruno. Alongside the pocket strategy, RRQ Hoshi drafted Midlane Silvanna, Offlane Khaleed, and Belerick on the Sidelane. It’s safe to say that RRQ really did showcase their large hero pool potential through this game.

Alberttt‘s Bruno is a Mid-to-Late-game monster because of the damage that he can deal from his first Skil, Volley Shot. His glass-cannon characteristic is further layered by Psychoo’s Rafaela which provides Alberttt with vital durability, as well as extra Movement Speed to chase down enemies. The lineup was so perfect to counter Omega’s draft as RRQ Hoshi finished the game in just 10 minutes.

Like RRQ Hoshi, both Alter Ego and Bren Esports remained persistent despite falling down to the Lower Bracket. Alter Ego commenced Playoffs Day 2 with a clean 2-0 finish against Omega PH, while Bren Esports had to struggle before attaining a 2-1 victory over Todak.

Although Bren Esports would eventually close the match in their favor, Todak held up a good fight and displayed their unique-drafting capability. In Game 1, for instance, Todak’s Moon utilized Gatotkaca as a Support to complement Ciku’s Wanwan. Interestingly, they won this round despite the odd selection.

Unfortunately, Todak could not simply rinse and repeat the same ending in the second game, where they drafted a 4-Tanker lineup. Todak opted for Baxia, Esmeralda, Gatotkaca, and Belerick, together with a Hyper-core Hayabusa. This odd draft quickly backfired as Todak struggled to produce adequate damage in the later stages of the game, depending fully on the Hayabusa.

Gatotkaca. Source: Mobile Legends Bang Bang.

Moreover, Todak did not have a Ranged Attacker which is detrimental when sieging the high-ground. Bren, on the other end, has Claude and Selena on their side for a much greater high-ground advantage. With this visible weakness in the side of Todak, Bren tied the match 1-1 and would later secure the match in their favor.

Chapter 4: Dethroning of The King

What ensued after these Lower Bracket matches was a showdown between the Kings and the Ghouls. Judging from how Burmese Ghouls utterly crushed Bren Esports, it looked like RRQ Hoshi had a very minimal chance of taking down this up and coming squad.

The best-of-five series was nothing but intense and placed viewers on the edge of their seats. Both teams are known to have a similar style of drafting, but Burmese Ghouls have shown how they could take their hero versatility to the next level.

Plus, Burmese Ghouls’ style is like a mix of RRQ Hoshi’s and Alter Ego’s. Their drafting flexibility is parallel to RRQ Hoshi’s, but they incorporate it with Alter Ego’s style of aggressive, early-game centric, way of juggling. Burmese Ghouls took the best of both worlds and topped it off with Myanmar’s META.

The first two matches reinstated how deadly Burmese Ghouls’ Diggie can get. RRQ Hoshi failed to cater to this issue in the first game and decided to go the unpopular route of not respect-banning the hero in the second game. This would quickly backfire as Burmese Ghouls could easily recover from almost every Crowd-controlling Effect RRQ Hoshi attempted to utilize during team fights, thanks to Diggie.

It was only starting the third game where RRQ Hoshi finally decided to respect-ban Diggie. And surely, this paid off as the Kings managed to withhold the rage of the Ghouls and defended their throne in games three and four. The series pulled to a game five where the make-or-break moment took place.

RRQ Hoshi’s Lemon, being the Lemon that he’s known for, picked a hero that he thought might be useful despite rarely being used the META. The hero is Minsitthar, who Lemon picked to counter Burmese Ghouls’ Harith and his high mobility.

Minsitthar. Source: Mobile Legends Bang Bang.

Yet again, Burmese Ghouls just outclassed RRQ Hoshi in terms of gameplay and winning team fights. Lemon’s Minsitthar proved to not be as impactful in the game, compared to Ruby DD’s unstoppable Harith. The sole use of Minsitthar was to counter Harith, and since that didn’t work as planned, the rest of Burmese Ghouls’ heroes toppled the Indonesian roster.

As a result, the game ended very quickly in an anti-climactic manner, dethroning the Kings of RRQ Hoshi to the Lower Bracket. If the Ghouls could take down Bren, and sweep RRQ Hoshi down the drain, who then could stop them?

Chapter 5: Bren Takes Two

When the TI7 Champion, Amer “Miracle-” Al-Barkawi, said that the Upper Bracket route is for the weak, Bren took that statement and lived up to it. Now that they are in the Lower Bracket, the Filipino squad has to overcome not one, but two, Indonesian teams in order to advance to the Grand Finals of M2.

Bren began their tough journey against their destined rival, Alter Ego. Earlier in the Group Stage, the Filipino shattered Alter Ego’s clean run with a 2-0 victory and felt very confident after their well deserved victory. As the two met once again in the Lower Bracket playoffs, the stake is much greater than ever.

Alter Ego took no time to express their confidence over Bren by conquering the first round of the match cleanly. Leomurphy’s Chou became the highlight of the match as the Kung-Fu boy turned Houdini dodged bullets left and right, avoiding death time after time. With ease, Alter Ego secured the game and entered the second match with great conviction.

However, as the saying goes “overconfidence precedes carelessness,” Alter Ego overstepped their welcome in game two. Despite having a slight advantage in the early stages of the game, Bren remained cool and ignored much of Alter Ego’s taunting tactics. As the game proceeds, Alter Ego lost their grip on the game and eventually lost the round.

With the third game coming into position, Bren has enough momentum from their recent victory while Alter Ego lost much of their earlier confidence. Unsurprisingly, the Filipino squad continued their streak over Alter Ego and eliminated their rivals from M2. Only three teams remain in the tournament: Bren Esports, RRQ Hoshi, and Burmese Ghouls.

RRQ Hoshi and Alter Ego. Source: @mpl.id.official.

The final day of M2 kicked off with a best-of-five series between Bren and RRQ Hoshi. Interestingly, RRQ Hoshi decided to bench two of their star players, Lemon and Alberttt, and summon the help of XINNN and Wizzking instead.

This eyebrow-raising decision received numerous critics but it’s safe to say that these kinds of moves are what RRQ Hoshi is known for. Although it was certainly questionable, RRQ Hoshi still gave their best in the series they’re about to play in.

Sure enough, both XINNN and Wizzking popped in the first game of the series. Playing as Claude and Khaleed respectively, RRQ Hoshi took down Bren in just under 12 minutes. What initially was a questionable decision from the side of RRQ Hoshi, could potentially be the secret recipe to counter Bren Esports.

Unfortunately, it seemed like this element of surprise was inadequate to take down Bren. In the three games that followed, Karltzy’s Claude and Lancelot was too much for RRQ Hoshi. The remaining games of the series looked grim for the side of RRQ, and their victory in the first round turned out to be their only win throughout this series. Like Alter Ego, RRQ Hoshi faced the same fate of getting slain by Bren Esports.

Chapter 6: The Final Duel

The M2 Grand Finals became the stage where the two newly formed rivals of Burmese Ghouls and Bren Esports fought their last battle. Having met in the first Upper Bracket match, Burmese Ghouls would only need to repeat their victory here in the Grand Finals. Bren, on the other hand, has to learn from their loss a few days ago and apply them in this very series.

Both teams came in equally as confident as each other and greatly respected the skills honed by their opposing team. The first two rounds were nothing but clean gameplay from the side of Bren Esports, especially seeing how comfortably free Karltzy’s Claude and Yi Sun-Shin was in those two games.

One thing to notice in these games and the rounds that trail after is that both sides drafted a relatively similar set of heroes. Choices like Claude, Yi Sun-Shin, Selena, Chou, Baxia, and many others are amongst the most frequently picked in this intense series.

Also, Bren Esports acknowledges how vital Burmese Ghouls’ Diggie Support can get once set loose, and they would continue to ban the hero in all seven games that ensued. It was perhaps a lesson learned by Bren Esports after watching Burmese Ghouls’ series against RRQ Hoshi.

Burmese Ghouls halted Bren’s momentum by letting ACE take over the next two games, in both of which ACE played as Yi Sun-Shin. This delicate choice was coupled with Burmese Ghouls’ ability to win Yi Sun-Shin’s lane, supporting the Hyper-core throughout the game, and letting him dominate the late game. With a great display of teamwork, Burmese Ghouls rebalanced the series into a 2-2 scale.

Now that the best-of-seven series has turned into a best-of-three, both teams had an equal chance of winning this year’s title. In Game 5, Karltzy was the one who had the opportunity to play as Yi Sun-Shin, while ACE played as Claude. It was KID’s Selena, however, who turned the tables around and paved the third victory for Burmese Ghouls.

Only a loss away from getting sent home, Bren Esports aggressively first-picked Brody, having the advantage of being on the blue-side. What became a game-winning factor was Karltzy’s itemization that led to the increase of Brody’s durability.

Instead of opting for damage-items all around, Karltzy decided to purchase items like Immortality, Athena’s Shield, and Antique Cuirass. If it wasn’t for this intricate selection, Bren would’ve been done for at this point, and thanks to this, the series dragged into a deciding, final game seven.

Both teams were only a win away and whoever wins this very round takes all. Both Bren and Burmese Ghouls chose heroes that they’re comfortable with. Karltzy gets his Claude, ACE gets his Brody, Flaptzy gets his Baxia, and Dee gets his Lapu-Lapu.

It was probably only Burmese Ghouls’ MayBe, who picked the non-META hero, Minsitthar. Like Lemon, MayBe picked this hero to counter Ribo’s Harith. The game went back-and-forth for both teams, but it was the fight near Lord where Karltzy’s Claude freely used his Ultimate Skill Blazing Duet which translated to a four-man wipe on the side of Burmese Ghouls.

Out of gas, Burmese Ghouls was forced to admit defeat, and Bren Esports are the newly crowned champions of the M2 World Championship. Spanning seven games in total, the Filipino squad takes home the first-place finish.

Bren Esports: M2 Champions. Source: @mobilelegendsgame.

Closing Remarks

Watching M2 was a wild ride for any Mobile Legends fans out there. With twists in plots and valuable lessons to teach, the M2 experience is on-par with other world-level tournaments.

It was, nevertheless, interesting to analyze intricate decisions made by various teams, starting from their hero drafts, itemization choice, player-lineup selection, and many others. Moving forward, it’s clear that the Mobile Legends scene is as flexible as the game gets. Anyone could very well be the world’s next best team, depending on how they would like to Join the Fight.

Cover Image by Mobile Legends Bang Bang.