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    COLUMN: PH imports in international MLBB will only change the game for the better

    Perhaps it's time we also start hiring foreign players as well
    Jul 6, 2022
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    PHOTO: (From Left) Courtesy of Moonton, Zico/Facebook, Onic Esports/Twitter

    IN ONE of his FB live sessions which took place almost a year ago, at the start of Season 8, Dan “Leo” Cubangay asked a question of the local Mobile Legends community: “What do you want to see in the MPL-PH scene?”

    In the comments section of the stream, I answered, “I want to see international players in the MPL-PH stage.”

    All I got back then were “haha” remarks, as well as this witty comeback: “Sa PBA mo na lang ilagay yung mga imports!”

    Some argued, “Naku, magkakaproblema sa mga comms! Sa tingin mo ba kaya ng mga Pinoy players mag-English?”

    I had my counter-arguments to these comments, though I didn’t disclose them back then.

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      What’s wrong with having foreign players?

      As a diehard Real Madrid fan, I don’t recall the Spanish faithful complaining about their team winning three straight UEFA Champions League trophies with a Portuguese superstar (Cristiano Ronaldo), a Welsh speedster (Gareth Bale), an all-around French forward (Karim Benzema), and two of the most technically gifted passers from Croatia and Germany (Luka Modric and Toni Kroos).

      And for Barangay Ginebra fans, their star import Justin Brownlee will forever be engraved as a hero in their eyes.

      As for the language barrier? If we overcame it in Dota 2 when TNC made a gamble to acquire American Jimmy “DeMoN” Ho back in 2016, I guess we can do it in MLBB as well.

      The gamble that TNC did pay dividends given how that iconic moment in The International 2016 inspired the next generation of esports enthusiasts in our country.

      Of course, the whole import question just took an interesting turn right before Season 10, as we've seen a wave of exports, rather than imports.

      Kairi and Coach Yeb at the Onic Indonesia press conference.

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      How will the international transfers affect the MLBB scene?

      Looking at the decision for foreign clubs to acquire the likes of Coaches John Michael “Zico” Dizon and Paul Denver “Yeb” Miranda, as well as players like Kairi “Kairi” Rayosdelsol, and Jason Rafael “Jaymeister” Torculas, I wondered if this would eventually lead to a more diverse MLBB scene.

      As of now the Philippines is currently the best region when it comes to Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. Our accolades have already beat out the trophy cabinet that Indonesia once boasted.

      With our country's current dominance, isn't the current MLBB scene Filipino-centric?

      Sure, other regions did manage to show some improvements. Singapore was able to snatch some surprising wins in the SEA Games and the MSC 2022, though they have yet to translate that to consistent results.

      Then there’s Malaysia, ML's oldest region, that's slowly emerging with how Todak performed in both of the mentioned events.

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      However, the final outcome remains the same. The Philippines stood tall over the rest as Blacklist International schooled both Indonesian teams in the lower bracket of the World Championships, while RSG Philippines took RRQ to “Intronesia” University in the MSC finale.

      How long will it take for the other regions to catch up to our standards? Would it take years for teams to finally reach the benchmark we established?

      But with these international transfers happening, perhaps those years might be reduced to months.

      Just take a look at how Malaysian-based squad Team SMG benefited from the arrival of Indonesia’s Coach James Chen and superstar Lu “Sasa” Khai Bean. If before they were a team that wallowed in mediocrity, their arrival made them into a champion in MPL-MY Season 8, which ultimately booked them a ticket to the world stage.

      A key reason for their resurgence? Both Chen and Sasa belonged to a highly competitive MPL-ID scene, and their experiences there visibly benefited SMG.

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      And I can imagine how the likes of Team Flash, BTK, and Onic Indonesia would improve with the arrival of Filipinos.

      Coach Zico, like Coach James, comes from a hyper-competitive scene and with Cambodia on the rise in MLBB, Team Flash could learn a lot from the wealth of experience and knowledge that Zico possesses.

      Jaymeister, like his fellow countrymen ZIA and Ichiji, could help BTK learn more about the Philippine meta. Heck, they might even enhance the MLBB scene in North America with their skill and their insights.

      Meanwhile, Coach Yeb and Kairi could provide the added boost that Onic Indonesia desperately needs after a disappointing MSC 2022 campaign. The former has always been known for psychologically keeping his team intact, as he did with Onic PH throughout their trials.

      This is something that Onic ID has been desperately needing since their recent international campaigns have exposed some mental lapses.

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      Coach Zico with his new team BURN X FLASH.

      Can we learn from our international rivals?

      Foreign teams will not be the only ones benefiting from an exodus of Philippine talent.

      "What more would the most dominant region in MLBB need to learn?" some might ask. I personally beg to differ.

      After all, Onic PH’s emergence in Season 4 was caused by a rigorous training regiment against their sibling team Onic Indonesia.

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      Then, recent international tournaments showed that the PH often needs to undergo a “download” stage after losing to the likes of Onic Indonesia and RRQ in the MPL: Invitational 2021, BTK in the M3 World Championship upper bracket first round, and RRQ in the upper bracket final of the MSC 2022.

      These are signs that our rivals are still a potent threat.

      Imagine if we faced those teams on the spot during the grand finale. Can we still beat them? Maybe acquiring an import could allow us to see through their lens and lessen the potential shock factor we experienced.

      While limiting the surprise factor is one benefit from the exchange of cultures, one should also consider the benefits that the Filipino players might receive.

      Some organizations might offer a high amount in terms of salary, but one can also experience an opportunity to be in the spotlight.

      In a highly competitive MPL-PH scene with a vast amount of talented players, there is a possibility for fringe and even amateur and rookie players to not receive any playing time.

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      The opportunity to play overseas might finally allow these players to have a breath of fresh air outside of the MPL-PH.

      Hopefully, this will all ultimately lead to a more diversified MLBB scene, where the seat of power is balanced across every region, adding more excitement to the scene. With more player and coaches becoming proficient with the English language, perhaps this is the game for the game to have a true global expansion, fueled by talent in the Philippines.

      Eventually, we might even see teams feature a lineup consisting of members from numerous countries, similar to what we’re seeing in Dota 2.

      A more diversified playstyle

      With teams featuring players from different regions comes another possible outcome: Some major changes in the meta.

      Danerie James “Wise” Del Rosario’s introduction of the utility jungler was a turning point in the game, inspiring even the likes of Jonard Cedrix “Demonkite” Caranto and other notable junglers to follow his playstyle.

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      But none of this would’ve been possible had he not been inspired by Indonesia’s Gilang “SANZ”, who is known for his more objective and supportive jungle role.

      Now imagine what would happen if more interactions between foreign players would happen? Perhaps we’ll encounter some unique and revolutionary roles that could further enhance the scene.

      Will it go to ChooxTV levels of Tank Laylas and Gusions? Possibly, though I would consider that madness as of now.

      Let us hope that these exciting times would also come to Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.

      Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph

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      PHOTO: (From Left) Courtesy of Moonton, Zico/Facebook, Onic Esports/Twitter
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