Disclosure: The following op-ed was written by Tonyo Silva, senior marketing manager in the esports division of Mobile Legends developer Moonton Games, and was submitted for publication to Spin.ph. As in all opinion and column pieces published in Spin.ph, the views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the publication as a whole.
JUST WEEKS after the successful MSC 2022 run, which saw a national Filipino showdown between representing teams, MPL-PH squads Nexplay EVOS and Bren Esports shared the departure of some of its key players, a move that shocked the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang community.
Shortly thereafter, ONIC Philippines confirmed that its head coach Denver “Yeb” Miranda and star jungler Kairi “Kairi” Rayosdelsol have signed with ONIC Indonesia, hoping that these Filipino talents can bring more international trophies for them.
Paving the path ahead for Mobile Legends pros
Perhaps, these cross-regional transfers upset some MLBB fans, or they might think the league is a bit unstable, especially for those new to the MLBB esports scene. But in the grand scheme of things, team transitions contribute to the phenomenal growth of the mobile esports ecosystem, and here's why.
Firstly, Kairi and Coach Yeb joining an Indonesian team could pave the way for other Filipino athletes and coaches to serve overseas teams. If they do well in the upcoming MPL-Indonesia Season 10, it will open doors of opportunities for more of their Filipino colleagues to be invited.
In the future, we could see more Filipinos joining strong MPL teams from Singapore, Malaysia, and Myanmar, among others. Who knows: Our Filipino players could also be invited by teams from the Middle East or Latin America.
Secondly, these cross-regional transfers can elevate the competition level of other countries and change MLBB esports for the better. For many years, the Philippines has been arguably the most competitive country in MLBB worldwide, as the nation with the most number of MSC titles (3), SEA Games gold medals (30th and 31st), and M World Championship trophies (2) under its wing.
Given the Philippines’ current standing in MLBB esports, it is fitting for the country to share its world-class talents with other nations. In one of the conferences during MSC 2022, EVOS Singapore's Adam "Adammir" Chong cited the Philippines' objective style of gameplay, and how it allowed PH teams to take home the mentioned international titles.
Breaking through the meta
With Kairi transferring to ONIC Indonesia, he could share the macro-based, strategic approach in gaming that may result in a better chance of winning. This can also make the global stage more challenging for the local teams. How will PH teams adjust to counter the strategy that worked for them for years?
Filipino players are hardworking and resilient, but most importantly, they are generally adaptable. They’ve been transferring from one team to another, so it should be easy for Kairi to work with Indonesian players and also learn from them.
As an example, power duo Jonmar "OhMyV33NUS" Villaluna and Danerie "Wise" James Del Rosario were originally part of ONIC Philippines, but got transferred to now world-renowned Blacklist International. Since 2020, the two have been lauded as the esport's most iconic duo, bringing home trophies from various international tournaments.
For ONIC Indonesia’s case, however, the team should work on the language barrier between Kairi and Indonesian colleagues to ensure the team’s chemistry and mechanical skillset that many Indonesian teams are highly acclaimed for.
This might take time, but it is crucial to ensure teamwork among the diverse lineup of players.
Lastly, the possibility of other teams winning regional tournaments with the help of Filipino players will also be a perfect vehicle to have a more robust esports ecosystem. This move can attract more local and regional brands to support teams with their plans to expand further and provide numerous career opportunities for many disciplines such as shoutcasting, hosting, and content creation, among others.
It will be interesting to see how these transfers will change how fans support their idols. As one of the best communities in the world, Filipino fans can now closely follow what ONIC Indonesia will do differently with Kairi being around. This can potentially make changes in viewership trends of the tournaments.
The shifts of professional esports players from one team to another — in this case, one country to another — prove that opportunities are abundant and possibilities are limitless in mobile esports, especially since it is a relatively new industry.
Tonyo Silva is the senior marketing manager for esports at Moonton Games. He is a marketing and business development professional with over 10 years of experience in brand management, strategy, digital marketing, and brand partnerships. His main focus lies in the area of sports and media marketing. He has worked together with the biggest sports IPs, media companies, teams, and athletes, both foreign and local, to ensure their success in the Philippine market.
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