THE NORTHERN lights of Aurora Gaming PH had moments when they were shining brightly in the galaxies, but there were instances when a void simply consumed the team.
From the highs of reaching the M6 World Championship, the team experienced a slump as they failed to secure a slot at MSC 2025.
Then eventually they lost one of their best players in Season 15, Renejay “Renejay” Barcarse.
Yet despite the struggles that they experienced, perhaps there is a ‘Light’ at the end of the tunnel.
Replacing Renejay is former MPL MVP and MSC champion, Dylan “Light” Catipon who had a brief stint overseas under BTR.
As he returns to Philippine soil, joining a team that has oftentimes fallen short, Dylan is motivated to fight for the dreams of his teammates.
“For me gusto kong patunayan na I can make it to the top again, na makapag-champion ulit. Gusto ko rin mag-champion yung mga teammates ko kasi marami silang time na nabitin sila e. Gusto ko mag-make ng difference para makapag-champion kami,” said the former BTR roamer in an exclusive with SPIN.ph.
Dylan never gives up
“Coach ang hirap.”
These were the words that Dylan told his former coach Brian “Panda” Lim when he was still playing for BTR.
Being a foreigner playing in Indonesia, Light encountered the usual problems that most outsiders would face. The language barrier, the food, etc. it was a struggle for Dylan to adapt to his new environment.
Eventually the team opted to use Muhammad "Finn" Hikmatullah as their main roamer, and it seemed Light’s tenure with the club may end.
But there’s always something in Light that truly made him shine.
When Dylan was still looking for a ray of hope to guide him in his journey abroad, Coach Panda reminded him on why he will always be one of his best players.
“Sabi niya, ‘I believe in you. The Dylan I know won’t stop until the end.’ Sabi ko oo nga no, yun yung naging habit ko sa career ko. Hindi talaga ako nagsta-stop until the end. Dala ko pa rin siya hanggang ngayon.”
Fighting for himself
And this is something that can be traced back during his youth. Dylan had always been obsessed with playing video games, but back then he barely had the means to fully support his passion.
Around 10-12 years of age, he was selling bottles in a junkshop in Cavite.
“Natuto akong dumiskarte kasi kapag nagco-compshop ako wala akong pera e. Mostly nagbebenta ako ng bote sa amin. Sabi nila ‘Nakakahiya’ daw yun, parang gusto kong magkapera para makapaglaro."
“From the beginning yung mindset ko talaga is diskarte.”
As a roamer, Light would oftentimes assess the situation before he could set up a play for his teammates and it seems this mentality was deeply rooted from his childhood. Given the limited resources he had, Dylan had to be strategic.
“Binibigyan ako ng baon para sa computer shop pero hanggang two hours lang siya. Kulang pa yan sa akin e. Doon din ako nag-start na maging independent. Noong naransan ko mag-earn, parang ang sarap kasi nabibili ko yung mga gusto ko, galing pa sa pinaghirapan ko.”
Gaming was an obsession and Light recalled the numerous instances during his youth where he would disobey his parents.
“Gabi na kasi akong umuuwi na, around 6-7 pm. Usually mga 5-6 pm dapat nasa bahay ako e. Kung lumampas ako lagot na ako e. Madalas na late akong umuuwi. May times nga na sabi ko, “Ayokong pumasok.”
With a grin on his face he looked back: “Actually alam ng nanay ko na tumatakas ako tapos pagbalik ko papagalitan niya ako.”
Fighting for his dream
Eventually his passion for gaming led to his ascent in the MLBB esports scene. Being a part of Work Auster Force, he had one goal: to reach the MPL. Back in those days, aspiring teams could be involved in the pro scene through the open qualifiers.
Being extremely tactful, Light was able to address one potential blunder that could derail his progress.
“Noong pandemic, nasira yung cellphone ko so wala akong malaro. Yung mommy ko may iPhone 7+ tapos ginamit ko muna. Noong naipon ko yung 40-50K, nakabili ako ng iPhone 11 and yun na ginamit ko. Yun yung ginamit ko noong qualifiers.”
The sacrifice was worth it as Work Auster Force secured a slot in the MPL Philippines back in Season 7. The door is now wide open however his mom found out about his aspirations.
“Wala naman mapapala doon,” emphasized Light’s mom.
It likewise didn’t help that being a professional player would mean that Light would have to leave his home, something that wasn’t easy for his parents.
Discouraged, Light immediately left the conversation and proceeded to his room. Tears started flowing down knowing that his dreams had been crushed.
But suddenly came a change of heart. Feeling guilty for their harsh words, Light’s mother entered the room and gave her son some words of encouragement.
“Sige papayagan ka namin sa gusto mo,” she said.
A sparkle of hope emerged and Light immediately contacted Work Auster Force. He didn’t know how to commute from Cavite to Manila so he asked for some assistance from the team. They provided him a vehicular transport to the bootcamp.
Finally he found his path.
“Sobrang life saver ng MPL PH Season 7 kasi parang I didn’t have plans back then. Anong gagawin ko pagkatapos ng senior high? Anong course yung kukunin ko? Kaya ko ba iyon? Kung tatanungin ako kung ano plano ko, wala akong masasagot kundi makapag-MPL lang.”
Fighting for his father
Finally! Light is now an MPL player, but not everything was smooth sailing. Despite a strong outing in Season 7 which saw them reach the playoffs and eliminate the upstart Nexplay Solid squad, the following season saw a collapse.
The backing from a legendary esports franchise in TNC wasn’t enough to salvage Light’s Season 8 campaign and given their abysmal performance, changes had to be made. Light was eventually released by the team, a decision he respected.
Suddenly, something unfortunate occurred.
“Nagkasakit yung father ko, na-hospitalize siya and yung natitirang savings ko sa TNC, doon napunta…He suffered from a mild stroke,” recounted the Aurora roamer.
He elaborated: “Sobrang hirap kasi noong dinala ko siya sa ospital, pandemic pa noon. Punong-puno yung mga ospital. Nagpa-panic talaga ako. Hindi namin siya hinayaan matulog kasi bawal yun e. Buti na lang may kakilala yung tita ko during that time.”
“Kulang pa rin yung savings ko, buti nagawan namin ng paraan.”
All of his efforts paid off as his father recovered well, but it took a massive toll on his savings.
Eventually a new door opened.
Fighting for Coach Panda
“Nag-chat sa akin si Coach Panda sabi niya: “Gusto mong mag-tryout?”
Light didn’t hesitate and accepted Coach Panda’s call. He passed the initial screening from RSG Philippines and he was given the chance to tryout in their bootcamp.
However there was a problem: His father’s stroke depleted his financial resources, and he couldn’t afford to travel to the bootcamp.
But Coach Panda saw a lot of potential in him and offered him some financial assistance to proceed to the bootcamp.
It was through this simple and kind gesture that yielded a future MVP, and an MPL and MSC champion.
Light admitted that he owes a lot to Coach Panda.
“Sobrang thankful ako kay Coach Panda kasi naging parent ko siya,” he started.
“May vision siya e na clear para sa lahat. May mga rules siya e. Kung hindi ka sang-ayon doon, meron siyang, ‘I don’t give a f*** mentality.’ Sobrang effective niya kasi mostly mga bata yung mga pro players so hindi pa masyadong disciplined yung mindset.”
“Nandun siya para itama yun. We’re professionals here so we should act like one. Yun talaga tumatak sa isip ko.”
His journey, marked by hardship and resilience, from selling bottles as a child to earning MVP titles, proves that Dylan “Light” Catipon is no stranger to adversity. He's a fighter, not just for himself, but for his family, his coach, and now his new team, Aurora Gaming PH.
As he steps onto the MPL stage once more, Light carries the weight of past struggles and the promise of a brighter future. He's here to fight for his teammates, to help them overcome their own voids and to finally claim the championship that has eluded them.
With his strategic mind and unwavering spirit, he is the hope that will guide Aurora Gaming PH towards a new dawn.
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