AURORA GAMING assembled a roster of powerhouse players in their quest to seize the win and greatness. Walking the tightrope between breakthrough and failure, Aurora exceeded expectations during the MPL Philippines Season 14 despite being a new team in the league. Qualifying for the M6 World Championship in their maiden season, let’s uncover what makes Aurora a close-knit squad.
Teamwork makes the dream work, but it is not exactly a smooth sail that many would expect. When people with differing viewpoints come together, conflict and disagreement are often inevitable. But respect has been the foundation of Aurora that bridges between their differences.
Head coach Aniel “Master The Basics” Jiandani described Aurora's bootcamp setup and how they manage work-life balance.
“Kahit naman magkakasama kami dito sa bootcamp, lahat kami may kaniya-kaniya pa rin kaming pwedeng gawin. Yes, makikisama ka sa lahat, pero 'pag time mo na, time mo yun. Kung anong gawin mo diyan, walang pakialam yung lahat,” Master The Basics said, respecting each other's boundaries in the bootcamp.
“Meron pa ring privacy yung isa't isa, meron pa rin time sa kung ano yung gusto mong gawin. During day off naman, hinahayaan naman lahat kami na gawin kung ano yung gusto namin. Parang yun talaga yung time namin sa family namin,” he added.
Team captain Renejay “Renejay” Barcarse gets straight to the point of what it takes to become a professional player, going beyond just having exceptional mechanical skills.
Attitude defines an esports pro
“Sa esports o sa pagpo-pro player, kailangan talaga marunong ka makisama. Doon niyo mabubuo yung chemistry as a team, para mas maging maganda lahat. Mapag-uusapan niyo outside the game yung mga mali niyo sa in-game kumbaga masasama din siya doon,” Renejay explained, emphasizing the importance of “pakikisama” and how it translates to building the chemistry of the team through communication.
Meanwhile, Master the Basics channels his big-brain energy as he sees competitive play through a unique lens, with a mindset rooted in the mechanics of chess.
“Kasi yung MLBB, kung ako yung tatanungin, ang pinaka-analogy ko kasi sa kaniya is para kang naglalaro ng chess, pero five-man. Naglalaro ka ng chess, pero kailangan mayroong kang teamwork. So parang pinagsama mo yung chess and basketball na kailangan mag-work as sabay. Sa chess, hindi ka naman makakagalaw ng moves mo kung hindi accurate yung galaw mo. Then, sasamahan mo pa yun ng limang tao na kailangan accurate lahat yung galaw niyo. So, hindi siya mag-work kung may isang out sa inyo,” he expressed.
Speaking with the wisdom of experience, Ben “Benthings” Maglaque put good character over skills and highlighted its importance to achieve longevity in a team or the esports industry itself.
“Sobrang halaga ng pakikisama talaga kung gusto mong magtagal or kung mahal mo talaga yung isang team. Kasi kung may mapapansin kayo, may talent naman or skills, pero hindi nagtatagal. Ibig sabihin, may issue siya sa outside the game,” Benthings said.
“Kaya credits sa mga matatagal na sa nag-iisang team, ibig sabihin maganda kung paano magtrabaho para sa team. Kasi parang work or company na rin talaga siya. Kung hindi ka maganda magtrabaho, bakit ka magtatagal,” he added.
When it all boils down to character or skills, Master the Basics and Benthings choose players who display strong moral qualities.
“Mas pipiliin ko yung marunong makisama kasi yung skills and yung talent, kaya ko ituro pero yung attitude, hindi ko mababago. Nasa tao talaga,” Master the Basics said.
“Yung good player, magaling ka lang pumindot. Yung great player, kaya mo pagsabayin yung skills at attitude,” Benthings added, pointing out the qualities that separate between a good player and a great player.
In their debut season, Aurora capped off MPL Philippines Season 14 at second place and qualified for the M6 World Championship along with Fnatic ONIC Philippines, making a statement about what their chemistry can achieve in less than a year together.
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