FOLKS, do you know that we’re the Mobile Legends World Champions? The Philippines, represented by Bren Esports, won the 2021 M2 Mobile Legends: Bang Bang World Championship.
Twelve teams from nine countries battled it out in Singapore for fame, glory and a year’s worth of bragging rights on the battlefield of Mobile Legends. The prize money up for grabs then was a cool $300,000.
Bren Esports, along with the other Philippine representative Smart Omega, competed against teams from Brazil, Russia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Japan and Cambodia.
We had a conversation with Jab Escutin, COO of BrenPro Inc., the people responsible for putting the team together.
VJ: How did the team start?
JE: Like most professional sports, we started our initial roster by recruiting the best players based on their performance in tournaments and competitions. From there we made adjustments and recruited new players who better fit our team composition.
VJ: What were the challenges the team faced on the way to the world title?
JE: I think the most challenging part of going to the world championship is the quarantine protocols that we had to follow. Quarantine isolation really made it hard for our team to prepare and strategize for the tournament. The safety of our players will always be our No. 1 priority so we wanted to make sure we follow all the guidelines and documentation that was required for us to fly to Singapore and back to the Philippines.
VJ: Walk us through the moment the team won.
JE: It was surreal, to be honest it’s something that’s still sinking in for us. The realization that all our hard work has paid off is really something we are grateful for.
VJ: What was your initial reaction and thoughts upon winning?
JE: We felt humbled because we felt that we have a responsibility to make sure that the next generation of esports athletes have something to aspire for through our team.
VJ: Did you have doubts the team could pull it off?
JE: To be honest, we felt that our team did everything to prepare for the tournament. We’re confident, but of course this is a competition where anything can happen and we were really nervous when we were bumped to the lower brackets. The grand finals was a real nail biter and we’re really happy the end results went our way.
VJ: What’s next for the team?
JE: We have a lot of things in the pipeline that we can’t mention for now. But the goal is to continue forward and #ElevateEsports in the Philippines.
VJ: Can the team repeat as Mobile Legends World Champions?
JE: Yes, definitely!
E-sports is a game where young Filipinos can excel. Out with the misconception that it’s just young men wasting time sitting idly on their couches and sofas playing video games.
The e-sports industry generates a lot of money every year. It is the new sunrise industry along with one of the few times we Filipinos can say, we’re the world’s best.