Blacklist International is looking to make a splash in the professional DOTA 2 scene following the formation of Blacklist Rivalry that will see action in the upcoming DOTA 2 Pro Circuit season.
Spearheaded by Tier One Entertainment chief executive officer Tryke Gutierrez, Blacklist has signed battle-tested Filipino players in Carlo "Kuku" Palad, Timothy "Tims" Randrup, Marc Polo "Raven" Fausto, Nico "Eyyoudota" Barcelon, and Karl "Karl" Baldovino as it seeks to reclaim the country's lost glory in the world of professional DOTA.
Blacklist said their mission is clear: Redemption.
"Mission: Redemption," the organization said in a social media post.
"From dream to reality. We believe they are the best players in Southeast Asia. They have come together to fight under the Blacklist Rivalry banner."
The Philippines was once hailed as a DOTA 2 powerhouse in the Southeast Asian region but has failed to secure a spot in the recently concluded The International in Singapore, which brandished a prize pool of roughly P1 billion.
The International, globally touted as the grandest stage of competitive Esports, saw Filipino players such as Kuku, Tims, Raven, and superstar mid laner Abed Yusop in the tournament but none of them came from a Filipino-owned organization.
For Gutierrez, the goal is to bring the Philippine flag to the global stage while brandishing an all-Filipino roster.
"For the record, we just signed these five players last Monday," Gutierrez said.
"There were so much moving parts until the last minute. Never underestimate how much of a roller coaster ride the offseason is in Esports. Thank you for the patience everyone! We're ready for the next DPC season! Thank you to all the players for trusting our organization."
Since the Blacklist co-owner has the resources to back his ambitions, Blacklist Rivalry was given an instant entry to the DPC Southeast Asian Division I after it acquired RSG's spot in the regional league.
With four of his players coming from the once highly regarded TNC Pro Team except for Karl, Gutierrez is hopeful that his DOTA 2 Filipino redeem team would get to mesh with each other and get to the biggest Esports stage of them all at The International 12 in 2023.
