Tier One executive tempers expectations

Tier One Entertainment chief executive officer Tryke Gutierrez is hopeful over the chances of his newly-formed DOTA 2 squad but its star-studded roster doesn't guarantee its success in the upcoming season of the DOTA Pro Circuit.

Gutierrez, who also co-owns gaming powerhouse Blacklist International, has teamed up with Rivalry to assemble a squad overflowing with firepower in Carlo "Kuku" Palad, Timothy "Tims" Randrup, Marc Polo "Raven" Fausto, Nico "eyyou" Barcelon and Karl "Karl" Baldovino.

Unlike other newly-assembled professional teams, Blacklist Rivalry skipped qualification to Division I when it acquired the franchise of RSG, making it qualified to see action in the DPC.

Still, Gutierrez wants their game to do the talking.

"Assembling a decorated team like this won't guarantee us a win," Gutierrez said.

"There is still a lot of work to be done for sure but for us in Blacklist, we're just happy that we'll get to compete against the best in the world with this roster. This is a dream come true, yes, but we have much bigger dreams and aspirations for this group."

Once a feared DOTA powerhouse in the region, the Philippines lost its invincibility when local professional organizations bombed out in The International, which is touted as the grandest stage in all of Esports.

Although Filipino players such as star mid laner Abed "Abed" Yusop, Armel "Armel" Tabios, Djardel "DJ" Mampusti and Jaunuel "Jaunuel" Arcilla have made it to TI, they still represented an international organization that inspired Gutierrez to create a squad of his own.

"Our joint venture with Tier One represents another meaningful opportunity to support and engage with the Dota 2 community in Southeast Asia," said Rivalry's chief executive officer Steven Salz.

"We're looking forward to working alongside its Blacklist team division to highlight the journey of these talented players with premium content for fans, as well as ensuring the team is equipped for championship-caliber success."