After two years of purely online competition, Predator League was back offline last September 17 to 18, 2022, at the SM Mall of Asia Central Atrium, where teams tested each other’s mettle in front of a live audience.
Day One – Valorant Battles
Day One saw top Valorant teams in the Philippines doing face-to-face battle at the Predator League 2022 Philippine Finals. Oasis Gaming, Team Secret, South Built Esports, and Rex Regum Qeon played their hearts out to an excited crowd at the SM Mall of Asia Central Atrium.
The electrifying duo of Justin “Vill” Villarasen and Allyza “Tayrawr” Taylor brought to life the excitement of finally returning to LAN competition. They were ably supported by the experts and analysts of the caster and panel desk: Jemimah “Donut” Dadula, Chris “Dadfemina” de Ocampo, Charles “Sneakyfrog” Carillo, Michaella “Mochii” Gonzale, and Brian “GuiangGaming” Guiang.
The competition was intense from the start, with Rex Regum Qeon (RRQ) easily dispatching Oasis Gaming (2-0) with a scoreline of 13-5 on both Haven and Breeze. The veterans of South Built Esports and highly renowned Team Secret, a matchup with a very storied past, duked it out for a full 3-map series, with Team Secret bowing out of the competition, leaving South Built Esports to advance towards the Grand Finals (2-1).
The Grand Finals presented to the audience a very captivating storyline: Would the wisdom of FPS veterans South Built Esports prove that experience truly is king, or would the youthful roster of Rex Regum Qeon finally pave the way for the end of the old guard? The first game showed the mastery of RRQ over the map of Breeze with a very convincing 13-7 scoreline. The second map, Fracture, went all the way to overtime but eventually RRQ proved that their fiery energy would deliver them victory and the championship.
Rex Regum Qeon walked away from SM Mall of Asia Central Atrium with the Predator League Shield, as well as PHP200,000 for their flawless run. South Built Esports was awarded PHP100,000 for their valiant effort.
Besides the non-stop Valorant action on the main stage, the audience was also joined by some of their internet favorites and heroes. Een Mercado, Team Payaman, and burg also joined in on the excitement at Mall of Asia, hosting giveaways and meet-and-greets for their fans and followers. Reg Rubio also rocked the crowd with the electrifying song right before the start of the Grand Finals.
Day Two – DOTA 2
Day Two saw one of the country’s beloved esports, Dota 2, marking its return to LAN action. GrindSky Esports, Execration, Polaris Esports, and Atomic Esports finally got to show their prowess in front of a highly-charged audience.
Returning for the second day to host this prestigious event, Justin “Vill” Villarasen and Allyza “Tayrawr” Taylor were joined by a lineup of talented casters and panelists: Erika Mei “Aki” Ilar, John “Johnxfire” Nathan Fernandez, Aries “Kalbz” Alejandro, Nathaniel “NaTan” Wicks, and Rain “Rain” Zerlyn Manaig.
With four of the most skilled teams in the Philippines, the competition was charged from the get-go. GrindSky Esports, a relatively new organization in the Philippine scene, slightly edged out the veterans from Execration, with a 2-1 scoreline that guaranteed them a slot to the Grand Finals. Flying straight from their boot camp in Cebu, Polaris Esports was matched with the tenacious underdogs of Atomic Esports. But Polaris Esports proved that their pedigree was well-earned, with the Cebuanos sweeping the series 2-0, with their second game being finished in a lightning-fast 20-minute victory.
The Grand Finals was a test of whether or not Polaris Esports was the new kings of Philippine Dota, or if the new upstarts of GrindSky Esports were more than capable of proving that they were a force to be reckoned with. But at the end of the day, Polaris Esports proved that their recent performances were no mere flukes. They demolished GrindSky Esports in convincing fashion, winning 2 games straight to take home the Predator League Shield.
Polaris Esports walks away with PHP200,000, while GrindSky Esports are rewarded with PHP100,000 for their valiant efforts.
Besides the intense action that Dota 2 brought to the SM Mall of Asia Central Atrium, fans were once again treated to the presence of some of their favorite Dota personalities. KuyaNic, Kang Dupet, Ashley Gosiengfiao, and even the whole squad of TNC Predator were in the area to show their support and give selfies and signatures to their fans. Mayonnaise also graced the stage and performed some of their fan-favorite hits.
APAC Grand Finals
As the curtains of this chapter of Predator League closes, a new one begins: Both Polaris Esports and GrindSky Esports will be traveling to Japan for the Asia Pacific Predator League 2022 Grand Finals where they will be representing the Philippines. There, they will face off against the champions of the other Predator Leagues in the APAC region.
All eyes will be on Japan, from November 11 to 13, 2022, where the world will know who the best Dota 2 team from the region is.
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