There's nothing wrong with switching from one esports title to another in search for a greener pasture and that's what the former Dota prodigy and now Mobile Legends: Bang Bang player Mark Anthony "Jacko" Soriano strongly believes.
Jacko, who was slapped by Valve with an indefinite ban for his involvement in the "PH 322 scandal of 2014" (a match-fixing incident), recently made his gutsy leap from the PC MOBA game to Moonton's mobile MOBA title.
Read: What is "322"?
"When something goes wrong, what's the best course of action? To change your direction," Jacko told Manila Bulletin in a Facebook message.
"If you feel you are already stuck, stop going in one direction and turn (to) another path. Your past may be a part of who you are, but it certainly doesn't have to define your future," he added.
Jacko was only 16 years old when he was dragged into the infamous match-fixing controversy but Valve still handed down the harsh ban two years later, rendering him ineligible to join Dota 2 Major tournaments and ultimately The International which stake the highest prize pools in esports across the world.
That prompted the Amihan Esports standout to jump ship to the booming ML pro scene. He has gone on a daily grind since his move to ML and has reached Mythical Glory in just 10 days.
Jacko said he sets two-time TI champion Johan "N0tail" Sundstein of OG as a great example. N0tail was a former Heroes of Newerth (HoN) player but the decreasing activity in the game led him to taking his talent to Dota where he eventually became one of the best players.
"Si N0tail dating pro HoN player (na) nag-switch sa Dota 2. At siya ngayon ang pinaka-successful na Dota 2 player (N0tail was a former pro HoN player who switched to Dota 2 and now he's the most successful player in the game)," he said.
Amihan also sent a strong message to the esports fans who continuously bring up his involvement in the PH 322 scandal.
"That was a thing in the past. Bata pa si Jacko noon (he's still young then) and he already learned his lesson," the organization said in a statement. "He is currently redeeming himself in the ML scene at hindi naging pariwara after ma-ban (and he didn't lose his life direction after getting banned)."
A few weeks after Jacko's move, another well-known local Dota 2 player in Kenneth "Flysolo" Coloma followed in his footsteps.
Considered as one of the greatest minds in PH Dota during his days as captain in Clutch Gamers, the 29-year-old Flysolo made the "tough decision" of transferring to the ML pro landscape due to lack of sponsorship in his Dota career amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jacko believes Flysolo can transition smoothly to Mobile Legends. He also has a message for his good friend and former teammate in Amihan.
"Siya 'yung definition talaga ng captain sa team. So tingin ko 'yun ang madadala niya sa pag-transition niya sa ML (He really is the definition of a captain. I think that is what he will bring with him in his transition to ML)."
"Good luck sa atin! And let's prove ourselves sa scene (Good luck to us and let's prove ourselves in the scene)."