With eyes set on redemption and reclaiming the lost glory for Filipinos in the Dota 2 professional scene, Tier One Entertainment has finally unveiled the roster of its Blacklist International Dota 2 team that is set to see action in the 2022-’23 DPC season.
The team, Blacklist Rivalry, is set to parade an all-Filipino crew composed by some of the biggest names in the SEA region led by former T1 stars Carlo “Kuku” Palad and Karl “Karl” Baldovino along with former Boom Esports support Timothy “Tims” Randrup, former Fnatic carry Marco Polo “Raven” Fausto and former TNC and Polaris Esports coach Nico “eyyou” Barcelon.
“Mission: REDEMPTION. Introducing our official roster for the upcoming DPC 2023 season. From dream to reality. We believe they are the best players in SEA. They have come together to fight under the #BlacklistRivalry banner,” the esport organization wrote in its announcement on Thursday, Nov. 24.
Interestingly, it was a reunion of some sort for Kuku, Eyyou, Tims and Raven who were all part of TNC’s magical run during The International 2016 where the Filipinos toppled the erstwhile tournament favorites OG on their way to finishing in the Top 8.
Karl, on the other hand, was no stranger to the Filipino esports organization giant, having been part of team owner Tryke Guttierez’s initial Dota 2 project, Team Amplfy.
Tier One, known for its Filipino champion teams in esports titles Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Call of Duty: Mobile, will be testing the waters of the Dota 2 professional scene after it acquired the slot of RSG in the Division I of the DPC SEA 2022 -23 Season after it acquired the slot of RSG.