It might have taken almost three long years but the wait was definitely worth it.

AP.Bren head coach Francis “Duckeyy” Glindro and players Angelo “Pheww” Arcangel and David “Flaptzy” Canon were on cloud nine as they finally booked their return to the M-series World Championship after six MPL Philippines seasons.

The road back to the grandest stage was never easy so it was only natural for the trio, the only remnants of the country’s first ever M-series champion team, to savor every bits of joy they felt after sweeping Blacklist International in the upper bracket finals

“Parang di ko maexplain yung feeling ko kasi parang sobrang saya ko.Kasi for the past seasons, kahit puro laglag, puro talo, yung tiwala namin sa isa’t isa ni Kuya Pheww saka ni Coach Duckey andun pa rin. Hindi nawawala,” said a teary-eyed Flaptzy during the post-match press conference.

“Sobrang saya namin kasi after ng ilang seasons na nabigo kami, yung mga times na laglag kami, andito na kami ulti sa international stage sa M-series,” added Pheww.

After winning the M2 title, Bren Esports met numerous disappointments in the following season and hit rock bottom when one by one, its key players departed from the team.

The crew underwent rebuild and numerous facelift, showing some flashes of brilliance only to fall short in the end. Through all of those – the thick and thin – the trio of Duckeyy, Pheww and Flaptzy stuck together

“Sobrang thankful ako sa kanilang dalawa kasi kahit puro talo, hindi kami naghihiwalay. Kami pa rin yung magkakasama hanggang sa umangat. Magkakasama kami sa baba. Magkakasama pa rin kami sa taas,” Flaptzy pointed out.

Now back in the international stage after all the struggles, AP.Bren, led by the three, is just as determined to reclaim its lost glory in the Worlds. 

The winners of the IESF World Esports Championships, however, are not taking the teams in the M5 lightly, knowing full well that the game plays of other regions have also evolved since they last won the world title.

“Yung quality ng gameplay ngayon sa M5 sobrang laki ng pagkakaiba sa M2. Yung M2 kasi microhan lang talaga. Hindi pa uso yung mga teamplay teamplay noon. Ngayong M5, sobrang taas na talaga ng quality ng gameplay,” said Pheww.

“Sobrang dami nang teams na malakas ngayon na nakakasabay na talaga eh. Tapos iba-iba pa yung meta nila kaya mas mahirap tong M5,” Flaptzy seconded.