With the group stage done and dusted, all eyes are on the The International’s main event that’s slated to kick off tomorrow (Oct 12), where 16 teams will duke it out to lay claim to the coveted Aegis of the Immortal.
The International (TI) is an annual e-sports tournament hosted and produced by Valve for the smash multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game DOTA 2 (Defense of the Ancients).
Aside from the massive crowds, The International is also a multimillion tournament where its current prize pool is $40 million, making it the biggest sum in e-sports history.
Homegrown talents
Being a free-to-play game, DOTA is undoubtedly a hit among Malaysians, with many eventually creating a name for themselves at the grand stage.
Among the well-known Malaysian DOTA legends include Chai “Mushi” Yee Fung, Khoo “Ohaiyo” Chong Xin, and Yeik “MidOne” Nai Zheng.
In fact, the Malaysian team Orange Esports cliched third place at TI3 back in 2013, further cementing the fact that there are many untapped local talents waiting to display their gaming skills at the international level.
Malaysians to watch at TI10
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the Malaysians who will be representing the country at the biggest e-sports event in history!
- NTS (NothingToSay)
First on the list is 20-year-old Cheng “NothingToSay” Jin Xiang, who is currently the midlaner for Chinese powerhouse PSG.LGD.
Regarded as one of the top midlaners, NTS nearly missed out on participating TI10 due to Visa issues but was eventually given the gold ticket after Valve intervened.
He was also instrumental in leading PSG.LGD to a swift victory over Elephant yesterday (Oct 10) in an 18-minute stomp thanks to his aggressive plays.
2. Oli
Next on the list is Chan “Oli” Chon Kien, who’s also playing for the Chinese team Invictus Gaming, who are currently No.1 in their group.
Oli began his professional career in 2017 at Genesis Pro Gaming, where he built his reputation as an excellent support player. He has also played alongside Malaysian legends such as Mushi and ChYuan during his time at Geek Fam.
Like NTS, Oli had difficulties getting a travel permit to compete in TI due to Visa issues but eventually it got sorted out.
He was also absent at the WePlay! AniMajor in March thanks to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
3. JT-
Together with Oli, Thiay “JT-“ Jun Wen kickstarted his career with Genesis Pro Gaming and the duo continued to be teammates during their tenure at Geek Fam.
Even when Oli bade farewell and joined Invictus Gaming, it seemed that JT- was fated to stick with him, which saw the pair ultimately reuniting in 2019.
4. ChYuan
A household name among Malaysian DOTA players, Ng “ChYuan” Kee Chyuan is considered one of the most acclaimed personalities, where his Aegis steal in yesterday’s game against favorites Team Secret has got many talking.
Like most Malaysians, ChYuan rose through the ranks starting from relatively unknown local teams and eventually found a home at one of the top Southeast Asian DOTA teams Fnatic.
Want to watch these talents in action? Tune in to The International on Astro’s eGG Network at channel 800, Twitch and DOTA’s official webpage.
Cover via: Dota2, DreamHack, Fnatic
Proofreader: Sarah Yeoh
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