Why MPL PH Season 9 Is the Perfect Time for Rookies to Shine

The year 2021 was one of the most action-packed years for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB). Two world championships happened within the same year since the M2 World Championship was moved to the first quarter of 2021 due to the global pandemic. This was accompanied by the Mobile Legends Professional League (MPL) which continues to be one of the most watched esports tournaments in the world. The year ended with the M3 World Championship where fans witnessed the dominance of the Filipino team, Blacklist International.

After all the taxing esports events that occurred last year, many of the pro players are contemplating taking a break. In the MPL Philippines (PH) esports scene, veterans such as Carlito “Ribo” Ribo, Joshwell Christian “Iy4knu” Manaog, Danerie James “Wise” Del, Johnmar “OhMyV33nus” Villaluna, and Adrian “Toshi” Caballo, have announced that they are taking a break for the 9th season.

While fans will not be seeing some of their favorite veteran pro players in action in the upcoming MPL PH Season 9, this may be a good opportunity for rookie players to take the spotlight. Fans may see the next generation of promising pro players display their skills as they compete for the championship title while some veterans will be enjoying a break after the tiring season from last year.

The burnout is real for some veterans

A lot has changed since the conclusion of the MPL Philippines Season 8. One of the noteworthy points of news that broke out was the announcement of five veteran players taking a break in the upcoming MPL season.

According to a report from Spin.PH, RSG PH’s head coach, Brian “Panda” Lim, explains that the stress is merely the same as every season but the veterans may have burnt themselves out after playing competitively every season.

“They’re treating ML like it’s their work instead of some exciting passion,” stated coach Panda.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tier 1 Entertainment and the co-owner of Blacklist International, Tryke Gutierrez, also shared his thoughts as to why his star players have decided to skip the MPL PH Season 9.

“On an operational level, the V33Wise (duo) will be able to take a break from all the stress they experienced from social media, mental to physical,” stated Tryke.

He added that Bren Esport’s downfall last season may have been due to its players getting pressured and tired after winning one of the biggest esports events in Mobile Legends.

“I think after that (M2 World Championship), the pressure was too much and it feels like they need to win all their matches,” stated the Tier 1 Entertainment CEO. “If you defeat them (Bren Esports), it would feel like you defeated a world champion, so every game is like a grand finals match.”

With the rising popularity of the MLBB esports scene coupled with the usual toxicity from fans that pro players may have to endure, it is only fair that esports organizations take care of their players by providing them with the option to sit back and freshen up their minds before heading back to playing competitively.

The time is ripe for amateur players this upcoming MPL season

With veteran players taking a break, seats have started to go vacant. To fill in the missing roles, organizations have started putting their sights on the next generation of Mobile Legends pro players by recruiting amateur pro players. With the fan-favorite players taking a break, fans will also be looking for new players to set their eyes on this season.

Aspiring pro players from amateur teams will take this opportunity to strive for bigger achievements. This exodus of pro players taking a break will pave the way for rookies to prove they are the next generation of formidable players that fans can look forward to seeing in the upcoming tournament.

One of the MPL PH teams, Nexplay EVOS, acquired the whole 5-man squad of the amateur MLBB team, AP Esports. Its main roster from last season will also be playing alongside the youngbloods with the exception of Tristan “Yawi” Cabrera who transferred to ECHO. Nexplay EVOS’s amateur standouts also impressed the fans after reaching the grand finals of the MLBB Sibol Qualifiers Phase 2 where it came face to face with Blacklist International. While the team did not win the match, its rookies managed to receive praise from Blacklist International’s pro players.

Bren Esports also saw big changes to its roster. The team’s star player Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno transferred to ECHO while its veteran and most flexible pro player, Ribo, is taking a break in the upcoming MPL PH Season 9. The team announced six amateur players to fill up its 10-man roster alongside its main roster from the previous season.

TNC Pro Team, who had the most changes to its roster, signed four amateur pro players alongside the two veterans in its roster from the previous season.

The Mobile Legends Southeast Asia Cup 2021 champions, Omega Esports also welcomed two widely known amateur players to its team. These players have already established their names in the MLBB amateur esports scene.

The defending champions of the MPL PH Season 9, Blacklist International welcomed one pro player to complete its team roster. Without its team captain, OhMyV33nus, Salic “Hadji” Imam will be taking up the mantle of captain for the team and proving his leadership skills in the upcoming tournament.

Needless to say, the MPL PH Season 9 will be rife with amateur players looking to work alongside the most experienced veterans in the MLBB esports scene. These amateur players will try to showcase their skills by proving their capability to adjust to the ever-changing meta of the professional scene while establishing their chemistry with other veteran players.

With the many new faces we’ll be seeing in the upcoming MPL PH Season 9, these amateur players will definitely be the highlight of the tournament. This also proves that the Mobile Legends esports scene is very diverse with new players or teams appearing frequently alongside highlighting that veteran players don’t necessarily get to dominate the esports scene every season.

Subscribe to AFK Gaming’s Newsletter

Get a weekly recap of all the latest developments in the global esports industry with our esports business insights newsletter: AFK Weekly

Subscribe for free to receive insights, analysis and opinions on the biggest developments in esports business, provided by our team of experienced journalists in collaboration with thought leaders across the industry.