Blacklist International remains committed to Dota 2 despite the uncertainty revolving around the competitive landscape with the absence of DPC, welcoming three new players to its Filipino all-star team.
Blacklist added Abed Yusop, Kim “Gabbi” Santos, and Carlo Manalo on Nov. 10, marking the start of a new era with yet another promising roster.
Blacklist International previously built a SEA Filipino super team for the 2023 Dota Pro Circuit, but the team failed to rise above the local competition and make it to TI 2023. The lack of results fueled a massive roster change that Blacklist could capitalize on as there were high-profile Filipino free agents on the market.
Shopify Rebellion released half of its Dota 2 roster on Nov. 8, allowing Abed to explore his options, and Gabbi was a part of Entity for a short time during their TI 2023 stint.
While this move marks a homecoming for Abed and Gabbi, Carlo comes to Blacklist from Execration, a team considered to be a regional underdog. With the latest additions to the roster, Blacklist is now set to participate in the ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023 qualifiers.
Though the SEA region features multiple formidable teams, Blacklist will be battling for a single qualifier spot in the tournament starting on Nov. 11.
Dota 2 teams would typically have around two months before the start of a new season, but with the competitive landscape changing, the new competitive year starts much earlier. This caused Team Spirit to withdraw from Dota 2’s ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023 due to player health concerns. Other organizations are still in a race to swoop up rosters in time for the open qualifiers.
